G–T–O. Denoting Gran Turismo Omologato, it’s an acronym which, for Ferrari disciples, represents the summit of the mountain. For those of a certain age, it brings to mind the sultry 250 GTO of 1962 – a car which, for myriad good reasons, is now among the most valuable on the planet. But for others, it’s the razor-sharp Pininfarina lines of its successor, the 288 GTO. 

Not even Il Commendatore could ignore the frenzied popularity of Group B rallying in the 1980s. A new dawn of homologation specials had, as a result, dawned, and the FIA formula’s loose framework of rules and minimum production requirement of 200 cars suited Ferrari to a tee. Here was a prime chance for the Prancing Horse to flex its muscle and show the manufacturers nipping at its heels who was boss.

The result was the 288 GTO, a technological tour de force which genuinely moved the supercar game on and boasted performance the like of which had never been seen in Maranello, let alone the rest of the world. Thanks to the emergent art (or should we say black magic?) of forced induction, there was 400bhp on tap from the 2,855cc twin-turbocharged V8. Coupled with a tubular spaceframe chassis and lightweight bodywork crafted from then-newfangled composites such as Kevlar and Nomex, that meant 0–60mph in under five seconds and a top speed of over 190mph. These were ground-breaking figures in 1985.

And where to begin with that fabulous Pininfarina-engineered shape. A fleeting glimpse in the corner of an eye might fool you into thinking this is a 308 GTB. But look properly and you’ll realise Leonardo Fioravanti’s classic design was elevated to an entirely new level – primmed and pruned, swollen and elongated to make it look like a proper purposeful road racer. The nods to its illustrious forebear the 250 GTO are nothing short of perfect. Among the very best looking Ferrari of them all? We’d struggle to disagree...

Stamped with the chassis number 54783, this 288 GTO left the Ferrari factory on 15 January 1985, destined for the Swiss concessionaire Garage Foitek AG in Zurich. The car is notable in that it boasts the lightest specification of the already lightweight supercar. This GTO also has the rare red cloth inserts on the seats.

In April, chassis 34783 was acquired new by the Austrian-Canadian oil magnate Walter Wolf – a self-made man with a taste for the luxuries in life, not least exotic cars and motorsport. A phoenix rising from the ashes of Hesketh Racing, Wolf’s eponymous Formula 1 outfit finished second in the 1977 World Championship – only the Ferrari of a certain Nicky Lauda could pip Jody Scheckter in his Harvey Postlethwaite-designed WR1.

Personalisation was Wolf’s strong suit – it was important to him that everybody from the personnel in the Formula 1 paddock to the staff in his myriad residences around the world knew who his cars belonged to.

While his new Ferrari remained in Europe, Wolf registered the car in Mexico and affixed his signature logo prominently on the rear fascia (there’s a brilliant photo of it in Hans-Karl Lange’s seminal book Ferrari). And he kept it for seven years, after which chassis 34783 returned to Italy, where it wound up in the possession of a Milanese stock broker who, for whatever reason, had it registered in the name of his girlfriend.

A decade later, this Ferrari 288 GTO joined a prominent Italian collection, rubbing shoulders with a McLaren F1 GTR and a Bugatti EB110 SS. And a further nine years later, in 2012, chassis 34783 was sold to Germany and, crucially, submitted for Ferrari Classiche certification – certification which was duly awarded, confirming the car’s matching-numbers chassis, engine and gearbox.

Two further German custodians have enjoyed the virtues of this ‘halo’ Ferrari supercar, each fastidiously maintaining the car, which today shows a mere 25,600km on the odometer. A beautifully presented Classiche-certified example boasting a comprehensive ownership history, this 288 GTO is accompanied by its original leather pouch, which contains the service book, owner’s manuals and warranty card, and jack set.

An appropriately princely price, the disbandment of Group B and a global oil crisis meant only 272 Ferrari 288 GTOs were built, making the model by far the rarest of the ‘halo’ Ferrari supercars for which it trod a path.

An appropriately princely price, the disbandment of Group B and a global oil crisis meant only 272 Ferrari 288 GTOs were built, making the model by far the rarest of the ‘halo’ Ferrari supercars for which it trod a path.

For context, 1,311 F40s left the factory in Maranello. Regardless, Ferrari had proved that there was demand for extreme, low-volume performance sportscars. It gave it the confidence to continue the legacy of the GTO with a run of limited-production flagship models culminating in the hybrid-powered LaFerrari– models which are only becoming more desirable.

Suffice to say, chassis number 34783 is a magnificent example of the genesis of this hallowed family.

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