One to Buy: 27,000km 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO (SOLD)
The Group B regulations that arrived in 1982 and took full effect from 1983 spawned some of the most exciting competition cars ever seen.
Today, the Group B era is most commonly remembered for the immensely powerful supercars that took to the special stages. However, the FIA had also expected similar manufacturer uptake for Group B circuit racing.
Things initially looked promising; by late 1983 both Porsche and Ferrari were known to have a Group challenger in development (the 959 and 288 GTO respectively).
Unfortunately though, things fizzled out as Porsche’s 959 was beset by lengthy delays and Ferrari decided against a dedicated competition programme for the GTO (partly as Lancia were Fiat’s sports car racing representative).
When Enzo Ferrari officially announced the GTO’s availability in September 1983, buyers clamoured to get their orders in. Following its public debut at Geneva in March 1984, even more customers got their chequebooks out and Ferrari ultimately had to build significantly more than the 200 units originally anticipated.
Eventually, 272 production cars had been completed by the time Niki Lauda took delivery of the last GTO in March 1986.
The 31st of these cars is currently on offer with Talacrest in Ascot, Berkshire. Delivered in March 1985, chassis 52737 was retained by its first owner, Giuseppe Daloiso, for a little under four years at which point it was replaced by a new F40.
Chassis 52737 subsequently headed to the UK where it has resided since. Today, this GTO has covered a little over 27,000km and remains in excellent condition.
Reprinted below is Talacrest’s description for this superb low mileage 288 GTO:
Number 31 of 272 made
Fully documented history
Superb condition
A car we have dealt with before - first selling it to Ferrari collector David Morrison in 1991.
The car was sold in March 21 1985 to it's first Italian owner - Giuseppe Daloiso through Ferrari dealer SVEA S.p.A of Bari Italy and collected from the factory on that day.
It was seen at a number of Ferrari club meetings until February 1989 when the first owner's new F40 arrived and he sold the car to Michael Vernon - a major Ferrari collector who owned cars such as a 312 PB, ex Niki Lauda 312 T #022 etc...a serious custodian!
The car was shown at test days and the Ferrari Owners Club Concours at Brocket Hall - still on it's Italian plates. In August 1989 the car was sold to Mr Neilan who re-registered the car on English plates and took it to the Nurburgring Historic races that month.
In March 1991 we had the car in stock and sold it to David Morrison - a client to whom we had sold a Ferrari 250 GTO, 250 California Spyder and numerous other very collectible Ferrari.
The car was serviced at Maranello and Bob Houghton during his tenure until in May 2004 the car was sold to a dealer who sold it in March 2005 to a Jersey based collector. A little over a year later the car was sold by Bob Houghton to a Yorkshire based collector who entered #52737 into the Ferrari Owners Club UK Concours at Walton Hall, where it placed 2nd in Class B for 288 GTOs and F40s.
In July 5/6, 2008 the GTO was shown again at the Ferrari Owners Club UK Annual Meet and Concours at Walton Hall, England and a year later, at the FOC UK Annual Meeting and 288 GTO Anniversary meeting at Broughton House.
In 2013 the car was shown at the VIII Salon Privé Concours d'Elégance held at Syon Park, London and on the 22nd June 2014, at the Super Car Pageant in St. John’s Wood, England.
We have acquired the car from the last owner and confirm the car is in superb condition ready to show, tour or simply enjoy ownership of a fantastic example of a GTO.
