1987 FERRARI GTB TURBO

This Ferrari GTB Turbo is a rare performance car, finished in the iconic Rosso Corsa, and remaining original and unmodified throughout. While it is based on 328 chassis and body, power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-litre V8, producing up to 254hp, which drives the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. The odometer indicates 74,935 km.

The GTB Turbo was the successor to the 208 GTB Turbo, and like that car it was designed for the domestic market in Italy, where cars over a 2.0-litre displacement were penalised with a substantial value-added tax. Its engine was developed by Nicola Materazzi, who had previously led the design of the turbocharged engine in the (288) GTO, and who was also the chief engineer for the Ferrari F40.

As an improvement to the 208 GTB Turbo, the 328-based GTB Turbo was equipped with a Behr air-to-air intercooler, and ran a water-cooled IHI turbocharger at 1.05 bar of boost. Among other changes, this made the later Turbo a more reliable performance car. Tell-tales of the turbocharged car compared to the 328 are the NACA ducts ahead of each rear wheel, vents in the rear bumper, and a re-profiled engine cover to accommodate the intercooler. A boost gauge was also added in the centre of the dashboard instrument cluster.

This car was first registered in February 1987, and while it was delivered new within Italy as with all its turbocharged 2.0-litre siblings, it now resides in Germany, where it has been with the current owner for around six years.

The bodywork presents in good order, with flush shut lines, and it is finished in the iconic Rosso Corsa hue. The vendor does not know whether the car has had any previous remedial paintwork, but it is in good condition, and some small stone chips around the front, which are clearly shown in the photo gallery. Its original 16-inch wheels present very well, with only minor imperfections.

Like the exterior, the cabin is original, with the seats, door cards, and dashboard upholstered in black leather. The seats show some patina, but no rips or tears, and the door panel trims are also in very good order. Its headlining is in great shape, and the steering wheel and gear knob are also correct - the red numbering on the latter denoting this as a Turbo model, in contrast to the naturally aspirated car’s white marked numbers. There are no faults with any of the switchgear, and the centre console is also fitted with a Grundig 3670 stereo head unit, which is believed to date to the early 1990s.

Its last scheduled maintenance was in 2018, which comprised a full service with fresh oil and other fluids, and also with a new timing belt installed. The car is reported to be in good mechanical order, and it will be handed over with a fresh TÜV roadworthiness certificate valid until April 2023. The car’s matching Yokohama tyres are date-coded to 2007, but they appear to have plenty of tread.

Accompanying this GTB Turbo is an original owner’s handbook and 1987 dealer directory, which are stored in the original fabric wallet. The original tool roll and spare wheel are also present, plus a large amount of old insurance and registration documents from Italy.

This Ferrari GTB Turbo is a highly original example of an eminently usable and exciting modern classic. Compared to the naturally aspirated 328 sibling, it is an exceptionally rare model; and while it was designed to dodge regulations in period, this later turbocharged variant can still hold its own today as a quick and desirable V8.

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