Why is The Dino 308 GT4 The BEST V8 Ferrari? 

I owned one for 25 years. Great, reliable car that anyone with a bit of mechanical skills could maintain (think '50s-70s brit car levels, but much less frequent). Handling was superb, power similar to early '90s 5 litre Mustang, but would do 150mph anytime you wanted, also left the 'pony' gasping at speeds over 100. Had to sell it when I couldn't get in & out of it anymore without sounding like a bowl of rice crispies.

Could listen to this guy all day. I didn't care for the GT4 when I, perhaps, could have afforded one, until I saw one in person. Never judge a car by the photos, the car was very attractive.

I'm going to be controversial and say that I prefer this body style to the previous 206 / 246 Dino . I may possibly be in a group of one here but I really love the GT4 as for me it's a much more complete aesthetic package .

Hi from the uk. I owned a 1979 gt4 some years ago. It is the best driving and handling of its type and era. Glorious high revving v8 and superb suspension steering and brakes. A true drivers car. I asked a well renowned ferrari buff of the day what he thought and his answer was "it may not be the fastest but get onto the twisty bits and there is nothing to touch it".

Elvis had a sweeeet black 308 GT4 Dino

I owned one of these, I rebuilt it from the ground up I loved it. Sadly I had to sell it due to lack of space and regretted it since. Everything he says here is bang on but the only thing that stops it being a daily driver is the heavy steering during parking, once moving it's deleitful.

Not only is this a beautiful example of clean styling but if I were lucky enough to be able to buy a Ferrari, but only one Ferrari... this would be the one. Unlike with the 288GTO (my all time favorite) I could take weekend roadtrips in this car with my girlfriend AND both daughters.

A beautiful Ferrari. Underrated at first. I can't think why. Enjoyed the presentation.

It's my favourite Ferrari too, ever since I read about it in the 1970's. Lovely design.

Still my favorite.

I will have to find one to take for a drive, I have driven a friends 308GTB on many occasions and a 246 Dino both great fun. Thanks Donald !

Nice voice Don 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 :) Well, the question was answered so I'll volunteer a Ferrari with "breaking all the rules" numbering. The F355 ~ 3.5 liter 5 valves per cylinder.

I know there are a lot of people who do not like the 308 GT4, but I always loved the looks. The answer to the quiz question is the displacement of the engine in cc divided by 100 and the number of cylinders 246 = 2.4l V6, 308 = 3.0l V8. And they even made a 208 GT4 with ... yes ... a 2 liter V8 to avoid luxury tax in Italy. With about 180hp it was still not a slouch for its time. The naming was used for the 328 and 348, too, but not for the 355, which thankfully was not a 3.5 liter 5 cylinder. The schema was reintroduced with the 458, but then naming went a bit haywire. Anyway, thanks for a video that does the 308 GT4 justice!

Superb presentation indeed, it makes me love this car! I learn a lot about a Dino Ferrari V8 car I have not considered before. Thanks a lot!

Great video! The goodness is real.. A car you can comfortably road-trip in and carry A-LOT of cargo.

Please do more of these videos on cars that most of us in North America really are not familiar with Donald, always enjoy your in depth facts on them

Thank you so much! You did justice to the Dino 308GT/4 like Pogson to the Mondial QV. I look forward to your posts!

Thanks for posting. I really like the 308Gt4 . Gandini did a great job . Years ago I ran across a beautiful red Dino badged car for $18,000 . If my real estate deal had gone through at the time I wouldn't have bought the car .

Great video and I love the opening number, haha

I love these. Perhaps my favorite feature, which he didn't mention, was the dashboard layout.

Great video and your Italian pronounciation is excellent.

Donald Great review. Enjoyed so much I want one!

the 3 stands for the displacement of the engine (3 liters) the 8 for the number of cylinders. There was also a version for the Italien market only with 2 liters (due to tax regulations) named 208. GT is a grand tourismo, 4 stands for the four seater. I think there was a very small batch with no back seats and labeled 308 GT

I used to live across the street from a hidden Ferrari mechanics shop that specialized in these models! There’d always be a good 5 to 10 of these parked in his garage, but ive seen F40’s and F50’s there too!! At separate times, but yes definitely these cars too!! There isn’t any naming on the building, just a clean hidden shop!

I'm slowly developing a man crush on Mr. Osborne. No funny business, but I'd be up for a snuggle while he whispered sweet car facts in my ear.

I want one just like in the thumbnail picture. I've wanted one for 25 years now. Amazing awesome machine for sure.

Lovely video and a fine counterpoint to the plethora of cars being drifted around tracks ad infinitum.

My first Ferrari and my most loved Ferrari...

absolutely gorgeous!

