[The List] Your Dream Drive made real
Terry Taylor fell in love the Ferrari 308GT4 after reading a road test in 1975. Now he finally gets to road test one for himself
Words JAMES PEENE Photography IAN SKELTON
Old man Ferrari was – among lots of other things – always good for a quote. One of Enzo’s most famous sayings was ‘I don't sell cars; I sell engines. The cars I throw in for free, since something has to hold the engines in’.
And as freebies go, the 308GT4 is an undeniably attractive little package. It’s also one that Classic Cars reader Terry Taylor has had to wait 48 years to get his hands on. Finally coming face-to-face with his dream drive at HPC Classics on the south coast of this green, and today, very pleasant land, Terry says he has always loved the looks of the little Ferrari. ‘As much from the rear as from the front, I love the angles and just can’t stop looking at it.’
Terry can trace his love for the 308 back to the original road test he read in 1975. Introduced at the 1973 Paris Salon to complement the two-seat Dino 246GT, the Dino 308GT4 – to give it its full name – heralded two Ferrari firsts. Under this name, which it wore until 1976, it was the company’s first mid-engined 2+2 model and its first V8 production road car. It was featured in an issue of CAR magazine’ Terry has brought a copy with him today. ‘It’s a comparison with the 246, and when I first read it I wasn’t sure about the 308. The journalist said he also preferred the 246, which was very different. Pininfarina rather than Bertone. But since then, I’ve grown to love the 308’s shape.
‘The lines are beautiful and the angles on the rear quarter are brilliant. It’s probably my favourite-looking Ferrari and this is a spectacular example. The condition inside and out is fantastic and the colour is lovely too. It proves Ferraris don’t have to be red, and what a great colour combination, with the tan interior.’
HPC Classics’ Miles Hardy agrees. ‘It’s a nice change from the usual resale red,’ he says. Only eight were imported in Verde Pino. So far, the car has only covered around 4000 miles since having had a body-off, glass-out and back-to-bare metal respray’. The ‘so far’ part is our invitation to hit the road, and after a quick stop for fuel, where the first admirer of the day lingers to chat while we’re at the pumps, Terry is finally let loose in his dream drive. And he doesn’t hang about.
We thread our way along the coastal road towards Beachy Head which sports a delicious mix of bends and curves, opening out to long stretches which enable him to see if anything is coming far ahead. Terry gives the throttle a poke and works the gears with a smile on his face. There’s concentration there and he's clearly soaking it all in, gauging the feedback from the little Ferrari’s steering and exploiting the power under his right foot. But the overall impression is of a man clearly enjoying himself. Not that you could blame him. It’s almost as much fun riding shotgun in the passenger seat, and the 308GT4 is undoubtedly making a lasting first impression.
‘The engine noise at tickover is nothing special, nor is it when blipping the throttle, but when exiting corners and going through the gears with the windows open, that barking exhaust is worth the money alone,’ Terry says. ‘If I had this at home, I’d definitely be up at 5.00am and taking it back and forth through the Hindhead tunnel just for the sound.
‘The steering wheel is very small and the fact there’s no power assistance means it feels very heavy at parking speeds, and that’s still noticeable up to about 10mph. But after that it’s brilliant. It provides all the feel and feedback you could want. And that chassis – it just drives beautifully through the corners. Even after just a few miles behind the wheel, it feels great to take it through the twisties in second and then third gear.’
Despite some chirping from the tyres, Terry already feels relaxed and in control. ‘It’s absolutely fantastic, and so easy. It’s smooth on bumpy sections of tarmac because it doesn’t have thin, rubber-band tyres like modern performance cars. The 14inch wheels have decent sidewall depth which helps do some of the supsension work, and that’s great.
‘The big front wheelarches encroach on the interior space though, and means the pedals are offset towards the middle and feel a little bit strange, but by sitting slightly sideways I still feel comfortable. Even so, the pedals still seem a little too far away, even with the driver’s seat set right for the steering wheel. Maybe it’s just my short legs!’ Terry concedes.
As we drive along, he admires the styling of the wraparound dashboard. ‘I love the look and all of the controls are at your fingertips. All the dials are clearly visible through or around the steering wheel, nothing is hidden. Why aren’t more cars like this? The interior layout is quirky too with the longitudinally mounted radio and the handbrake lever, which is angled across towards the driver instead of being straight.
Terry notes that the big glass area provides excellent visibility – all the better for scenic coastal views – but negatives include the tiny F1-style side mirrors that look great but are, in reality, next to useless. ‘You can’t see the bonnet either. It drops away so much, which wouldn’t help when you’re trying to park. However, when you’re driving it, you just have a glorious picture of the road in front of you, with absolutely nothing in the way. I guess you can just pop the headlights up to see where the bonnet ends, should you need to,’ he muses.
