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Speaking as a person who is fairly sick of 'Ferrari hubris,' I think the GT4 is fantastic and remains fixed in the list of very few Fezzas I'd like to own. And yes, I do like how it looks! 👍👍👍

This car is the first Ferrari I bought ( new from auto Becker In Dusseldorf) 1978 . A fantastic car , never a problem, handed like a dream and quick in 78 . Personally I think it looks much better than the Crappy 308 GTB and 328. ( Had both) The styling has not become stale like the latter In fact I think it has become even more desirable. I ran this car in Germany from new , covered 75000 km without a hitch just the normal servicing by Becker. In those days it was a Porsche eater , great fun as the Germans in those days did not know what a Ferrari was ( comments daily, what is that funny looking car ) They only became interested in the Michael Schumacher days. Thanks for the video

My mums best friend had one, her husband couldn’t be bothered driving it. Used to get picked up from school in it in small-ish town Australia and kids would say it’s not a Ferrari simply because it wasn’t a testarossa which is the only one they knew. She used it as a daily driver easily and got plenty of compliments. One other story, she was driving with my mum and my dad was crossing the street with his national managers in their suits… “look at the babes in the Ferrari”, “ that’s no babe, that’s my wife”. Had the desired effect of a Ferrari.

The misunderstanding with the GT4 was that people mistakenly thought it was the replacement for the 246 because the GTB release was delayed due to quality issues they were having with the fiberglass body. But the GT4 was meant to be an entirely different model to compete against the Lamborghini Urraco and the Maserati Merak which were both 2+2 mid engined cars that came out around 1970-71. Obviously there was a market for a 2+2 because Ferrari continued to build the GT4 up until 1993 - although it got a Pininfarina body in 1980 and was renamed the Mondial. There is in fact evidence that the 308 GTB was intended to be badged as a Dino before they decided to abandon the brand, possibly due to the market reaction to the GT4 but more likely just due the financial condition of Ferrari at the time.

The Dino name came about as the 2.0L V6 engine was designed by Ferrari's son, Alfredo (Dino) the year before his death. Ten years later it powered the 206 Dino and the second iteration of this engine enlarged to 2.4L powered the 246 Dino. The third was the 308 V8 which debuted in the GT4. The blue "Dino" script and border and the yellow background of the badge reflect the colors of Modena. I owned a Mondial after our kids were born (no room in the 512BBi) an highly competent but equally unloved Ferrari Jack. Excellent episode!

"I think they look absolutely brilliant." I agree Jack. I think it is a bold design that has aged very well. People have to remember this wasn't sold as the end all be all of performance. This was a car for folks like old Man Enzo to drive and in that regard, wow is it special. Great Vid 27.

Great video -- like you, I love the 308GT4. Other mid-engined 2+2's: the Lamborghini Uracco, the Maserati Merak (I believe), and, of course, the GT4's successor, the Mondial. I love them all.

To me it has aged superbly, looks a stunning car rear lights apart.

These looked pretty amazing on the road in '75 when I first saw one, and I'll never forget the sound of that wonderful mid-rear DOHC engine. To my eyes it looks similar to the Esprit S1, coincidence or not.

The side profile is one of the greatest for any car I think. It's perfection.

I agree Jack, for a 50 year old design these look great and have aged very well.

I bought my US-spec, ‘75 GT4 in 1985. It was well used (around 70K miles), but I paid $16K for it. US bumpers were hideous and very heavy. Otherwise I loved it over the 20 years I owned it. I rebuilt the suspension and engine. Took it on one cross-country 2500 mile trek and several 500 miles trips all without drama. Worst practical aspect was that wipers were absolutely worthless at highway speeds! If I could find a nice one with euro bumpers and reasonably priced I’d buy it. Thanks for another excellent review and video.

