For Sale at Auction: 1985 Ferrari 288 in Atlanta, Georgia for sale in Atlanta, GA
Vehicle Description Chassis No.
ZFFPA16B000054809 Engine No.
124 Transmission No.
115 Body No.
108 It is commonly recounted that the Ferrari 288 GTO was destined for the high-speed and treacherous rally stages of Group B, hence the appearance of the evocative letters GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato) on its rear valance.
However, Ferrari engineer and the father of the 288 GTO Nicola Materazzi recalls that this original design brief from Enzo Ferrari was to simply produce a car that could be used for racing.
Whatever the reason for its conception, a fatal accident at the 1986 Tour de Course rally and the resulting termination of FIA Group B would prevent the 288 GTO from showcasing its international rally abilities.
GTO production ended shortly thereafter, with Ferrari having built 272 examples between 1984-1986, making it the first, and rarest, in a lineage of instantly collectible Ferrari flagships that include the F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari.
Borrowing styling queues from the Pininfarina sculpted 308 GTB, the radical 288 GTO shared little else with contemporary Ferrari road cars.
Its widespread use of Formula One-bred technology and composite materials truly made for a visceral, out-and-out racer.
The 2855 cc 'Tipo F114 B' V8 was the first longitudinally-mounted engine fitted in a production Ferrari and was situated as close as possible to the cabin bulkhead for optimal weight distribution on an elongated 2450 mm wheelbase chassis.
Cooling was handled by a pair of Behr intercoolers which were fed air by F1-inspired twin IHI turbochargers for a maximum claimed output of 400-horsepower at 7000 rpm.
Such staggering performance was reflected in its wind tunnel-refined exterior, with a lower stance, enlarged wheel arches housing wider Speedline wheels and high-performance Goodyear tires, and more dramatic front and rear spoilers.
The use of lightweight materials including fiberglass, aluminum, Kevlar, and carbon fiber amounted to a scant 2,557.
4-pound curb weight.
The GTO caused a sensation at the 1984 Geneva Salon, selling out before production even began and counting Formula One drivers Michele Alboreto, Keke Rosberg, and Niki Lauda amongst an exclusive list of original owners.
In so doing, it established a market for low-production, extreme-performance Ferraris and every supercar thereafter - some buyers even selling their contract for a profit before taking delivery.
Nearly four decades after production ended, the 288 GTO arguably remains the most coveted modern production Ferrari to date, with many of the 272 examples being closely held in private collections and rarely trading hands.
This outstanding example of a 288 GTO, chassis number 54809, was completed by the factory as it appears today in Rosso Corsa over a Pelle Nera (black leather) interior with rarely-seen Banda Interno Sedili Stoffa Rossa (red fabric seat inserts).
The car was also desirably specified with optional air conditioning and power-electric windows - uncommon but welcome luxuries on an otherwise uncompromising machine.
The Ferrari was imported to Switzerland by dealer S.
A.
V.
A.
F.
(Societe Anonyme pour la Vente des Automobiles Ferrari) and sold to its original owner Hainer Wiesendanger via Graber Automobile Ltd.
on 21 March 1985.
The car is understood to have passed through Loris Kessel's Swiss dealership before landing with UK dealer Louis C.
Davidson in November 1987 with its original 320-kph Veglia Borletti speedometer showing approximately 4,500 kilometers at the time - a highly rare piece of original equipment which is retained on the car today.
Now UK-registered LCD1, chassis number 54809 would remain in the UK, visiting Ferrari specialists DK Engineering for service on two occasions in 1988, before being sold to Tokyo-based collector Hideyasu Ohba in June 1994 with an indicated 7,240 kilometers.
After five years, the car passed to well-known Japanese dealer and collector Miura Shoji joining two other 288 GTOs in his collection.
The Ferrari did not sell to a private collector again until November 2006 when it returned to the UK, selling to Richard Moore via Bicester, England dealer Legends Automotive Ltd.
Over the succeeding decade, the GTO received diligent documented maintenance at Bob Houghton Ltd.
in Northleach, England, within the care of a known sequence of respected UK-based Ferrari collectors including Robert B.
