One to Buy: Unique ex-NART 1974 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 LM
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As a consequence of ever-tightening emissions legislation, by 1974 Ferrari’s twelve cylinder models were frozen out of the massive United States market. With production of the Dino 246 GT and GTS set to end that summer, this left dealers across the Atlantic just one model to offer: the Dino-badged 308 GT4.
With its somewhat controversial Bertone as opposed to Pininfarina coachwork, a mid-mounted V8 engine and a pair of wholly impractical rear seats, the 308 GT4 was a very different creature to the front V12-engined machines American buyers had become accustomed to.
If that hadn’t already made things tough enough for Ferrari’s US dealers, the 308 GT4 had been launched in the midst of a full blown Oil Crisis caused by war in the Middle East. Over the winter of 1973-1974, fuel prices rose exponentially and remained at elevated levels for a prolonged period which drastically reduced demand for gas guzzling machinery.
Understanding the dire predicament his agents found themselves in, Ferrari’s North American distributor, Luigi Chinetti, commissioned a one-off 308 GT4 to race at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1974 to help promote the model.
The resultant 308 GT4 LM (also known as the 308 GT4 Competizione) subsequently emerged during early June of 1974 with the big race pencilled in for the weekend of the 15th and 16th.
Stripped to the bone and fitted with an array of trick parts, the 308 GT4 LM based on chassis 8020 was forced to run in the Group 5 class for purpose built Prototypes as the production requirements for Group 3 or 4 had not been met.
Unfortunately, after four hours and 30 laps of the 8.5-mile circuit, clutch failure forced the GT4 LM into retirement.
Chassis 8020 was set to appear at the next year’s event as well, but having posted a time quick enough to qualify, the Le Mans organisers decided to disqualify it on the grounds the car was not sufficiently fast enough compared to other vehicles in its class. In protest, Luigi Chinetti decided to withdraw his other three Ferraris barely an hour before the start.
Chassis 8020 was subsequently exported to the US and did not race at the top level again.
Today, this unique and immaculately restored Ferrari Classiche certified machine is being offered at the Girardo & Co. showroom in Oxfordshire.