I owned a 308GT4 in 1975 which replaced a 246GT !! Everyone at the time thought I was mad. I didn't think so. To me it gripped the road and handled better than the 246. It didn't sound as good as a 246 and didn't have the charisma. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I thought and still think the 308GT is a good looking car and certainly was more practical than the 246. I re[laced it in 1976 with a 308GTB ( A fiberglass bodied car) which was not good.

As a non Ferrari enthusiast I think this looks like a perfect car. I just love it. I’m surprised more movies don’t have it as the leads preferred ride. Bond has his db5, magnum his 308, John wick his mustang, some movie or tv series hero would rock with this cool Choice

I've always liked their looks - guess I'm a fan of '70s angular wedge styling - definitely top of my list of 'lottery win' Ferraris :)

Mondial is probably even more unique with the T and the last year ones that had the engine turned from longitudinal to transverse....also the fact it was a 2+2, 4 seat, mid engine, V8, *cabrio* Insane, kind of charmingly ugly car...but really cool. Gordon Murray owns a 308 GT4 and it's one of his only cars that is over 1000kgs, breaking a rule of his. That oughta tell you how good it is!

The Dino 246 GTS was considered the same at one time, I remember back in 1997 you could pick one up for 25k, how times have changed.

Brilliant design/amazing proportions. Looks so modern even by todays standards!

Thanks for the video Jack. I also believe that the 308GT4 is an underappreciated Ferrari. The Bertone styling only makes it more unique. Don't forget that the Mondial was also a mid-engine 4-seater.

I've never driven one. I probably never will. The "anti" argument is not unlike that which holds that the 'Sud is not a real Alfa. The Dino badge of the early models didn't help. I rather like them. There was no such snobbery about the 206 or the 246. As with those, the model number didn't equate to the swept volume of a single piston. The real surge of snobbery came in the late 80s classic boom. Everyone had to be an expert and had to know more than everyone else... Viewed as a stand alone model against its contemporaries, it is a lively thing. A very lovely thing.

My fave 'Ferrari' of all time, those perfect chiseled lines and the genius Marcello Gandini at his very best. Also one of the roomiest, easiest to own, run and work on. These were littering the classifieds at sub 20k for years and not that long ago.. I wish I had bought one.

Lovely review of a lovely car Jack. Like you, i have always quite liked the GT4, and honestly think that people who hate them simply do not understand what it is. I also think this is mainly why they have appreciated in value the way they did in the last few years, because only now people are sort of starting to understand them, and see the appeal of a 4 seat Ferrari.

Growing up while I was getting my first dubious cars, there was an ‘old’ guy down the street that always chatted cars with me. He was on the lookout for one when he came across a ‘79 308. He also had a Lotus Elite, Fiat X1/9 sitting in his driveway. One day when I came home from school, my Mom commented that ‘some guy in a fancy red car was taking measurements of your Mini’. A few days later, I came home to a hand made, form fitted car cover! Ben was an ultimate car guy, and he liked them. They had to be good…

Since first seeing one as a kid, late 70s in NZ, has always been a favourite. Think the design is remarkable given what it was packaging. That was proved by the woeful Pininfarina effort, the Mondial, that eventually replaced it

Thanks for posting. I've always appreciated the design and prefer the early Dino badged cars . I like 2+2 design and the fact it's midengine is brilliant.

The Mondial and the Maserati Merak were also mid engined 2+2s

Thanks for the video and many thanks for keeping the editing tight and the length of your videos down to nice digestible 10 minute chunks. It's much appreciated!

I drove one on a trip down to Devon and Cornwall from London. It was... an adventure! The turning circle was so bad I could barely get it around some bends in small towns, it also needed to have the oil checked 15 minutes after parking up on a flat surface thanks to the dry sump, but get it on a flowing bit of road and WOW! The glove box was hilarious - it sort of flips over so you end up with a flat mirrored surface for the passenger for ... erm .. party powder? It was from the 70s after all.

The Gandini wedge shows through beautifully.

