Ferrari 288 GTO Revival May Offend Purists, Is for Sale at Auction With No Reserve

Now, the vehicle is available for sale at auction, with no reserve price set, nonetheless. As a comparison, Silverstone Auctions notes that a genuine Ferrari 288 GTO sells for over GPB 2,5 million (ca. $3.3 million). However, few would dare drive one of those vehicles on the road.

After all, having a homologation special Ferrari from the early 1980s is an investment, and many consider the 288 GTO as a must-have for collectors. But what if you want to drive something similar to it, but at a fraction of the price?

Well, someone worked with Ferrari specialists QV of London, who employ ex-Maranello engineers, over four years, and they built the closest thing possible to a 288 GTO, as it involves original Ferrari parts or components molded from an original Ferrari 288 GTO.

Many thousands of hours were put into this vehicle in the form of work to ensure a highly credible reproduction of a rare Ferrari homologation special that can be enjoyed driving on the road even by those who are not multimillionaires. Wheels and tires are brand new, and the entire build is mechanically-new, with the vehicle ready to drive.

Purists might be offended, though, as there is an exception in the reproduction part, which comes in the form of the naturally aspirated Ferrari 348-sourced motor and accompanying gearbox instead of the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 found on the original 288 GTO.

Yes, the engine is not turbocharged, but it is claimed to have had its ECU remapped for a straight and predictable power curve, which is claimed to be more enjoyable than the original. Otherwise, the advert claims that no corners were cut in the transformation. It will be auctioned off this weekend, so have your banker on the line for this one if you are interested in driving the closest thing to a classic homologation special Ferrari without risking a multi-million dollar vehicle on public roads (or anywhere else, for that matter).