Ferrari – 288 GTO (1985)

This sports car has mastered the art of mimicry like no other. It deceives the untutored eye by appearing in the guise of a Ferrari 308 GTB. However, this is absolutely not the case because the 288 GTO is an impressive thoroughbred super sports car which cleverly conceals its extreme performance beneath a near-series silhouette. In September 1983, Enzo Ferrari announced the sports car and in March 1984 he presented the finished automobile at the Geneva Motor Show. The casual onlooker saw a Ferrari but failed to identify it as the sensational machine it truly was. By contrast, expert Ferraristi perceived the muscular appearance with its wheelbase extended by eleven centimetres and they recognised the supremely lightweight, exceptionally stable metal cloak made of Kevlar and fibreglass. Ferrari was aiming to compete for the World Rally Cham- pionship in Group B with the new GTO. The name harked back to the legendary 250 GTO born in 1962. Two turbochargers guaranteed power output of more than 400 hp to generate iconic driving performance. Although the dangerous Group B racing format was abandoned, Ferrari

succeeded in producing a total of 272 roadable 288 GTO sports cars. This particular model is one

of the most authentically original cars. It has only been under the stewardship of two owners, has never had the misfortune to be involved in an accident and was never subjected to the brutal conditions of tough race campaigning.