1973, Dino 308 GT4 (Elite, limited 3041/5000, diecast)
The Paris Motor Show 1973. After 20 years of exclusive collaboration with Pininfarina, Ferrari unveiled the Dino 308 GT4, a V8-engined model designed by Bertone. The Turin-based designer created an attractive mid-engined 2+2 in a body that was little more than 4.3 metres long, an outstanding achievement.
The name “Dino” was retained until the end of 1976 when it was changed to Ferrari due to popular demand. The car remained in production until late 1980. The Dino 308 GT4 was introduced at the 1973 Paris Salon, as a 2+2 model to compliment the two-seater 246 GT/GTS in the Dino range, and like its sibling carried no Ferrari badges, as the intention of Dino being a marque in its own right continued.
The 308 GT4 models were given chassis numbers in the particular Dino even number series, which they maintained even when being produced alongside the true 246 GT/GTS replacement, the 308 GTB/GTS series, which had chassis numbers in the standard Ferrari road car odd-number sequence.
The production period lasted for seven years, until 1980, when it was superseded by the Mondial 8 model. Left and right-hand drive steering was available, with model specification differences for various markets, due to individual legislative requirements, which were becoming more prevalent.
Ferrari (Dino) obviously thought that compliance with varying legislations was worthwhile with this model, due to the relatively high production volumes compared to the 12-cylinder cars of the period, which were only sold in markets where compliance was a relatively easy task.
As with the 246 Dino, the numbers in the model title referred to the engine total cubic capacity, and number of cylinders, in this case 3 litres and 8 cylinders, with the figure 4 relating to the number of seats. The new car marked two firsts for Ferrari, albeit initially under the Dino name, it was their first mid-engined 2+2 model, and their first V8 engine production road car.
In 1975 an Italian market only model, the 208 GT4, was introduced with a 2-litre V8 engine, due to the country’s punitive taxes on cars over that capacity. There was also a USA market version, easily identified by heavy and somewhat ungainly bumper units, and side marker lights set in the front and rear wings.
During the construction period of the model, there was only one visual change of note to major European market models, and this was in the shape of the radiator grille, and location of driving lamps. These are generally unofficially referred to as series 1, and series 2 models, with series 1 cars having a narrower deeper rectangular grille, with the driving lights outboard of it, whilst Series 2 cars had a full width grille with the driving lights behind it at the extremities.
The Italian and USA market cars were not fitted with driving lights, and in the USA they generally refer to three series of cars, due to interim changes with the bumpers and badging.
auto.ferrari.com
