1982 Ferrari 308 GTBi Quattrovalvole Photos, engines & full specs

Due to stricter emission regulations, Ferrari had to cut the power of its engines in the late ‘70s, but later, it gained back some of the ponies lost thanks to the four-valve technology.

When Ferrari wanted to replace the Dino, it employed Leonardo Fioravanti from Pininfarina to pen it. Moreover, the Italian automaker used fiberglass-reinforced plastic (GFRP) body panels to make the vehicle lighter. To top it all off, it also added a transversely mounted V8 engine behind the cabin to make it one of the fastest vehicles available. However, when it had to reduce the car’s emissions, in 1980, Ferrari switched from the carbureted to a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel-injection system, and the result was a loss of about 55 PS (54 hp). In 1982, the Prancing Horse brand introduced the four-valve technology into the 308 lineup, resulting in the Quattrovalvole version of the coupe and the targa, respectively. While the GTB didn’t benefit from the huge advertisement gained via the Magnum P.I. series in the U.S., it was still a sought-after vehicle, albeit its sales were far from those obtained by its GTS sibling.  

Ferrari unveiled the 308 GTB Quattrovalvole at the 1982 Paris Motor Show. Besides the upgraded engine, it also added a few tweaks to the car’s look. At the front, the automaker added a set of rectangular fog lamps integrated under the bumper into the broad lower grille. For specific markets, the same combo that included the turn signals and the parking lights was kept. Another improvement was noticed on the lower side of the apron, where Ferrari changed the lip spoiler’s look.

From its profile, the car got new metric-sized wheels, while the 16-inch alloys were still available as an option. Both shared the same five-spoke design, with a yellow center cap sporting the Prancing Horse badge. The tiny lever that opened the doors was concealed on the door’s rear pillar above the rounded-shaped air intake that fed the engine behind it. Finally, at the back, the Italian automaker introduced new taillights that sported the reversing lights on the outer lamps instead of the inner ones, as on the previous models.

Inside, the 308 GTBi Quattrovalvole kept the same two-seat layout but with a slightly different design for the center console between them. There, the automaker placed the gear stick, the handbrake, and a few extra buttons for the ventilation system and the power windows. There was no AC, but a stereo became available. However, the automaker installed comfortable, leather-covered bolstered seats, which helped their occupants stay in place during high-speed cornering maneuvers. Fronting the driver was the same five-dial instrument cluster, with larger ones for the speedometer and tachometer and smaller gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, and ammeter. On the center console, Ferrari placed an oil-pressure gauge and a clock.

Behind the cabin, Ferrari installed a redeveloped 2.9-liter V8 that was mounted in a transverse position. Thanks to the new cylinder heads featuring 16 valves each, the car manufacturer gained 25 ponies at 6,800 rpm, 200 more revs than on the two valves per cylinder version offered by the previous, 1980 model year.