This 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS QV is offered for sale, but instead of the usual 3.0-litre V8 behind the seats, you’ll find the more powerful 4.8-litre V12 engine.
As it turns out, the original owner wasn’t that happy with the V8’s 252hp so he decided to swap it with the 400-series V12 unit. At least it’s still a Ferrari engine and not another LS swap.
The arguably unorthodox-for-a-Ferrari swap was completed in the late 1980s and was carried out to a very high standard in an official Ferrari dealer in the UK. As a bonus of exclusivity, it’s believed that only four 308s worldwide are powered by a V12 Ferrari engine.
The current owner found the car sitting in dry storage for ten years back in 2013. He then took the car back to the engineer who performed the engine swap in order to undertake a two-year recommissioning.
Everything from the engine, the gearbox, brakes and suspension were all taken apart and inspected, with new parts fitted where necessary. The leather upholstery and carpets were left original.
This truly special Ferrari 308 GTS will go under the hammer at the Silverstone Auctions’ May sale and is estimated to bring between £50,000 and £60,000 ($64k to $77k in current exchange rates).
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