I have owned a 308GT4 for 40 years and I love the car as much today as I did when I bought it. My experience with track days shows that my car has all the spirit of the famous 12-cylinder cars. The more powerful cars would leave me down the straight but I was right on their rear through the twisty stuff. It really pissed off a few of the powerful car owners and that made me smile

I've always had a soft spot for them. To me they have aged better than the 308 (visually) and look light years better than the awkward Mondial. They certainly have strong Stratos cues and as Geoff LC said, there is def a nod to the S1 Esprit too.. But along with the 348 I find them very compelling and underrated Ferraris.

Great video and so nice to see someone give an honest appraisal of a very underrated car. I owned my 1978 GT4 for 13 years, absolutely loved driving it and it was also relatively affordable to run. I still see it regularly as I know the current owner and I just love following it down the road, it looks and sounds absolutely fantastic!

In 1981, I had helped friends replace batteries, alternators and starter by then. I went to NY to visit and over a couple days I helped my older brother rebuild the engine in one of these. I was the parts washer. Had to keep everything in the same order. As he put it back together I got to ask all kinds of questions. A few months later we refreshed a Datsun 510 engine and I was on my way, not just down South in the US, but working on my own cars. What a lesson!!

It's such a pretty car and beautifully proportioned.

I'd never noticed Stratos cues in the GT4, but now you've said it, I absolutely can. In fact, it's now hard not to see it.

I owned a '79 Ferrari GT4, Series II, Chassis# 15234, Rosso Chiaro ext. w/ Connelly Leather Light Biege int. & a Factory Sunroof. The cab-forward layout gave the driver an obstructed view of the road, improving cornering speed & handling. I did add some improvements without changing it's overall Stock visual appearance. 1) ANSA Exhaust. 2) 1984 308, 16" staggered Star Wheels & HP Tires. 3) Frt/Rr Crossdrilled/Slotted Rotors, EBC Pads, SS Brakelines & Motul 600 Fluid. 4) K& N Airfilter. 5) Single Point Twin Distributors w/ Petronics Digital Points. I purchased my GT4 in 1984 w/ 7k miles for $30k, and Sold in 2010 w/ 40k miles for $42k, w/ all OEM wheels, Tires, Exhaust, etc.. Just recently my GT4 was listed For Scale on Hemmings.com, in Dubi for $90k. I was a member if the Ferrari North America Club, and Won 1,2 & 3rd in Class at Concourse d'Eligance Events. At Club Events I also got to Drive my GT4 on a few Racetracks; Lime Rock, Bridge Hampton & Watkins Glen. For 26 years I always enjoyed Driving & Listening to the 308 Engine w/ ANSA Exhaust Note!👍🇺🇸

Nice review of my favourite Ferrari. GT4’s look and sound incredible. Very aggressive styling, more like a Lamborghini. The dash is very similar to an LP400 Countach, same designer.

I agree with some of the previous posts , the Merak has to be one of the best of all time designs, with the stratos running it a close second. Growing up as a kid I always thought of the GT4 as an ugly duckling. Now I’m older in age , and I can see the original concept. I just see a thing of sheer beauty.

Very good video Jack. I used to own a 1977 version in the early 80's and can remember what a fantastic fun car it was back then.

I used to have one of these 20 years ago , it had had a full restoration by JCT 600 and was a beauty as far as I was concerned lovely to drive and own . I used to keep it in my fully red carpeted double garage at my house in Oxfordshire and some evenings I would sit in a deckchair in the garage to just look at it . And of course it was Rosso with a light tan leather interior . I loved it !!

I bought one during 1988 in Australia for about A$45K back then. I owned it for seven years and loved it to death even winning fastest lap of the day for 2+2 Class at Amaroo Park, Sydney. A much underrated car and every inch a real Ferrari. A 'baby' Ferrari sure, but a true GT and superb long distance tourer: Toronto, Lake Macquarie to Collaroy in just 1:15m via the F3 at 135-150MPH. Those were the days!

