1981 Ferrari 308 GTS 'Targa' Coupe

The Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS series introduced in 1975 was the true successor to the legendary 246 Dino (Bertone's 308 GT4, while a worthy car, somehow failed to capture the spirit of the earlier model) and remained the mainstay of Maranello's production for the next decade. With beautifully cohesive styling by master studio Pininfarina, the 308 captured the very essence of the Prancing Horse marque. The GTS variant, with lift-out roof panel, added to the desirability of the 308 series when introduced in 1977 and was made famous the world over by Tom Selleck's character from the television series Magnum P.I. The earliest examples were fitted with fibreglass bodywork but buyer resistance saw a return to the traditional steel panels in 1976, albeit retaining fibreglass front and rear valances and the same aluminium bonnet panel with only a minimal weight gain. All Dino references were dropped - the 308 GTB/GTS was considered a fully-fledged Ferrari right from the outset - but it did carry over the basic engine configuration of the 308 GT4 including wet-sump lubrication (European delivered cars switched to a dry-sump set-up) and twin distributor ignition system. With four twin-choke Weber carburettors, the 308 GTS was rated at 255 bhp, could top 250 km/h and was capable of reaching 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. The 308 GTS provides the perfect entree to Ferrari ownership, being relatively inexpensive to purchase and a lot easier to maintain than its twelve-cylinder siblings, whilst retaining classic Ferrari looks and has more than enough performance to keep any enthusiast entertained behind the wheel. By the standards of the later 355 and 360 series, the GTS is also something of a rarity with just 3,219 built and very few of those ever made their way to Australia. In recent years, interest in early 308 models has grown, something reflected in the steady appreciation of prices, making these cars an attractive proposition when compared with later V8 models.