Ferrari 288 GTO
| Ferrari GTO | |
|---|---|
.JPG) |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ferrari |
| Also called | Ferrari 288 GTO |
| Production | 1984–1987 272 produced |
| Designer | Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car (S) |
| Body style | 2-door berlinetta |
| Layout | Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related | Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2.9 L F114 B 000 twin turbo V8 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,450 mm (96.5 in) |
| Length | 4,290 mm (168.9 in) |
| Width | 1,910 mm (75.2 in) |
| Height | 1,120 mm (44.1 in) |
| Kerb weight | 1,160 kg (2,557.4 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ferrari 250 GTO |
| Successor | Ferrari F40 |
The Ferrari GTO (often referred to as Ferrari 288 GTO) is an exotic homologation of the Ferrari 308 GTB produced from 1984 through 1987, designated GT for Gran Turismo and O for Omologato (homologated in Italian).
The Ferrari GTO was built to compete in the new Group B Race series and a minimum of 200 cars were required for homologation. However, after the death of Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto in the 1986 Tour de Corse, the FIA disestablished the class, leaving just the Group A Rally championship. As a result, the GTO never raced and all 272 cars built remained purely road cars.
Some of the GTO's styling features were first displayed on a 308 GTB design exercise by Pininfarina shown at the 1977 Geneva Salon. The 288 GTO started out as a modified version of the 308/328 to hold down costs and to build the car quickly, but little of the 308/328 was left when the 288 GTO was finished. Easily noticeable differences were the GTOs bulging fender flares, larger front/rear spoilers, large "flag-style" outside mirrors and four driving lights at the far sides of the grille. Retained from the original 250 GTO were slanted air vents, put in the GTO's rear fenders to cool the brakes. The GTO also had wider body panels than the 308's because they had to cover much larger Goodyear tires mounted on racing wheels. The suspension's height could be set higher for road use and lower for racing on tracks. Bodywork material was new and lighter for better acceleration and handing. The GTO's weight was only 2,555 pounds, compared to 3,085-3,350 for the 308/328. Steel was used just for the doors because major body panels were made from molded fiberglass. Kevlar was used for the hood, and the roof was made from Kevlar and carbon fiber.
The GTO was based on the mid-engine, rear wheel drive 308 GTB (which has a 3.0 litre V8 engine). The "288" refers to the GTO's 2.8 litre V8 engine as it used a de-bored (by 1 mm) V8 with twin IHI turbochargers, intercoolers, and Weber-Marelli fuel injection. The 2855 cc engine capacity was dictated by the FIA's requirement for a Turbocharged engine's capacity to be multiplied by 1.4. This gave the GTO a theoretical engine capacity of 3997 cc, just under the Group B limit of 4.0 litres.
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