The original Dinos also had a transverse engine and gearbox arrangement. The extra 8 inches in the chassis, together with a shorter boot, gave the space for the rear seats, not the bigger engine. Production actually continued all the way to 1979, and some cars were registered in 1980. It was of course replaced by the obvious example of another mid-engined 2+2, the Mondial series. I put 40k miles on one of these back in the day and loved it. The clutch and gearchange were perfect, but individual cars do vary as you say. The brakes were a bit rubbish in stopping power on the standard pads but much better on EBC Red Stuff. Yes, the duct from the air-intake on the right C-pillar to the air cleaner is for some reason missing; it would sound and run better with it in place. Things to look out for? The interior and the electrics are a little 'fragile' and an upgraded fuse box is worthwhile. Any electrical gremlins may be down to poor earths as Ferrari tended to not use earth wires but rely on return via a self tapper into the body. A healthy car is great to drive and handles a little better at the limit for us amateurs than the 2-seaters due to the longer wheelbase. Put it this way, people still race them in the FOC classic series and have a great time doing it.

The 208gt4 was my first Ferrari I ever worked on and drove, a big go cart with a 5 spd , low to the ground, it was awesome to drive, I was 17 years old at that time, I wouldn’t mind owning one , better than some of the newer models.

I had a drive in one of these in central London. It inadvertently did 13.. mumble mumble in a London park one afternoon. Absolutely delightful.

I've always thought they looked great, great vid Jack you are certainly reviewing some great interesting cars these days, all the best.👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🇬🇧

Great to see Jack, thanks. In recent years, these are starting to get the appreciation they deserve. Great cars and they came in some really interesting colors besides the typical Ferrari red. I'd love to restore one if I got the opportunity, especially an early model with full Dino badging.

I’ve always thought these were fantastic looking cars but then I was a young boy during the 70’s and grew up loving wedge cars like this, the Urraco, the stunning Alfa Carabo etc 😊

Great looking cars. My only experience is a couple of laps on a charity airfield day, crammed into passenger seat - owner driver threw it all over the place & it just stuck to the road & went very well round corners! Thanks for video & memories Jack! 🙏

308 GTS 'Magnum Pi' was a real beauty. Rear lights looked so nice.

The sound of that V8 on full song was the best intro, of all time.

The tail lights evolved from the first URRACO prototype. And they look FANTASTIC. The second urraco prototype was VERY related to the X1-9.

Not too much wrong with this but THE absolutely drop-dead gorgeous Dino is the Fiat Dino Spider.

Thanks for reviewing my dream car! Of all Ferraris ever made, this is the one I'd have. Of course I have owned several Bertone X1/9s, so this makes sense. I am happy to see your wonderful review of this beutiful, underapreciated car!

I was lucky enough to own one of these for 4 years. A fantastic car. I loved just about everything about it, especially the hand built quality and beautiful Italian design. Brilliant to drive. Wish I still had it, but at least I will always have the memories of it.

The Lamborghini Uracco was a direct competitor to the 308GT4 and had a rather similar profile, although the Lambo had those cool louvers over the rear. I always loved them both because performance that you can use on a road trip without compromising what stuff you take with you. I'd have one of either (or both) in a heartbeat.

Couldn't agree more. Still own mine after 22 years. Great for long trips around the country side.

I owned one for over 20 years. It didn't require any more maintenance than any other 20 year old car. I had to do points, condensers, plugs & leads, and tires & pads when I got it (cheap through aftermarket sources) and after that, regular oil & filter, & a few belt changes until 18 years later when the carbs needed attention. Float needles were 'repointed' (brass) by chucking them in a drill press and dressing them with a stone until the seat grooves were gone. Reset the float heights a bit higher than factory (to eliminate the stumble when cornering), and balanced them with a thin hose from ear to venturi (more accurate than the sync device I bought). It was dead simple. Also had to rebuild the water pump at this time. Less than $15.00 in 2 bearings and a seal from a bearing supply company. I didn't like the looks of it when I first saw it, but quickly came to appreciate its clean, uncluttered lines, and think its a much better design than the Pininfarina 308. Jack is 100% spot on as far as driving it is concerned. Only sold mine because I was getting to the point of having to enter & exit on my hands & knees (joke). A great, totally underrated car!

