Which car put Ferrari on the "map"

Armen,

I think you are 100% correct.

What I find more amazing is the fact that IMO the 308 seems to be "looked down upon" in the eyes of Ferrari. I see all kinds of Ferrari merchandise available (t-shirts, etc.) on Ferrari.com for the new cars and F1 this and that, but hardly see any mention at all on the 308. I looked for months for a single die-cast model of a 308 GTS and finally found one 1:43rd made by Best and waited for Kyosho to come out with one but they only made the 308 GTB. Of course this could just be because from a marketing stand point they wouldn't want to advertise a 20+ year old product, but still you see Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, etc. marketing their older cars on shirts, hats, and whatever. I've been to lots of car shows this summer and the first thing out of people's mouths is: "Ain't that the Magnum car?" usually followed by "Where's Higgins?" I would think that for all that Magnum PI and the 308 GTS did to make Ferrari a world-wide name they would want to cash in on this. I mean come on, a $15k Gym Machine, and they can't make a few lousy 308 T-shirts ;-) Sorry for the rant. Just my opinion from a biased 308 GTS owner.

-Jesse

 

http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/112_0409_ferrari/index2.html
Interesting read...

 

Without a doubt.

 

I'd agree that the 308 is what really made ferrari known in the US.

 

For me the car was and will remain the TR.

 

what about the daytona spider in miami vice?

 

I would say that the 308 is one of the most recognizable ferraris that people know of, but the 166 mille milliga the 250 TR the 250 GTO were three of the most known cars of the 50 and 60's. Not for their TV appearences but for their race wins.

I don't dissagree that the 308 is very recognizable however without the 166 there really wouldn't be a Ferrari road car in the US

 

I agree with Armen, it was the 308 in Magnum P.I.. However Miami Vice helped out huge with the Daytona followed by the Testarossa. Miami Vice also open the door to other exotics like the Lamborghini and Lotus, as well as Porsche slant noses, and Mercedes AMG's. That show was, and still is my #1 favorite TV show.

 

I would like to say that it was the early racing Ferraris which led to the company's growth and standing as a global brand. Or icons like the 250GTO. Frankly, would Ferrari as a road car have got anywhere if it wasn't for Luigi Chinetti importing them into the USA.

However, a UK motoring TV show recently did a survey asking people to name their all-time favourite Ferrari. The 308/328 came second because of its apearance in Magnum, and the TR won because of its appearance in Miami Vice!

I must confess that as a youngster I never realised what a 250 California was 'til I saw Ferris Beuller...

Depressing, but that is reality. Ferrari should give up F1 and get their cars starring in TV shows again!

Robert.

 

It is the 308.....with Magnum P.I.s.
It is loved worldwide.
Before the 308, it was great for a selected group. It was an exclusive thing for the super rich. It was the first time that Ferrari's were brought to everyone's home to appreciate through TV day in and day out... Then, Follow by the TR... And the F40 put a stamped No. 1 for Ferrari.

 

The 3-time Lemans winning 250 GTO.

 

In the US it's definitely the 308 with Magnum PI and National Lampoon's Vacation, closely followed by the Testarossa thanks to Miami Vice

Posters of those 2 plus the Countach were on every boy's wall in the 80s.

 

So when did ANYONE accuse Ferrari of being marketing geniuses? Or even being mearly adaquate in marketing? Frankly, I think Ferrari goes out of their way to piss off their customers. Look at all the complaints about FNA in this group! Maybe the situation is different in Europe, but in the US you own a Ferrari in spite of the company, not because of it.

I agree that there seems to have been (and still is?) a huge faction of 308 bashers within and even outside of Ferrari. I too am shocked by this as they are still the benchmark Ferrari to me. Yes, they are cheap to buy and perhaps not wonderful cars to drive compared to some other choices. But the look, the sound, the whole package screams "Ferrari". Cars like the NSX, (most) Porches, etc. will never have that; they survive on 0-60 times, price, etc.


Ken

 

No tshirts yet, but... www.cafepress.com/ferrariclub4

 

Man, you guys have short memories.

There are lots of people from the Emilia-Romagna region with the name of Ferrari. It's my last name, too. It simply means "ironworker," and is the Italian equivalent of the English surname "Smith".

What elevated the name "Ferrari" from a rather ordinary name into a synonym for "Italian racing car" was the 1935 German Grand Prix. That was when the Scuderia Ferrari's management of an aging Tazio Nuvolari driving an similarly aging Alfa P3 beat the latest and finest machines from Germany in the Fatherland.

After that, "Ferrari" had a new meaning.

 

Among sports car buffs, yes. Before the 308 the general public thought Ferraris were just some Italian BS sportscar that was too expensive and tempremental to actually own. The 308 was the first Ferrari marketed in the US as a "daily driver sports car" although in reality that may be a stretch.

But the 308 was made in unprecedented numbers and it bacame the first Ferrari for a whole new group of people that previously would never have even considered buying one.

I remember when the 308 came out; I remember when the 246 came out. It was another car I lusted after but my friends didn't even know what it was. With the 308 (and the Magnum PI show), Ferrari reached middle America. I stand by my opinion that the 308 brought Ferrari from "there" to "here" in the US market.

Ken

 

I grew up in Washington state in '80s, and many boys knew Ferrari & Lambo. 512Boxer & Countache were King & Queen of supercars then. Dino was very popular, too.

Supercar boom in 70's established the name for F & L, I think. Well, at least for my generation.

 

For the public-at-large (non-enthusiasts) in the US, it has to be the 308.

 

Ferrari was on the map way before Magnum PI. Ferrari race cars were noticed back when they were Alfas raced under the Scuderia Ferrari banner. The 166 Barchetta was the first road/race car that got the publics attention, although the USA didn't really notice until the 250 series of the early 1960s. Ferrrai was in fact on its way down when the 308 came out due to ever increasing emissions and crash standards. For the US TV generation, the 308 does represent a milestone as even the non Italian car fan became aware of the beauty of Ferraris. However, someone as wealthy as Robin Masters would have probably had a Daytona or a Boxer instead of a 308 .

 

166 MM Barchetta, duh...everyone knew Enzo could make a car that worked well, but this one worked REALLY well and was gorgeous to boot!

edit: damn, you beat me to it!

 

I would say Magnum PI and 308 so many people walk up to my car and say "Magnum PI 308 " and mine isn't red but black. I think all cars in Magnum PI were red.

 

...I have got to say the 308 and Magnum PI...hands down...just my dos centavos

Cheers,
Travis