One to Buy: 2 owner Avorio / Rosso 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB 'Vetroresina'
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16 months after production of the much-loved Dino 246 GT and GTS had come to an end, Ferrari launched a replacement for their two-seat junior model.
Unlike the Bertone-bodied 308 GT4 2+2, the sensational new 308 GTB unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September 1975 wore an elegant Pininfarina-styled shell that was much better received than the angular GT4 which provided most of the mechanical underpinnings for this latest offering.
However, the 308 GTB did not arrive without a degree of controversy as, to save weight, Ferrari elected to clad their latest machine with a predominantly fibreglass body as opposed to steel or aluminium.
Production of the fibreglass 308 GTB (retrospectively dubbed ‘Vetroresina’) continued until June 1977, at which point Ferrari switched exclusively to the steel shell which had been introduced for US-bound 308s since late 1976. Soon afterwards, a targa-topped GTS variant was introduced to sell alongside.
Ferrari constructed just 712 examples of the fibreglass-bodied 308 GTB between 1975 and ‘77 and today, largely as a consequence of their lighter specification, these Vetroresina models are widely considered to be the most sought after iteration of the revered 308 / 328 line.
Although most 308s were configured in Ferrari’s trademark shade of Rosso Corsa, a quite possibly uniquely specified example is currently on offer at the Springbok Sportwagen showroom in Isernhagen, Germany.
Chassis 19609 was optioned in the stunning colour scheme of Avorio Safari with Rosso upholstery and has been in the possession of just two private owners from new. Purchased by Springbok in 2013, the car has since been subject to an exacting restoration and is today presented in superb condition complete with its original book pack, original German registration document and Ferrari Classiche certification.
