Maranello’s scarlet racers aren’t commonly associated with gravel roads and rally stages, but in the late 1970s, the house of the prancing horse was beginning to experiment with getting their tyres dirty. Despite their wealth of experience on-track, Ferrari called upon the help of Michelotto, a Ferrari dealership turned rally firm, who had already demonstrated their prowess in preparing Lancia’s Stratos for all-terrain domination. 

Having made its debut at the 1975 Paris Motor Show, the Ferrari 308 GTB was the model selected for a rally makeover. Unlike Ferrari’s V12 berlinettas, the 308 GTB featured a transverse V8 mounted behind the driver, improving its weight distribution and cornering ability. Meanwhile, its tubular frame construction meant that it was relatively simple to replace the production body with lightweight fibreglass panels. 

Michelotto started by building 11 wide-arched Group 4 variants, which swiftly proved to be fearsome competitors in Europe’s rally stages. Jean-Claude Andruet secured Ferrari’s first and only podium finish at a World Rally Championship, finishing second at the 1982 Tour de Corse in his Pioneer-liveried 308. No doubt spurred on by Andruet’s success, Michelotto began work on preparing the 308 GTB for rally’s most challenging arena: Group B. 

By 1983, Michelotto were ready to unveil their super hot Group B-spec 308 GTB, which would go on to secure first place finishes at the Trofeo Villa d’Este in 1983 and the Rallye Citta di Bassano in 1984 to name a few highlights, but in the end only four of these mid-engined machines were ever built. At least, that was the common belief until today. 

This glorious beast, chassis 30525, may not have been included in the original run of four, but it received the Group B treatment from Michelotto all the same. However, its road to Group B had a few more twists and turns than its famous stablemates, being originally delivered in 1980 to a Piedmontese female driver in the gorgeous combination of Blu Dino over a Pelle Beige Connolly leather interior. 

It wouldn’t be long before this 308 GTB changed its outfit, though, because it was soon sold to rally veteran Virgilio Facetti, who sent it to Autofficina Effegi for rally preparation in 1982. They replaced the factory bodywork with new ultralight carbon-kevlar panels, while the Quattrovalvole type F105 engine was upgraded to produce a hearty 300 horsepower thanks to new Mahle pistons and Marelli injection. It was at this point that chassis 30525 donned its perfectly-1980s Retequattro livery, completing a seriously attractive rally machine. 

1984 saw chassis 30525 compete in no less than five different events with varying levels of success, the highlight being a 3rd place finish at the 2nd Rally Tre Laghi, where Facetti was joined in the cockpit by Valerio Arioli. Perhaps unsatisfied with these middling results, Facetti enlisted the help of Michelotto to increase the potency of his prancing horse for the 1985 season. 

Records show that chassis 30525 was then given the new specific chassis number 18 from Michelotto. In January 1985, it was transported to master coachbuilder Lino Cazzola, who clothed chassis 30525 in the final remaining Group B body for the 308 GTB. By March of that year,  Michelotto had put the finishing touches on chassis 30525, draping it in a new Giallo livery. 

Chassis 30525 made its return to the rally stage in September 1985 at the 3rd Valtellina Cup, but it would only race twice more under Facetti’s ownership. In December 1986, Facetti sold the car to Fabio Penariol of Pro Motor Sport, who commissioned three of the four original Group B 308 GTBs. Pro Motor Sport continued to develop the car the following year with engine modifications and a fresh lick of Rosso Corsa paint, reconfiguring it to Group IV specification. 

Penariol parted ways with chassis 30525 in 1988, but this wasn’t the end of its competition career, with this 308 GTB continuing to participate in various Ferrari Club meets and track days throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s. 

The final major milestone of note relating to chassis 30525’s history came in 2010, when it was sold to a French enthusiast who sent the car back to Lino Cazzola some 25 years after the master coachbuilder first helped convert it to Group B specification. Lino Cazzola treated it to a total restoration and returned it to its full Group B glory, as it was in 1985.

During this process, the original fibreglass Michelotto body, still painted in Rosso Corsa and showing signs of the original Giallo, was removed but is included with the car. It's also worth noting that - according to specialist Cyrille Jaquinot - chassis 30525 was remarkably never involved in an accident, despite its lengthy competitive career. While never officially recognised as an “308 Michelotto” as a result of its engine being prepared by Facetti, chassis 30525’s meticulously documented history proves its close genetic ties to the four original cars.

Now chassis 30525 is offered for sale at Aguttes’ Tour Auto sale on Monday April 7th, where it’s expected to fetch between 700,000 and 1,100,00 euros. 

Photos by Alexis Ruben

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