The sad story of Ferrari's Group B race cars, too fast to race

~Brutal Performance~ There is no doubt that Ferrari, an Italian premium car marque, is well known for its automotive premium quality products, most of which have fierce performance both on the circuit and on the road as well. Even though it's considered to be fast and brutal, sometimes everything is not a guarantee to be able to join the race, as we can see this to the following racing car;

There is no doubt that the Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione were outrageous wheeled monsters, with sublimely ridiculous quantities of power in ultra-light bodies. (Picture from: Supercars)

As we also know that the appearance of the Ferrari 288 GTO back in  the 1980s was intended to fulfill the racing desire of the Maranello-based premium car manufacturer in the Group-B of the World Rally Championship series, where one of the homologation requirements is that the participants have produced at least 200 units road-legal version cars.

The Prancing Horse manufacturer prepared 6 units of the Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione racing car to race in the Group-B of the World Rally Championship series. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

Well, that's why the car has the name GTO which consists of the abbreviation 'GT' for 'Gran Turismo', while the letter 'O' is 'Omologata' (Italian for homologation). Ferrari 288 GTO (Type F114) is one of the homologation car model ranging built from 1984 to 1987 and only 272 units ever made during its production periods.

Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione built based on the tubular steel frame construction, aluminum floor and carbon fiber body panels keep the dry weight down to around 940 kg. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

So what does the racing car look like? At that time the Prancing Horse manufacturer prepared 6 units of the Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione racing car. When viewed from the front, the appearance of the race car looks simple, aerodynamic, not inspiring enough, but after walking to the rear suddenly everything changes drastically. 

Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione built based on the tubular steel frame construction, aluminum floor and carbon fiber body panels keep the dry weight down to around 940 kg. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

When the entire rear of the body hinged so far along the roof is lifted up, and it's clear to see nestling beneath is the 2,855 cc V8 engine, force-fed by twin IHI turbochargers said to put out over 659 HP at 7,800 rpm. That's a lot of horsepower (and lots of rev), and considering the tubular steel frame construction, aluminum floor and carbon fiber body panels keep the dry weight down to around 940 kg.

Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione is powered by the 2,855 cc V8 engine, force-fed by twin IHI turbochargers said to put out over 659 HP at 7,800 rpm. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

You can imagine with that much power kicking and pounding on such a light weight car, it would make everything you see move very fast and indeed insane fast. There is no doubt that the Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione were outrageous wheeled monsters, with sublimely ridiculous quantities of power in ultra-light bodies.

Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione was one of the most aerodynamic cars of its time, featuring a shovel nose, air vents, front canards and a massive rear wing. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

Overall, aside of all its brutality, Evoluzione is quite beautiful. It was one of the most aerodynamic cars of its time, featuring a shovel nose, air vents, front canards and a massive rear wing. But when everything was ready, a tragedy dashed all hopes of the Prancing Horse manufacturer brought the 288 Evoluzione to race in the Group-B.

Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione was one of the most aerodynamic cars of its time, featuring a shovel nose, air vents, front canards and a massive rear wing. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

At that time the racing world was in deep mourning as it witnessed the tragic deaths of 600 bhp-plus 4WD Group B rally monsters. It culminated when in May 1986, the heroic Henri Toivonen and his co-driver joined the list of fatalities while competing in the 1986 Tour de Corsica, the industry decided that is enough, and it sounded the death knell for Group B racing as well.😲

It left the six examples of the Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione that had never turned its wheels in competition and just parked on the Maranello's test track. So what happens to them next, when their racing goals evaporated? While these have all survived, they are scattered in collections around the world, one of these six Ferrari 288 Evoluzione is displayed at Ferrari’s Museum in Maranello and one made it as prototype of the Ferrari F40 in 1987.

Thanks to the Ferrari 288 GTO Evoluzione, we got to see the legendary Ferrari F40. (Picture from: DriveTribe)

Well, even though it never raced, the 288 Evoluzione development project was not completely in vain and nonetheless left the legacy of the F40 wheeled monsters. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CLASSICDRIVER | DRIVETRIBE ]

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