Introduced in 1975, the glamorous Ferrari 308 GTB, designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, featured a modern design initially rendered in fiberglass (or vetroresina in Italian). It was the first production Ferrari to be built with a body made of the lightweight composite material. While the 308 and its variants would prove highly successful, Ferrari shifted from the relatively exotic fiberglass construction to the more familiar steel panels after a limited number of cars were completed; according to some sources, as few as 712 cars received vetroresina bodywork.

In addition to their rarity, these early vetroresina cars were indeed substantially lighter than the metal 308s that followed: Tipping the scales at only 2,315 pounds, they weighted approximately 330 pounds less than their successors, allowing the drivers to take full advantage of the 308’s transverse rear-mounted 2.9-liter V-8, paired with a five-speed manual transmission with gated shifter, and nimble independent suspension.

This example, chassis number 19135, was delivered new to a P. McNally of Lausanne, Switzerland. It is finished in the classic Ferrari combination of Rosso over a black interior; a McIntosh MX406 hi-fi car audio head unit presently completes the driver-focused cockpit. The car has apparently remained in Switzerland its entire life, having been purchased by its second owner and consignor, a Swiss enthusiast, in 2006.

It has accrued fewer than 52,600 km (~32,685 mi) at the time of cataloguing and presents in original, unrestored condition, with the interior showing some patina from decades of careful use. The consignor reports that a new ANSA exhaust was fitted in 2011, and all service receipts from 2006 onward, as well as the original owner’s manuals, accompany the sale.

Representing the 308 GTB as it was originally meant to be, this 1976 vetroresina chassis is an attractive choice for Ferrari enthusiasts looking for responsive performance and agile road-handling capabilities in a shapely and well-maintained package.