After a hugely successful 20-year exclusive partnership with Pininfarina, Ferrari turned to Bertone to design its first production mid-engined V-8, the Dino 308 GT4. The decision was made to mount the engine transversely to allow for 2+2 seating, which would complement the 246 GT/GTS in the Dino lineage. The Dino name was retained until the end of 1976, when it was badged as a Ferrari to accommodate for popular demand.

During development of the GT4, Ferrari engineers even worked with Nikki Lauda for several months of testing and research. After continuously making suggestions, which the engineers implemented, Lauda eventually commented that the car was “mechanically really good; the best Ferrari ever made for the US market”.

The car offered here, chassis 15046, was built in 1979 for the UK, and therefore, it is considerably more powerful than the US-market cars that Lauda applauded. It was originally delivered through Maranello Concessionaires in November 1979 to dealership Ian Anthony Sales in Manchester and finished in Argento Auteuil over a blue hide and cloth interior. The first owner was a Mr P. Bentwood, who took delivery on 16 November 1979. In 1984, the car was purchased by Mr Hardold Seward, who kept the car for 29 years and maintained it regardless of cost, with help from some of the most well-known and respected Ferrari specialists in the UK. Mr Seward’s time with the car is well documented, with several invoices and tax discs on file.

This Ferrari was then acquired by another well-respected collector in the UK before passing to its current owner in 2014. At which point the GT4 received a major service, which included work on the cambelts, fuel hoses, and various other items, from a London-based Ferrari dealer. The car is offered today with its original handbooks and a considerable history file, including many service and maintenance invoices from 1984 onwards.

The 308 GT4 was a turning point in Ferrari’s DNA, and its influence can still be seen today. A beautiful, well-documented GT4 such as this is rare, especially considering it is one of only 547 that was originally delivered to the UK.