Ferrari 288 GTO

This article is about the 1984-86 Group B racing car. For the 1962-63 GT racing car, see Ferrari 250 GTO.

Ferrari GTO

Overview
Manufacturer	Ferrari
Also called	Ferrari 288 GTO
Production	1984–1987 272 produced^[1]
Designer	Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car (S)
Body style	Berlinetta
Layout	Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related	Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS
Powertrain
Engine	2.9 L F114 B 000 twin turbo V8^[2]
Transmission	5-speed manual^[2]
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,450 mm (96.5 in)^[2]
Length	4,290 mm (168.9 in)^[2]
Width	1,910 mm (75.2 in)^[2]
Height	1,120 mm (44.1 in)^[2]
Kerb weight	1,160 kg (2,557.4 lb)^[2]
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).

Background

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 288 GTO never raced and all 272 cars built remained purely road cars.

Some of the 288 GTO's styling features were first displayed on a 308 GTB design exercise by Pininfarina shown at the 1977 Geneva Salon. This included the deep front spoiler, fender flares, rear lip spoiler, front lid radiator cooling louvers and quadruple driving lights.

Engine

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.

Unlike the 308's 2926 cc engine, the GTO's 2855 cc engine was mounted longitudinally, using the 308's rear trunk space. This was necessary to make room for the twin turbochargers and intercoolers. The racing transmission was mounted to the rear of the longitudinal engine, moving the rear differential and wheels aft. As a result the wheelbase was 110 mm (4.3 in) longer at 2,450 mm (96 in). The track was also widened to accommodate wider wheels and tires (Goodyear NCT 225/50VR16 tires mounted on 8 x 16 inch Speedline wheels at the front and 255/50VR16 mounted on 10 x 16 inch wheels at the rear) to provide increased cornering and braking performance and the ability to apply 400 hp (298 kW) and 366 lb·ft (496 N·m) of torque to the ground. The GTO was an impressive performer, with 0-60 mph times in the upper 4 second range. Ferrari claimed 0-125 mph (201 km/h) in 15 seconds flat. Top speed was 189 mph (304 km/h), making it the first street-legal production car to reach 300 km/h (186 mph).^[1]

Performance

Test results by Road & Track:

0–30 mph (48 km/h): 2.3 s ^[3]
0–50 mph (80 km/h): 4.1 s ^[3]
0–60 mph (97 km/h): 5.0 s ^[3]
0–70 mph (113 km/h): 6.2 s ^[3]
0–80 mph (129 km/h): 7.7 s ^[3]
0–100 mph (161 km/h): 11.0 s ^[3]
0–120 mph (193 km/h): 16.0 s ^[3]
Standing ¹⁄₄ mile (402m): 14.1 s @ 113 mph (182 km/h) ^[3]
Top Speed: 179 mph (288 km/h)^[4]

Evoluzione

1987 Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione.

Ferrari also built five 288 GTO Evoluzione models with more aggressive and aerodynamic body styling and increased power. The engine in the 288 GTO Evoluzione originally put out as much as 650 hp (480 kW). With weight of 940 kg (2,072 lb) the car had a top speed of 225 mph (362 km/h).^[5] These cars form the clearest visual link between the 288 GTO and the F40 soon to follow.

All five are still in existence with one owned by the Factory on display in the engine manufacturing facility in Maranello.

Awards

In 2004, Sports Car International named this car number two on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s, behind its German rival the Porsche 959.

Gallery

Rear view of a Ferrari 288 GTO
Ferrari 288 GTO pictured in a Ferrari museum
Ferrari 288 GTO pictured in London

References

1 2 Monticello, Mike (August 2010). "2011 Ferrari 599 GTO". Road & Track 61 (12): 86.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "GTO". Ferrari official site - Past models. Ferrari S.p.A. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Road & Track August 1984".
↑ Road & Track July 1987
↑ "Ferrari 288 GTO Part 2: 288 GTO Evoluzione". qv500.com. Archived from the original on 2008-03-27. Retrieved 2008-12-21.

Buckley, Martin & Rees, Chris (1998). World Encyclopedia of Cars. London: Anness Publishing. ISBN 1-84038-083-7.
Ferrari 288 GTO at the Group B Rally Cars.

« previous — Ferrari road car timeline, 1960s–1990s — next »
Type		1960s										1970s										1980s										1990s
Type		0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
8 cylinder	Mid-engine berlinetta																308					308 i		308 QV			328				348										360
	Mid-engine berlinetta																308					208		208 Turbo				GTB/GTS Turbo								F355
	Mid-engine 2+2																	308 GT4				Mondial 8		Mondial QV			3.2 Mondial				Mondial t & Cabriolet
	Mid-engine 2+2																	208 GT4				Mondial 8		Mondial QV			3.2 Mondial				Mondial t & Cabriolet
12 cylinder	Boxer berlinetta														365 BB			512 BB					512i BB			Testarossa							512TR			F512M
	Grand tourer	250				275				365 GTB/4 "Daytona"																												550 Maranello
	Grand tourer	America				330		365		365 GTB/4 "Daytona"																												550 Maranello
	2+2 coupé	250 GT/E				330 GT 2+2			365 GT 2+2				365 GTC/4		365 GT4 2+2			400			400 i						412							456						456 M
Supercar				250 GTO			250 LM																			288 GTO			F40								F50
		Sold under the Dino marque until 1976; see also Dino car timeline

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