[Andrew]

I have a question. Were all 208s the Turbo version of the 308 for Italy or did they make a non turbo 208? Here are two links to what I have in the models section but I think they are the same car.

http://www.ferrariforum.net/models/view/models.php?modelid=103

http://www.ferrariforum.net/models/view/models.php?modelid=100

I can't find the answer on the web. I do know that the 208 Turbo was for the Italian market so they could make a smaller engine.

 

[Andrew]

Upon further investigation I came upon this.

208 GTB production starts with 160 of the two liter cars being built for the Italian market. A 140 models of the 208 GTS are build at the same time.

208 GTB Turbo is built for the European market with the production run turning out 437 cars by 1985.

208 GTS Turbo productions starts with 250 models built by 1985.

So I think I answered my own question. But here is yet some more:

The 308 GTB/GTS is introduced, a rear engine V-8 that is widely credited for saving Ferrari financial ruin. Originally, a fiberglass body was fitted to the car. This was later abandoned. A 208, two liter turbo car was built for the Italian market due to the high taxes levied on three liter engines. Although not the first rear engine, street legal Ferrari, the 308 design successfully opens the door to future generates of rear engine Ferraris all the way to the 360 Modena. Additional popularity of the Ferrari is fueled by the 1970s/1980s U.S. television show Magum P.I. starring Tom Selleck.

Do you think the 208 refered to in this the 208 GTB, GTS Turbos talked about above and they were just lazy and left out the GTB/GTS part?

Also please educate me. What is the difference in a GTB and GTS? The B is a Berlinetta correct? S=sport?

 

[mattie]

There have indeed been a turbo and a non-turbo version of the 208. I've heard rumours even about a 208 GT4, but I have never been able to verify that.

Need some details about the non turbo 208?
Take a copy of your models page about the 208 Turbo and replace the following fields:
Year : 1980
BHP : 155
Top Speed : 228 kph

There is a contradiction in the usermanual though. It is said the the top speed is 199, while in the acceleration figures, it is mentioned that the speed at the speed trap after 1 km is 220. In a test I read that the top speed should be 228.

Acceleration: 400 mtr in 17.1 s
No 0 - 100 kph given.

Weight GTB/GTS : 1305/1365 kg

All other figures are identical to the Turbo's.

 

[Dj Dirk]

B= Berlinetta, the one with the closet roof
S= Spyder, but in reallity they had a targa roof

 

[250lm]

Yes! Mattie already answered most of your questions! The fibreglass 308 GTBs were the early ones (from memory around 712 built) and you can tell from the outside because of a seam in the A-pillar.

The 208 they are talking about should be the non-Turbo version, I suppose.

GTB stands for Gran Turismo Berlinetta
GTS stands for Gran Turismo Spyder

Indeed there have been five 208 versions:
208 GT4
208 GTB
208 GTB Turbo
208 GTS
208 GTS Turbo

These cars were indeed build for the Italian market. They just scaled down the engine capacity of the 308 to fit the tax-regulations that were quite high for cars above a 2-litre engine capacity.

The same happened with the 328 GTB/GTS which they called the GTS Turbo and the GTB Turbo.

After that they never produce a two-litre version of the V8 anymore, so no 248, 255 or 260 exist.

Niels

 

[Dj Dirk]

so i got 3 208's
first one
208 GTB: 160 units
GTS: 140 units
155 hp
presented 1980

208 GTB Turbo: 437 units
GTS Turbo: 250 units
220 hp
presented 1982

GTB Turbo: 308 units
GTS Turbo: 828 units
254 hp
presented 1986

this came straight out of a book
i'll look deeper into this later

 

['75 308 GT4 (Peter)]

The 208's were only made for the Italian market. This was to go around the Italian "luxury" tax imposed on these kind of vehicles, whose engines were bigger than 2 litres. No other market had these regulations. If a 208 appears in any country other than Italy, its because of a personal import (a situation I may face in the future... Hopefully... ).

Maserati had a 2 litre Merak

Lamborghini built a 2 litre Urraco ("P200")

Both were not as successful as the Ferraris, who out-sold them many times over.

