Alain gave me the keys to a bog-standard 308GTB. I hopped in, respectfully warmed the sonorous V8, then had one of the best solo drives in memory

In the past I have never been mad about certain Ferraris. Too flash, too showy. I’m not talking about proper ones – those built before 1973, with magnificent V12 engines located in front of the driver. They remain some of the best sports cars ever.

No, I mean the little Ferraris with their engines in the boot. My first experience of a Dino (those in the know will point out that it was never badged a Ferrari) was memorable because of its mad French owner rather than the car itself. The plan was a photoshoot at the old Chobham military test centre and my friend Thomas brought along his Giallo Fly 246. We drove out of London at suicide speed, careering through traffic like a courier rider on the way to his next fix. I was convinced we’d be dead before the Chiswick flyover. Thomas was out to prove that the French are the best drivers; the Henri Paul school of motoring, and I am no Diana.

I failed to persuade Thomas that the test facility wasn’t actually a racetrack, so he hammered the poor Dino mercilessly. Once he’d spun it, worn out the brakes and smoked the clutch, the roasting Ferrari, unsurprisingly, did not feel that pleasant to drive.

Chobham was the scene of another mid-engined Ferrari test that went sideways, this time with a very proper example, a 250LM. What a magnificent car. To look at. The keeper leapt into it, fired up the cold engine, gave it some revs… and the oil filter canister promptly blew clean off the block, covering the parking area in gallons of thick Castrol. The squaddies on duty were not amused.

Thinking laterally, we called Ferrari racing legend David Piper, who lives just down the road, and went around to see if he had a replacement filter in his workshop. Fortunately he conjured one up and, for a Ferrari-sized consideration, handed it over. The LM was eventually persuaded to start and run on most of its 12 cylinders. But what a fright to drive. Being a stripped-out racing car it sounded like a bucket of nails inside, and, running on old Dunlop racing tyres, it pulled and tramlined all over the place. The brakes were virtually non-existent while the gearshift, with its contorted linkage to the rear-slung gearbox, was torturous.

But two years ago I had the pleasure of driving a glassfibre 308GTB around Sydney and was amazed at how tight and balanced it felt. The accompanying sound of its deep-throated Weber carbs and the rev-happy nature of its three-litre engine added pure exuberance – all repeated earlier this year in Cape Town with a 308GTB and 328GTS along challenging beachfront roads. Fast and enthusiastic but sharp and refined, these small Ferraris have come into focus as extremely attractive classics.

More recently on the Watch & Wine Collectors’ Tour around Bordeaux and the Rhône, I experienced some extremely heavy metal, including a McLaren F1 and a Ferrari 599. The McLaren was blisteringly fast but nerve-wracking, partly due to its multi-million pound value, but mostly because it too has its engine in the wrong place and, with 627bhp on tap, you really want some driver aids. Even a brake servo would help, Gordon. The Ferrari 599 in comparison was just about as fast but significantly more capable when driven really quickly on the unpredictable country roads.

Tour organiser Alain Li gave me the keys to a 308 he’d brought along, a bog-standard GTB finished in discreet silver. I hopped in, respectfully warmed the sonorous V8, then had one of the best solo drives in memory along undulating Rhône roads. It was a revelation, slicing along with exactitude. The sweet engine revved all the way, the handling was totally on-side (even if the engine is in the wrong place), the gearshift and brakes were tactile and precise, and the air-con kept me as cool as a bottle of Jaboulet.

Another friend, Biagio, works nearby in London and drives an open Ferrari 355GTS. Well he would, he’s a hairdresser! On summer mornings I hear him roaring past our house on the way to his salon. Being Italian he’s fitted a freeflow Tubi exhaust system and he always gives the ’Rarri extra beans on his way past, to wake me up. He drives his 355 for one reason: pure motoring pleasure. His other toy is a full-race Ducati 853 SPS. Some hairdresser.

The beautiful Dino has long been collectable so values are strong. But try a Ferrari 308, 328 or even a 355 – they are great to drive and remain good value. If you are somewhat flusher and still feel a Ferrari should have 12 cylinders, turn to page 78…

Robert Coucher
Robert has grown up with classic cars, having owned a Lancia Aurelia B20GT, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and a Porsche 356C. He currently uses his 1955 Jaguar XK140 as his daily driver, and is a founding editor of this magazine.