Ferrari 308 Interior

The interior of the 308 series follows the finest traditions of Italian design, but was well ahead of its contemporaries in 1975. Before the 308, no mid-engined two-seaters had roomy interiors, few even had adjustable seats. Cramped quarters, seating positions too low for comfort and poor outward vision were the norm. The 308 shifted the paradigm. The 308 cabin is roomy, intrusion coming only from the front wheel wells. These cause the pedals to splay towards the center, positioning them perfectly for heel and toe driving.

The thin-shell seats covered in supple hides are both comfortable and highly supportive. Light and adjustable with ample side bolsters, the seats are like luxuriant racing buckets. The slim center console rises only to the height of the seat bottoms and does not extend to the front bulkhead, enhancing the sense of space. The console contains various ancillary switches and controls. Dominating the cabin centre is the tall chromed gear stick and its polished shift gate which comes easily to hand from the Momo steering wheel. The hooded main instrument binnacle is dominated by a speedometer and a tachometer with mileage counters. Gasoline, coolant temperature, oil pressure gauges and indicator lights complete the suite, all set in a brushed aluminum facia. To the lower right of the main binnacle more gauges nestle at the edge of the leather-covered dashboard.

As the 308 evolved, its interior changed little. The 308i had a binnacle facia of flat black. The clock and oil temperature gauge moved to the front of the center console. The seats were upholstered with a different stitching pattern resembling a modernist herringbone. The Momo steering wheel spokes became matte black. The 308qv enjoyed further refinement with the center console being tidied, the seat stitching becoming a little tighter, and the map pocket in each door growing a little larger. The Momo steering wheel was modernised once again, its spokes and rim becoming thicker and slightly reshaped.