Tom Selleck made it famous in Magnum, P.I., but the Quattrovalvole truly gave Ferrari’s 308 GTS its own voice. This silver example has been in the same family for 34 years and has just 12,492 miles on the clock. Now, for the first time in a generation, somebody else has the opportunity to own it.
The 308 GTB debuted at the 1975 Paris Motor Show as the replacement for the Dino 246 GT, with elegant lines by Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina and a body originally made from fibreglass (later cars, such as this one, were steel-bodied).
The targa-topped GTS was launched two years later, and it’s the 308 most people picture. That is largely down to Magnum, P.I., the detective series in which Selleck spent eight seasons hurling a red GTS around O’ahu, Hawaii.
Behind the Ferrari’s two seats sits a 2.9-litre, flat-plane-crank V8, mounted transversely and breathing through four twin-choke Webers. In European trim it made 255hp, which in a car of this size and weight feels pretty lively.
Why does the Quattrovalvole matter?
The QV matters because emissions regulators tried to spoil the party. In 1980, the Weber carbs made way for Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, and the renamed GTBi and GTSi tumbled to 214hp in European spec. Cleaner: yes. Quicker: no.
Ferrari’s answer, unveiled at the 1982 Paris Motor Show, was the Quattrovalvole. It had four valves per cylinder, as per its name in Italian. Euro cars were back up to 240hp at 7,000rpm, and the engine rediscovered an appetite for revs that the GTSi had lost.
The QV ran until 1985, when the facelifted 328 took over. Ferrari built 3,042 examples of the GTS QV, and for many enthusiasts it is the pick of the 308 range.
What about this 308 GTS QV?
This 1984 GTS is finished in Argento Auteuil metallic over red leather, a very rare combination and a refreshing change from the usual Rosso Corsa. It has been in the same family since 1992, passing from the seller’s uncle to the seller in 2000.
The odometer shows 12,492 miles, which works out at fewer than 300 miles a year since new. It comes with 24 servicing records, including cambelt changes, along with the owner’s wallet and booklets.
After a quiet spell, it was recommissioned in 2025. Around £6,100 was spent on mechanical work, and it has been driven at least twice a month since. As a 1984 car, the Ferrari is also now exempt from both annual MOT testing and road tax (VED).
Is it in perfect condition?
Close, but not quite. The paint has a consistent finish and fine lustre, but there’s a rash of bubbling on the nose around the prancing horse badge, plus a few marks on both front wings. The paint on the offside A-pillar has worn through to light surface corrosion, while the rear wheelarch lips and the base of the offside sill are showing their age.
Encouragingly, the underside, floorpan, wheel wells, engine bay and both luggage compartments are described as clean and solid, which on a 308 is what really matters. Both rear indicator lenses have small cracks, and there is a minor mark on the windscreen.
Inside, the red leather has only light creasing, the dashboard is uncracked, and everything is said to work – the air conditioning included. The Speedline TRX wheels wear Michelin TRX tyres dated from 2025, so there will be no immediate bill for replacements.
What is the car worth?
Values for the Ferrari 308 QV have eased since their peak. A right-hand-drive GTSi QV with 53,000 miles made £62,438 at Iconic’s Silverstone sale in 2021, then a 45,000-mile RHD GTS QV sold for £57,000 on Collecting Cars in April 2024. A RHD example with 27,000 miles made circa. £42,000 on Collecting Cars at the start of October.
However, in the world of Ferraris, these are all high-mileage cars. So where does that leave a silver 308 with 12,492 miles and 34 years in one family? Low mileage, a thick history file, and a fresh recommission all count in its favour, while the aforementioned cosmetic jobs count against it.
As ever, when it comes to the online auction – due to conclude on 29 October 2026 – the bidders will decide.
Ready to buy your first Ferrari?
Few cars capture early-1980s glamour quite like a Ferrari 308 GTS, and fewer still have spent most of their lives tucked away in the care of one family.
Bidding starts at just £1,000, so take a look and maybe you’ll get lucky. A full listing and photo gallery for this 308 GTS Quattrovalvole are on the Trade Classics website now.
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