Porsche Carrera GT, 430 Scuderia, & a 308GTB
All the excitement around Monterey Car Week and the major auctions held their got me thinking about what car or cars I would add to the collection today if I had the extra space and roughly $1 mil to send. After perusing all the auction catalogues, not unsurprisingly I ended up with a number of choices that have either long been on the bucket list or are former occupants of our garage. In the end I settled for three cars. All at very different price points.
At the top of the value tree, the choice came down to a Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona or a Porsche Carrera GT. Two very different cars born almost 40 years apart. While both require skill to drive and are wonderfully engaging, the Daytona is a long-legged tourer while the Carrera GT is a race car for the road. The Carrera GT has brakes that work, the Daytona has brakes that can leave you with soiled underwear. Both are icons and have long been regarded as special. While I did own a Daytona for a couple of years a while ago, in the end the decision came down in favor of the Carrera GT as it would be a new experience. I also have an enormous soft spot for mid-engine cars, carbon fiber tubs, and barchettas. Another influencing factor is Mrs. SSO does not have a lot of patience for some of the minor “character” flaws that vintage cars can exhibit at times. In fact, I still occasionally hear about the rear-view mirror that suddenly detached itself from the windshield on a Ferrari 512BB over a decade ago and almost landed on her foot. Net net, the Carrera GT is the safer choice and would likely get a lot more use than a Daytona.
Second on the list is a Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Longer term I really believe the Scuderia will be regarded as the greatest of the Ferrari V8s from the 1st decade of the 21st century. In fact, I would rather be behind the wheel of a Scuderia than an Enzo. In many ways it is the last of the analogue Ferraris, certainly sports the best of the single clutch F1 gearboxes, and has an engine that raises the hair on the back of your neck with its high revving feral scream. The chassis is well balanced and handling highly predictable. The CCBs on the Scuderia also are the 1st generation to actually work decently at lower speeds and when wet. We owned a 430 Scuderia several years ago and to this day I regret parting with it. Correcting that mistake and adding another now would definitely be in-order. One of the best driving days I have had was in the Scuderia in Scotland driving along the west coast. A very fond memory that deserves to be built on.
The final car on the list is a Ferrari 308 GTB. In this case, it would have to be an early carbureted car from the late 70s. Like the 430 Scuderia, it would be a second coming of a model I have owned and enjoyed in the past. In the 1st iteration, I owned an early fiberglass 308 GTB (4th one built) but see no reason now to pay the current huge premium for a fiberglass car over the later steel bodied ones. The chassis on both are steel and prone to rust so the practical advantage is limited. Other than a slight weight advantage, the fiberglass bodies don’t really have any performance benefit. Looking at prices, I do believe 308s are probably the best value in the classic Ferrari world right now. They are 1/7th the cost of a Dino 246 but in my option, drive and handle better. While they may not have quite the beauty of the Dino’s lines, if you are over 6’ the 308 is a much more comfortable fit.
Will these “wants” become realities, I certainly hope so. Right now, the great limiting factor is space. I also don’t like to own more cars than I can use on a semi-regular basis. What the right number is, I am still not sure but do think we are getting close . I am a firm believer that cars need to be driven and the ones that sit for extended periods develop issues. While I doubt all three will be added in the next year, at least 1-2 might.
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September 2018
How do you actually go about looking for a Carrera GT?
There seems to be many available, so does that make it tricker as you’re more inclined to look for the perfect spec?
Would love to see a Carrera GT make it’s way in your collection. In my opinion, it’s the closest competitor to the McLaren F1 as best drivers car of all time. Very engaging, unique, and likely will on go up in value with time, especially in rare configurations.