Yes, there was a 208 GT4 and actually, its a capable performer, nearly matching the 308 in acceleration. Where it loses, is in top speed. For whatever reason, when the 208 GTB/GTS were built, they dropped in HP (from 170 in the GT4, to 155 in the GTB.).

 

[mattie]

And some extra info about the torque:

Non turbo:
170 Nm / 129 Lbs

Turbo:
240 Nm / 177 Lbs

About the 208 GT4 I have some data, but I don't know if the car was ever realy taken into production and sold:
Said to be announced in 1975
Dimensions identical to the 308 GT4
weight 1150 kg

Motor 1990 cc (68.8 x 71 mm)
180 bhp @ 7700 rpm

Top speed 220 kph

 

['75 308 GT4 (Peter)]

Yes Mattie, they were made. I know of one personally (a member of the ferrarilist.com).

 

[250lm]

There are even several in the Netherlands! Exactly the same as a 308 GT4 except the engine.

Niels

 

[Pete04222]

My wife got me a book as an early X-mas present called "The Ultimate History of Ferrari" by Brian Laban (Parragon Publishing, UK). He writes of the 208:

"For some European markets with tax advantages for smaller capacities, between 1975 and 1983 Ferrari offered 2-liter spin-offs from the range in all three body styles, as the 208 GT/4, the 208 GTB, and the 208 GTS. And if the 170bhp 2-liter models weren't exciting enough, from 1982 to 1985 Ferrari added turbocharged 208 GTB and GTS models, with another 50bhp and just about enough performance to live with the 3-liter 308s."

 

[F355 Challenge]

I think the GTB and GTS Turbos are beautiful, especially the NACA ducts and rear deck treatment.

Barry

 

[250lm]

And the missing production numbers are:

208 GT4: 840 units
208 GTS: 140 units
208 GTS Turbo: 250 units


Niels

 

[Dj Dirk]

oeps i forgot to post the GT4

 

[Boxer]

Barry, I agree, I think the GTB Turbo and GTS Turbo are the nicest of the 2 liter 3XX series turbos. The GTB and GTS are both based on the 328. You can tell the difference due to the NACA Ducts, 5 slots on the front air dam, black radiator louvres, and 5 air outlet slots on the rear bumper. Also the center section over the engine is raised slightly due to the intercooler. The early 208 Turbos used a KKK turbocharger and delivered 220bhp and the later GTB/GTS Turbos used a IHI for 254 bhp. Boxer 42

 

[Stradale]

The 2-litre Ferraris were made for the Italian market, when their duties on cars had exceptional lower duties/taxes for cars that are less than 2 litres. But I think they are underpowered. Not worth it.

 

['75 308 GT4 (Peter)]

Underpowered? To a point. Certainly the earlier carb'd versions were no barn-stormers, but according to a fellow who I know that has a 208 GT4, he confirms that it'll keep up - acceleration-wise - with a 308. But, the 208 will run out of steam at around 120mph, whereas the 308 will keep on going.

Totally different story with the Turbo cars. They match the 308/328's. In fact, the GTB/S Turbo intercooler has a bit more torque than a 328 and comes in at lower revs (240 ft-lbs @ 4100 compared to 223 ft-lbs @ 5500).

 

[laowai]

I have to disagree with the assertion that "No other market had these regulations". Actually quite a few other countries have car taxes linked to engine size. Singapore would be an obvious example. Taiwan is another although in the case of Taiwan and a vehicle in Ferrari price range it is probably not worth the difference. As far as I know the 208 was never sold outside of Italy, but I always wondered why when it would have made a big price difference in somewhere like Singapore.

 

[Boxer]

To the best of knowledge, the 2 liter series was only sold in Italy. It was also only produced in LHD and Singapore is a RHD country. My guess is that given the huge success of the 308 and 328 series, Ferrari did not want to complicate the marketing by having an extra 2 liter version outside of Italy. Boxer 42

 

[Dr. Bob]

from the top of my head:
208 GTB
208 GTS
208 GTB Turbo
208 GTS Turbo
GTB Turbo
GTS Turbo
Dino 208 GT4