While the 308 GT/M may not yet be a household name, the significance of the Michelotto-inspired race car should not be underestimated in Ferrari history. In the context of motorsport, it was conceived as the ultimate evolution of the mid-engined Ferrari 308 platform, only for the Group B formula that shaped its creation to evolve before the car properly had a chance to compete on behalf of the factory. Then, there’s its impact on the modern-day hypercar scene. For, without the GT/M, there might never have been the 288 GTO. And from that icon, Ferrari’s ‘Big Six’—completed by the F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari, and F80—was born to spur on rivals, not least Porsche and McLaren.

The GT/M’s distant cousin was the 308 GTB road car, which had already been adapted for competition. Between 1978 and 1983, variants entered a plethora of race and rally events in both Group 4 and succeeding Group B specification—most notably counting wins in the Targa Florio and Tour de France. But, in partnership with Ferrari, Michelotto—effectively the marque’s customer racing arm—decided to create a truly bespoke prototype.

As a result, the Bosch fuel-injected, four-valve-per-cylinder, 3.0-litre naturally aspirated V-8 engine was rotated to sit longitudinally in a tubular chassis, while power increased from 310 to circa 370 horsepower. The five-speed Hewland gearbox was mounted upside down to make room for a Formula 1-derived Borg and Beck clutch. The double-wishbone suspension was rose-jointed and matched with Bilstein dampers. Brembo supplied ventilated disc brakes and four-piston callipers, and a hydraulic handbrake was fitted to make light work of hairpin bends out on the rally stages. The mechanical components were then cloaked in more aerodynamic carbon fibre and Kevlar coachwork, crafted by Auto Sport of Bastiglia, for a total weight of a mere 840 kilograms. In fact, the 308 GT/M was the first Ferrari race car outside of F1 to gain a composite body.

Designed with a low centre of gravity and to be easy to work on in overnight service parks, just three examples of the 308 GT/M were built by Michelotto. The first of those, chassis number 001 offered here, was tested extensively at Fiorano as parts were optimised and even different wheelbase lengths were tried. However, a full Works programme in Group B rally championships would ultimately be cut short. The limiting factor was a rear-wheel-drive layout at a time when the likes of the four-wheel-drive Audi quattro and Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 were coming to the fore.

While the 308 GT/M was being honed behind closed doors, in early 1984 loyal client Jean Blaton caught wind of this new silhouette racer. The five-time 24 Hours of Le Mans podium finisher approached Maranello to convince Michelotto to sell him chassis 001 via Ferrari concessionaire Garage Francorchamps. Entered under the banner of legendary Belgian race team Écurie Francorchamps, Blaton would campaign this car in club-level events during the mid-to-late 1980s, including at Circuit Goodyear in Luxembourg further to winning contests at Zandvoort in the Netherlands and Zolder in Belgium.

Of the two other 308 GT/Ms, chassis 002 appeared in the 1984 Rally Autodromo di Monza and showed promising speed to lead the event before crashing; the third car was built up at the end of 1986. The trio would come to have a long-lasting legacy, paving the way for the creation of the 288 GTO and, in turn, its F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari, and F80 successors.

In January 1996, chassis 001 was sold across the border to the former President of the Ferrari Owners Club of France, Mr Guy Domet. It was then purchased by an American custodian in December 2006 to be raced in the Ferrari-Maserati Historic Challenge series. Regularly enjoyed on track, it featured as part of the 2006 and 2007 Cavallino Classic meetings at Moroso Motorsports Park in Florida, at Road America in Wisconsin, Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, Sonoma Raceway in California, and Virginia International Raceway.

To keep the 308 GT/M in fine fettle for its use on circuit, the car was regularly prepared by Ferrari specialist Motion Products in Wisconsin. As part of the maintenance, the engine, driveshafts, cooling system, clutch, and transmission were routinely rebuilt and serviced. Invoices (dated from 2006 to April 2009; available to view on file) for the works and trackside support total almost $390,000.

Acquired by the consigning owner approximately 10 years ago, chassis 001 stands out as an incredibly rare Ferrari competition car that holds a fascinating backstory from the dawn of Ferrari’s hypercar era. Having achieved lap times at Fiorano that eclipsed the 288 GTO, F40, and even the larger V-12 engine 512 BB/LM, the 308 GT/M was proven to be blisteringly fast and one of the few extremely rare and exclusive race car models from an era that is now entering its golden period in the collector car market.

Versus the likes of the Ferrari 250 GTO, Testa Rossa, P series of endurances racers, and the Scuderia Formula 1 racers, the 308 GT/M might be lesser known in the annals of Maranello motorsport. But its impact on the marque’s flagship hypercars cannot be understated. The opportunity for the Cavallino connoisseur to add this to their stable is not to be missed.