Wilson in 2010, John Corrie in 2011, and finally Greg Coffey in 2013 who purchased the car from John Collins' Talacrest Ltd.
in Berkshire, England.
On 24 January 2015, the car was acquired by a well-respected collector and relocated to his California home.
During this period of ownership, the Ferrari enjoyed repeated visits to GTO Engineering in Los Angeles, California where it received an annual service in October 2016, an annual and cam belt service in May 2020, and a third annual service in September 2021.
Chassis 54809 joined the consignor in May 2022 and is among some of the best-documented and preserved Ferrari 288 GTOs extant.
In addition to being issued Ferrari Classiche Red Book in 2010 certifying the matching-numbers status of its engine, transmission, chassis, body panels, and other original components, its history from new is documented in a comprehensive file of service stamps, invoices, and communications.
Furthermore, in June 2023, chassis number 54809 benefited from recent servicing at Ferrari of Newport Beach, California, as well as an exacting inspection and condition report conducted by marque expert Joe Sackey on file and available for review.
Sackey notes in his report that the GTO exists exactly as it left the factory including its original windscreen, factory silicone caulking in the bodywork, visible Scaglietti stamp number 108 on the original body panels, unmodified matching-numbers mechanicals, and original exhaust with the lead seal wastegate GTO tag still intact.
He also notes that despite receiving an odometer rollback of approximately 4,500 kilometers in the 1990s - a common practice among Japanese dealers prior to selling - chassis 54809 is a low-mileage car with an estimated 9,000 kilometers traveled from new.
Furthermore, 54809's immaculate, as-delivered condition extends to its original-specification 320-kph Veglia Borletti speedometer which was not replaced as a result of the rollback, unlike several 288 GTOs which have had their original equipment exchanged for a 200-mph unit or 180-mph Ferrari 328 unit.
With its high degree of originality, numbers-matching status, desirable seat inserts, low mileage, and well-documented history of renowned collectors and expert maintenance since 1985, chassis 54809 is undoubtedly one of the finest Ferrari 288 GTOs ever to come to market.
Accompanied by its spare, jack, tools, and owner's manuals in their proper folio, this superb 288 GTO represents an exciting opportunity to acquire one of the most exclusive and significant modern berlinettas to come out of Maranello.
.
ZFFPA16B000054809 Engine No.
124 Transmission No.
115 Body No.
108 It is commonly recounted that the Ferrari 288 GTO was destined for the high-speed and treacherous rally stages of Group B, hence the appearance of the evocative letters GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato) on its rear valance.
However, Ferrari engineer and the father of the 288 GTO Nicola Materazzi recalls that this original design brief from Enzo Ferrari was to simply produce a car that could be used for racing.
Whatever the reason for its conception, a fatal accident at the 1986 Tour de Course rally and the resulting termination of FIA Group B would prevent the 288 GTO from showcasing its international rally abilities.
GTO production ended shortly thereafter, with Ferrari having built 272 examples between 1984-1986, making it the first, and rarest, in a lineage of instantly collectible Ferrari flagships that include the F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari.
Borrowing styling queues from the Pininfarina sculpted 308 GTB, the radical 288 GTO shared little else with contemporary Ferrari road cars.
Its widespread use of Formula One-bred technology and composite materials truly made for a visceral, out-and-out racer.
The 2855 cc 'Tipo F114 B' V8 was the first longitudinally-mounted engine fitted in a production Ferrari and was situated as close as possible to the cabin bulkhead for optimal weight distribution on an elongated 2450 mm wheelbase chassis.
Cooling was handled by a pair of Behr intercoolers which were fed air by F1-inspired twin IHI turbochargers for a maximum claimed output of 400-horsepower at 7000 rpm.
Such staggering performance was reflected in its wind tunnel-refined exterior, with a lower stance, enlarged wheel arches housing wider Speedline wheels and high-performance Goodyear tires, and more dramatic front and rear spoilers.
The use of lightweight materials including fiberglass, aluminum, Kevlar, and carbon fiber amounted to a scant 2,557.
4-pound curb weight.
The GTO caused a sensation at the 1984 Geneva Salon, selling out before production even began and counting Formula One drivers Michele Alboreto, Keke Rosberg, and Niki Lauda amongst an exclusive list of original owners.