The thin but comfortable and supportive seats come in for praise. ‘I can just sit here and forget about them. I’m sure I could drive for 400 miles and still feel OK. I’d certainly like to give that a go if Miles would let me take it home for a bit!’ Terry laughs.
If he has to find fault with one thing, Terry singles out the gearchange. ‘Everyone talks about heavy Ferrari gearchanges and that’s the case here. It’s notchy and hasn’t improved even after the car has warmed up.’ Miles points out that the mechanicals were all gone through when the car was restored, including an engine, gearbox and differential rebuild. ‘I guess it’s just a case of getting used to it,’ Terry says. ‘And the dogleg gearbox as well. The lever is hidden by my left knee, so I’m constantly looking to see where it is and what gear I’m in. I’ve fluffed a couple of gearchanges as a result, but I’m sure I’d get used to it.’
Terry is more than happy to put his toe down but has been changing gear using the dogleg ’box carefully, because he doesn’t know the car that well. ‘With a bit more familiarity I’m positive I’d get used to pushing the lever forward for second gear and it makes sense because you don’t need first much in a car like this. It isn’t something that likes to drive slowly – you can tell it just wants you to open it up. That’s when it feels happiest.’
A quick pit-stop for a bite to eat down near Beachy Head allows Terry to enjoy something else – the halo effect that a Ferrari badge has on those around us. A bus load of school kids disembarks at the roadside café we’ve stopped at and immediately makes a beeline for the 308. The boys ask Terry to start it up again so they can hear the engine and if they can take photos of it. Then they’re called back to their coach and no doubt uploading their TikTok videos. ‘I don’t think any of them even knew it was a Ferrari,’ says Terry. ‘They just liked it because it looks so different from anything else on the road. But they could tell it was something special.
It’s also a proper GT but it’s got enough boot space to do the shopping or have a weekend away. It has a sunroof too. ‘Considering it’s an old car, I’d still have it for my everyday driver and use it all day long,’ Terry says. ‘It doesn’t disappoint in any way.’ High praise indeed, because it's not the first time he’s driven a Ferrari. Several years back Terry had a go in a friend’s more modern 360 Modena, but he says he is having a lot more fun in the 308. ‘The way it drives is tremendous and the condition inside and out is fantastic. It’s a real credit to Miles. Everything feels solid, nothing like you’d expect of a nearly 50-year-old car,’ he says.
‘I think if it were mine, the only thing I’d want to change is to put some Ferrari Daytona seats in it. If I did that, the 308GT4 would be everything I could ever want in a classic car. The only shame is I’m going to have to say goodbye to it.’
However, there’s still a little more time for Terry to revel in the 308 as we head back to the HPC Classics headquarters in Eastbourne. Threading our way back through town, the Ferrari turns heads on every street. ‘Miles’ route along Beachy Head has been masterful,’ says Terry. ‘The roads around here are great and there’s a little of everything. There are corners and straights, plus it’s been dry and there’s not much traffic about. He really couldn’t have chosen a better test route and I’ve been able to fully experience the car in every scenario.
‘It’s just so comfortable to be in, to drive relatively fast and enjoy – I’d love to get to know it more. The car’s ability is well above mine but it is great fun, more than my old M100 Lotus Elan to drive. It’s got enough power that you can enjoy it without it being scary. You can keep your toe down in the twisties and hear the tyres chirping. I’m not sure you can do that in a modern supercar. It’s also compact, not a great, 7ft-wide lump.
‘Everyone always says you should never meet your heroes and don’t drive your dream, but this car has come up trumps and lives up to everything I wanted it to be. I’ve waited a very long time to experience a 308 and it both drives and sounds like a dream. I’ve done quite a few miles in it today and I’d happily do a fair few more but overall, I just love the look of it. If the car were mine, and I wasn’t driving it, I’d be found in the garage just sitting inside it. It’s been a fantastic day.’
Terry gives some final thoughts. ‘Maybe it’s time to sell my two MGBs, the two classic motorbikes and cash in a few Premium Bonds and get myself a Ferrari. It’s given me some real food for thought, and I need to go away and think with my head, not with my heart. I am genuinely thinking it finally might be time.’
[Want a Drive?]
Classic Cars will make a dream drive happen for one reader in every issue. Send us your list of the ten cars you’d most want to drive and why, along with a CV of the classic cars you’ve owned to thelist@classiccarsmagazine.co.uk. Be prepared for the photoshoot glamour of an early start and a long drive to get there.
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