This 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO Sells for Over $2M at Auction

As a child of the 80’s, the sports cars of this era hold a special place in my heart. I count the Ferrari 288, the Lamborghini Countach and the Porsche 930 among my dream cars, vehicles which opened my childhood mind to the potential of speed and design. There’s something magical about them. It’s the sharp angles, accentuated intakes and uncompromising visual aggressiveness that inspired me as a kid. Decades later, I can look back at a vehicle like the 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO with reverence. The timing couldn’t be better, as this ’84 GTO just sold at auction for over two million dollars. Apparently, this is not a lonely fan club.

The 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO is powered by a twin turbocharged V8 engine which produced 400 horsepower and 366 foot-pounds of torque. Those numbers may not blow the doors off the vehicles today, but in its time, this was the fastest production vehicle on the road. It could crack 100 mph from a standing start in 10 seconds, and it topped off at 189 mph on straightaways. It was the pride and joy of Ferrari in its time, and it remains one of the most adored Ferrari’s ever built– as evidenced by its $2M price tag at auction.

The 288 GTO pictured here was delivered directly to Japan upon completion, where it stayed with its owner until 2010. In that span, it was only driven for less than 7,000 miles. It has been maintained as if it just rolled off of the factory floor, and its new owner will be taking home a special relic in kind. It was auctioned off this weekend in Phoenix by RM Auctions, ready to begin a new life with a very lucky owner.

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