In so doing, it established a market for low-production, extreme-performance Ferraris and every supercar thereafter - some buyers even selling their contract for a profit before taking delivery.
Nearly four decades after production ended, the 288 GTO arguably remains the most coveted modern production Ferrari to date, with many of the 272 examples being closely held in private collections and rarely trading hands.
This outstanding example of a 288 GTO, chassis number 54809, was completed by the factory as it appears today in Rosso Corsa over a Pelle Nera (black leather) interior with rarely-seen Banda Interno Sedili Stoffa Rossa (red fabric seat inserts).
The car was also desirably specified with optional air conditioning and power-electric windows - uncommon but welcome luxuries on an otherwise uncompromising machine.
The Ferrari was imported to Switzerland by dealer S.
A.
V.
A.
F.
(Societe Anonyme pour la Vente des Automobiles Ferrari) and sold to its original owner Hainer Wiesendanger via Graber Automobile Ltd.
on 21 March 1985.
The car is understood to have passed through Loris Kessel's Swiss dealership before landing with UK dealer Louis C.
Davidson in November 1987 with its original 320-kph Veglia Borletti speedometer showing approximately 4,500 kilometers at the time - a highly rare piece of original equipment which is retained on the car today.
Now UK-registered LCD1, chassis number 54809 would remain in the UK, visiting Ferrari specialists DK Engineering for service on two occasions in 1988, before being sold to Tokyo-based collector Hideyasu Ohba in June 1994 with an indicated 7,240 kilometers.
After five years, the car passed to well-known Japanese dealer and collector Miura Shoji joining two other 288 GTOs in his collection.
The Ferrari did not sell to a private collector again until November 2006 when it returned to the UK, selling to Richard Moore via Bicester, England dealer Legends Automotive Ltd.
Over the succeeding decade, the GTO received diligent documented maintenance at Bob Houghton Ltd.
in Northleach, England, within the care of a known sequence of respected UK-based Ferrari collectors including Robert B.
Wilson in 2010, John Corrie in 2011, and finally Greg Coffey in 2013 who purchased the car from John Collins' Talacrest Ltd.
in Berkshire, England.
On 24 January 2015, the car was acquired by a well-respected collector and relocated to his California home.
During this period of ownership, the Ferrari enjoyed repeated visits to GTO Engineering in Los Angeles, California where it received an annual service in October 2016, an annual and cam belt service in May 2020, and a third annual service in September 2021.
Chassis 54809 joined the consignor in May 2022 and is among some of the best-documented and preserved Ferrari 288 GTOs extant.
In addition to being issued Ferrari Classiche Red Book in 2010 certifying the matching-numbers status of its engine, transmission, chassis, body panels, and other original components, its history from new is documented in a comprehensive file of service stamps, invoices, and communications.
Furthermore, in June 2023, chassis number 54809 benefited from recent servicing at Ferrari of Newport Beach, California, as well as an exacting inspection and condition report conducted by marque expert Joe Sackey on file and available for review.
Sackey notes in his report that the GTO exists exactly as it left the factory including its original windscreen, factory silicone caulking in the bodywork, visible Scaglietti stamp number 108 on the original body panels, unmodified matching-numbers mechanicals, and original exhaust with the lead seal wastegate GTO tag still intact.
He also notes that despite receiving an odometer rollback of approximately 4,500 kilometers in the 1990s - a common practice among Japanese dealers prior to selling - chassis 54809 is a low-mileage car with an estimated 9,000 kilometers traveled from new.
Furthermore, 54809's immaculate, as-delivered condition extends to its original-specification 320-kph Veglia Borletti speedometer which was not replaced as a result of the rollback, unlike several 288 GTOs which have had their original equipment exchanged for a 200-mph unit or 180-mph Ferrari 328 unit.
With its high degree of originality, numbers-matching status, desirable seat inserts, low mileage, and well-documented history of renowned collectors and expert maintenance since 1985, chassis 54809 is undoubtedly one of the finest Ferrari 288 GTOs ever to come to market.
Accompanied by its spare, jack, tools, and owner's manuals in their proper folio, this superb 288 GTO represents an exciting opportunity to acquire one of the most exclusive and significant modern berlinettas to come out of Maranello.
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