Absolutely lovely Jack. I’d have that car in a heartbeat! From certain angles (around the front) it reminded me of the Uracco, another stunning 70s car. And who doesn’t adore a pop-up headlight. 😍

Great video Jack....glad you put the oddballs behind.....

You used to be able to pick up a 308 GT4 for £5-£10k in the mid-90s as absolutely nobody wanted them. I remember Classic and Sportcar constantly banging on about how they would rocket up in value. It’s never quite done the rocket but at least it’s being appreciated.

Another Great film Jack!!! I always think they have a bit of Lotus in term of looks!!!

One of my personal faves. I love Bertone. 365 BB, 308 GTS and this car are the defining Ferraris. I really don't care what the purists say.I have driven a few and 308 was my fav.

Always loved the sharp lines and do not understand why it is so controversial. Another unloved Ferrari which I also admired is the 365 GTC/4. You don't see these featured very often either.

Liked & Subscribed. I'm off to check the rest of your work. A fine review. My favorite Ferrari

Test drove one of these many years ago that was going for a song mid 90s It was rough and had some rust and was top of my budget and being mid 20s wasn’t sure I would ever get insured, remember it was horrible to drive in my inexperienced hands, ended up buying a Subaru Legacy turbo instead for the same money which was nearly new and so much more fun, can’t imagine how you feel it’s so different to drive

With Mr Gandini, all is forgiven, not that anything needs forgiving. I always thought of these as Ferrari's, from the styling to the sound of the V8, and of course in this case, the colour. They also look very appealing in a bright yellow.

Nice review and I have to agree. Back in the 1990s I owned a Dino badged '74 model with the twin distributor engine and had great fun with it. Handled lovely, plenty of steering feel and a really willing engine. Pedals were great for heeling and toeing. Regretted selling it when I moved up to racing a more expensive formula car. Mind you that avoided me having to address some of the rust issues nibbling around the edges! 😃

I think the looks are wonderful from behind it looks a little like Maserati Khamsin same masterpiece of Gandini and I believe the Lamborghini Urraco,Maserati Merak ,Lotus Evora and Ferrari Mondial have the same 2+2 mid engine layout and remember in the 70’s car designs where atrocious this car looks fabulous keep up the great job on these classic masterpieces

Great video, keep them coming!

Totally agree, my all time favourite, sadly overlooked by many. The badging was always just uneducated noise. Thanks for the honest appraisal

It's interesting how the looks have changed. When these cars were current I thought they were dreadful. Now I really like the looks, at least until I see a 1960s Dino.

I agree with your sentiment. I've always been a big fan of all Bertone designs. The red over black is a bit too cliche. I hope to be able to afford one some day. Thank you.

I’ve had three 308 GT4’s. In 1985, 1986, & 2000. The 1985 needed work! The 1986 I loved and did 70k miles in it, sold it & bought it back! Then I had a tax bill to pay so I sold it. In 2000 my dealer had a 19year old car with 19k miles on it and 19 year old tyres! After 1500 miles it needed new tyres. This low milage car had to have a top end of the engine rebuilt & all new suspension all because of it’s lack of use. I couldn’t afford it! I sold it! Now I’ve a 1988 Mondial 3.2 Coupe with ABS. This car isn’t as much fun to drive as a good 308GT4 but it has never given me a bad moment either. The lack of ABS on a GT4 put me into a heart-stopping moment a few times. I might be a rubbish driver though! I had a Mondial 3.4t before the 3.2 & no one says the engine has to come out on servicing those!! The 3.2 is less costly to run and has a decent turn of speed. It’s now done 73,800 miles & no problems. I bought it in 2019 at 66,500 miles. I love it. I test drove a Roma recently & the Mondial is better in every way!

