1986 CAR magazine road test. 308 vs 328

Cool.....

Never read it before, cheers!

 

I found this article in "Ferrari 328, 348, Mondial - Ultimate Portfolio 1986-1994" by R. M. Clarke (ISBN 1 85520 4258), but only in b&w.

Thank you for posting it in colour!

 

Great read, thanks for posting.

The author really didn't like the Boxer-to-Testarossa evolution, lol.

It's also funny to read about the 328 pushing the driver back in the seat during acceleration. We forget how fast it was regarded back in the day. 5.8 sec 0-60 was pretty hot in 1986.

 

UBER thanks! I just posted a review in the Vintage section on a 330 GTS, but was
hoping against hope to find a 328 review in the vendor's bin. But here it is!!!!



Jedi

 

Where folks able to read it OK? When I tried to enlarge it enough to read (downloaded from Picassa site), it was too pixillated and not readable. Maybe something in my settings...

 

Yeah.... same here [insert sound of deflation].... SO CLOSE

Jedi

 

Again, thanks for posting

I managed to get readability with 400% zoom on Internet Explorer.

In my day (more like 1960-70), a 6 to 7 second 0-60 was eminently respectable performance for a street equipped American muscle car, under 6 and you had a beast. 5 seconds was the province of big-block Vettes, Shelby Cobras, and goosed to the max muscle.

Euro sportscars, with the exception of megabucks ($15K) specialty makes like Ferrari, and upper-priced ($5-6K) cars like the Jag XK, were bought for "handling" and other trad. sportscar qualities, not acceleration, and attracted a different buyer base. A 10-second 0-60 time was quite respectable for your average new MG, Alfa, Triumph, etc.

The article states that the QV mods got 308 GTS times below six seconds; my QV is decently quick but I'd put it more in the high 6's. One thing for sure, I'm not going to dump the clutch in first in a misguided attempt to find out.

 

Thanks but do you have a higher resolution? My older eyes aren't what they used to be.

 

Oh God, I would LOVE to read those articals, but can't make them out!!

 

Hit the little 'magnifying glass' on the Picasa page to make them larger. No problem
to read if you do this.... although the second article is a little tough - there is no
'rotate' button I can find, so you'll have to tip your monitor on its side

Jedi
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Well, it ain't so bad, today...5.8 secs is still as fast today as then...now, it just ain't fast -enough-.

You've just gotten spoiled since then.

Proven technology can still get the job done.

Btw, I ain't quite as fast -today- as I was back in 1986, either

 

As I always like to say, a Commodore-64 computer will today still do ONE HUNDRED PERCENT
of what it could do in 1984 - it's only our EXPECTATIONS that have changed

Jedi

 

It's still quicker/faster than my DD (2002 BMW 330Ci) and tons more fun. Makes my BMW seem like an appliance and is quick/fast enough for me. I don't need additional issues with the law.

 

Found it. Thanks very much!

 

The 328 v. Jalpa comparison is interesting. Ferrari made ~12,000 308s and then ~7,000 328s and I'd bet Jalpa production didn't top 500 cars. You could conclude that, from a business perspective, the baby Lambo was a failure.

IMO, the Jalpa's styling hasn't aged all that gracefully, although I was a fan when the car was new. I have never driven one -- something I'd like to do someday.

I agree with the author's comments about the 328 being a very usable supercar. Once you're used to it, the 328 would be very easy to drive every day (save for nuisances like ramps, curbs, speed bumps, shopping carts, etc.)

 

...Red lights, traffic jams, second gear warmup, potholes, steering in parking lots...

 

Thank you for posting these articles, Przemek.

Barry

 

Ok, so the list is a tad longer...

 

I make sure my DD is a lot slower (120 hp fiat diesel) so that when I switch to the 328 it feels faster.