The Dino’s were named by overall displacement followed by the cylinders as opposed to each cylinder’s displacement. 2.0(6), 2.4(6), 3.0(8)

Charming movie!

Always hoping to find another proper car page to hold my interest, just discovered yours this morning. Thanks!

The naming convention for later Ferraris was the displacement (3.0 liters) and the amount of cylinders (8) hence 308.

I think it was for a 3.0 litre 8-cylinder engine

thanks for making a good effort on the proper pronunciation Donald, kudos to you my friend...

Excelent video! Congrats!!! 👏👏👏

I had one all but 40 years ago . Metallic light Green . Not as quick as one may expect but quite practical . Gave 9k for it . Ran it for 6 months and sold for decent profit . Great fun car

Love deep tone motors.

The 308 GT4 is my favorite "Ferrari". I'm a HUGE Gandini fan. In answer to the trivia, I believe the 30 stands for 3.0 liters and the 8 is the number of cylinders. It's a Grand Tourer that seats four... GT4.

The Dino gt/4 and Lamborghini Urraco are both brilliant Marcello Gandini designs which in my opinion are timeless designs. I’ll take one of each please 🙂

I read 100% of the comments and didn’t see a single, 100% complete answer to the trivia question, at least with respect to the model featured in the video, the 308 GT4. Here’s my humble (but pedantic?) attempt: “30” = 3.0 Liter engine displacement, “8” = number of cylinders, “GT” = Gran Turismo (made for speed & long distance through a combination of performance and luxury features), and the “4” in GT4 denotes that it’s a four seater (2+2).

The first two digits are the engine displacement, in litters, and the last, the number of cylinders.

Nice car. I could listen to Donald Osborne’s mellifluous voice all day long.

I think the 308 stand for 3.0 liter 8 cylinder engine

Looking to get into a 308 GT4. Very affordable. Looks like NJ in the background.

The "Dino" name is a tribute to Dean Martin.. who Enzo was a big fan off.. ;)

Enzo Ferrari was very hands on with the development of this car, particularly cabin layout and controls for the driver. He himself tended to prefer to personally drive the 2+2 Ferraris anyway. There are also whispers that Niki Lauda was involved in chassis setup.

No disrespect for this car but I'm in love with the 246 Dino. I need those curves.

How the hell did I not know about this place? I've been to the Petersen and the LeMay, but this sounds like a place I have to check out before I check out.

Having driven many of both 308 and GT4 I agree with you about the handling, way better than the 308. That being said, the GT4 is more or less the black sheep of the Ferrari family, it's an acquired taste looks wise, and the problems you mentioned about the Dino labeling. Bottom line for me is I would rather have an early 308 GTB over this car hands down, glad you enjoy your car...

I walked away from one.. At 25000... And regret it... Now I'm caught between... A mondial or A308GT4... What I like about the mondial you have access to the belts from the wheel side.... Not sure about the 308..🇲🇽🇨🇦🇺🇲

Thank you! Sing away!

One of my favorite Ferrari's. Is it able to be somewhat of a daily driver?

BTW, nice to see a reviewer showing some respect by dressing properly (but bow tie is questionable ;)

I'm interested in this car, but I don't know how difficult it is to service. I don't want a Ferrari/Dino that requires removing the engine just to change the belts or some similar procedure that requires a high labor cost which would be trivial for most other makes and models of cars.

Gotta drive a Ferrari in this lifetime.

If Tom Selleck drove this would he fit inside it? His head was always partly sticking out above the roofline of the 308 GTB. Hilariously, I just watched an episode of Magnum PI in which he temporarily owned a lat 60s or early 70s Jaguar comvertible and his entire head stuck out above the windshield lol

all my life i heard people talking bad about this ferrari ,in reality i never understood why

Liter and number of cylinders

Liters

3 liter and 8 cylinders

2.4 liter, 6 cylinders. 3.0 liters, 8 cylinders

Enzo was no doubt very grief stricken at the death of Dino, also Henry Ford's son Edsel, sort of ironic in nature of compare

Sadly from 2030 on all the combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in EU :-( In Germany the Green party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing petrol stations to only one single state operated and controlled station per city. :-(

I used to own one. Sorry I sold it.

3 litre v8

I think the best all v8s ferrari is the 360.

マルチェロガンディーニの傑作 4人乗りのフェラーリ レインボーのお蔵入りにはがっかりしたよ

the 308 GTB is far better than this , don´t know why that one feels better maybe because you never drove a good condition GTB, the first ferrari mid-engine built of fiberglass in total only 712 units were produced

Cool car but unfortunately it looks like that little Fiat two door