I think it's a lovely looking car Jack, both inside and out. As you say the dash is excellent and so unique looking. The only thing that I can see in your video is 'Jacks Bend' that needs resurfacing by the local authority haha. Thanks again Jack for sharing your experiences. Regards, Bob M.

A beautiful little car, I remember you could get one for 5k in the 80s.

Love them, I had a 208 gt4 in the 70s which had fiat twin cam engine from memory, it really flew dispite that. Driving position long arms short legs for someone of 6'3" took some getting used to.

One of my favorite cars ever. Back in 2002 I was going to buy a 1974 model that was imported into the US as a track car (no radio, no side mirrors). It was car #76 produced and only had 7k miles on. The person I was buying it from took a deposit and then sold it out from under me 3 days later! Thankfully I did get the deposit back. It turns out it was a good thing as in reality it needed way too much work. The person I was buying it from had picked it up after it had sat neglected in a university’s backlot for nearly 2 decades.

Totally agree! Love the ”different” look! Greetings from Stockholm Sweden.

I always liked these and regret not buying one when it was reasonable to buy.

I wasn't really aware of this model, being familiar with the 'Magnum P.I.' 308 gtb. Man, i'm amazed by this underdogged beautiful Ferarri ! Stunning...and a great review. I can feel your passion.👍😉

I quite like the styling which looks very mid 70's Lotus from some angles. Sounds pretty good too and all the reports I've heard suggest its good to drive though not keen on the door handle which looks like it was taken from a Morris Marina.

I'm still mad I didn't buy one of these in 1989 (a 1979 model) for $12000 . An amazingly beautiful car in my humble opinion. Kinda like the 246GT - and oddity but still better than many of their other "accepted" cars...

Beautiful balanced shape. Always loved them. Better than an Uracco although those are nice too.

Agree, I love the styling. Not crazy about rear taillights, but that's about it. Should have been twin round units maybe? The side silhouette is brilliant. Sounds beautiful too! I'll take it! After having two X1\9's, mid engine cars are my favorites! 👍😎

Great video as always Jack

Brilliant video! I too prefer the dashboard layout of the Dino. Better than my 328, for sure. I don't mind the Bertone styling, but the tail lights do look out of place. Other than that, it's a pretty car.

Back in the 90s I remember seeing two lads parked up in a park in one of these. I’m sure it was one of their dads car. It was the oldest looking car there but without a shadow of a doubt it was the coolest car on the car park and those two smug looking lads knew it.

A superb Ferrari; it's probably the best handling Ferrari on a race track due to the fact that Marcello Gandini got the balance tuned perfectly. He also designed the Citroen BX, maybe that's a reason the snobs despised it?

That’s a lovely looking car from its era, great to see and learn about. Thanks Jack.

Thank you Jack, lovely review and beautiful Ferrari!

If I could pick any Ferrari to own from any year, it would be this car. By far my favorite Ferrari. Looks like a diamond. I love the shape, and it's carbed.

One of my favourite Ferrari designs. Up there with the Espada for peak 70’s wedge design

Definitely my favourite Ferrari. Just love the looks. So well resolved and with a certain aggression.

This car has aged well, I used to think that it looked awful, it now looks ok.

What a good review. I’d like to see you compare this with a 3.2 Mondial or maybe the T. 👍

Gordon Murray has one. Nuff said. Except that particular car may need new clutch or adjustments.. shouldn’t be too heavy.

Love these !!

As a 308 GT4 owner, enthusiast, and historian, I agree with your assessment on this car! 😀 You're right, the 308 GT4 belongs to a VERY small club when it comes to mid-engine 2+2 cars, but there is more than just the Evora. Here's the complete list I've come up with: Dino 308 GT4 Lamborghini Urraco Maserati Merak Ferrari Mondial Lotus Evora Some people claim the Koenigsegg Gemera, but that's actually a four seater (which is different than a 2+2), so it doesn't count.

Awesome car. A Ferrari is still a Ferrari. Nice video. Keep up the good work.