Starting life as a 360 Challenge, Michelotto’s 360 N-GT was born of a desire to return Ferrari to the FIA GT Championship. Using the 360 Challenge as its basis, the N-GT received a number of modifications to make it more competitive in the competitive FIA GT field. The engine, initially producing 430 bhp in 360 Challenge specification, was modified with revised engine electronics, more aggressive exhaust, and mated to a sequential gearbox fitted with lightened and closer ratios to manage the additional power. Power was increased by 15 bhp, even with the required 30.8 mm air restrictors in place.

With the restrictors removed, the 360 N-GT could produce 540 bhp, a world’s away from the 400 bhp of the ‘standard’ 360 Modena! In addition to this, thanks to gaining polycarbonate windows, a lighter windshield, carbon fibre body panels, and despite having a large rear wing and front splitter fitted, the 360 N-GT weighed some 90 kg less than the 360 Challenge, tipping the scales at approximately 1,100 kg.

In 360 Challenge guise, this car, chassis number 118533 was shipped new to the U.K. and used only once in the Ferrari Challenge West, driven at the Spa Ferrari Days in April of 2000 by Robert Shaw, racing for Ferrari U.K. The following year, it was sold to Prancing Horse Racing Team based in Melbourne, Australia, with the intention of converting it to 360 N-GT specifications.

As such, chassis number 118533 was shipped to Michelotto in late 2001 to begin its conversion to 360 N-GT specifications, with work being completed in February 2002 and this car becoming the eleventh conversion of just 17 built, bearing serial number 011 M. Immediately put on a plane bound for Melbourne following completion, the car was quickly pushed into testing at Calder raceway prior to its first race meeting: a support race for the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. Its second and final race down under would be the Clipsal 500 Nations Cup Meeting on March 3, 2002 at the Adelaide Parklands Circuit. Following qualifying on pole and posting a new lap record of 1:25.79, John Bowe managed to finish second place in race 1 and race 3 and took victory in race 2.

Shortly thereafter, the 360 N-GT was purchased from Prancing Horse Racing by Veloqx Motorsport and flown to its new home in the U.K., destined to compete in the burgeoning British GT Championship and European FIA GT events. It was said that this was one of three 360 N-GTs acquired and by Team Veloqx in period. During its time with Team Veloqx, this and its sister cars were effectively developed into what became the 360 GTC by virtue of the installation of the Hewland NLT six-speed sequential transaxle, and the car remains equipped as such today. Keeping in close contact with Michelotto, this change would be adopted by Michelotto and the Hewland NLT gearboxes were offered as standard on the 360 N-GTs replacement, the 360 GT.

Flown from Australia to the UK, 011 M in time to compete in the first round of the British GT championship at Brand’s Hatch in the spring of 2002, the driver pairing of Calum Lockie and Jamie Davies finished third in class and fourth overall, with the following round at Donington producing an identical class result and seventh overall. One notable, non-competitive appearance for the car would come at the Ferrari Festival in Brands Hatch in August, where the car appeared on track alongside its sister cars from Veloqx for some demonstration laps with none other than the then Ferrari F1 Technical Director, Ross Brawn. 011 M would appear once more in British GT that season with Lockie and Davies behind the wheel at Oulton Park, the ninth round of the championship, but there the car unfortunately failed to finish. Its final event for 2002 would be the ninth round of the FIA GT Championship at Donington Park, this time being driven by Tim Sugden and Andrew Kirkaldy, again resulting in another DNF.

For 2003, the 360 N-GT would remain with Veloqx Motorsport and would see testing at Jerez, Vallelunga, Misano, Monza, Barcelona, Snetterton, and Spa Francorchamps. Its second foray into the FIA GT championship would come at Donington Park in June, finishing 15th overall and 6th in class, driven by Andrew Kirkaldy and Guy Smith. The car would return to British GT for the eight round of the championship at Thruxton that same August. Andrew Kirkaldy would again take the wheel, this time with Tim Mullen driving alongside. There, the car placed 2nd overall, finishing just two seconds behind the Mosler MT900R of Balfe Motorsport.

Following the end of the car’s racing career, it would return to Melbourne, having been purchased by a local private collector. With him, the car would only be used in a handful of demonstration and exhibition events as well as the occasional private track day. Self-regarded as a perfectionist, he also commissioned a complete repaint to an extremely high standard that replicated the precise details including the complex airbrushing to the livery. Approximately ten years ago, the 360 N-GT was acquired by the current owner who repatriated the car to the U.K., where it remains today, again having only been used sparingly in non-competitive track days.

Now twenty-five years following this particular car’s conversion by Michelotto, the 360 N-GT as a model remains highly eligible for a number of historic racing events and series around the world. Most notably, the car is eligible or Ferrari’s highly desirable Club Competizioni GT events, organized by Corse Clienti and run at tracks around the world alongside some of the marque’s most desirable racing cars. In addition to this, the car remains eligible for Peter Auto’s Endurance Racing Legends series (which includes Le Mans Classic), Masters Endurance Legends, and the Historic Sportscar Racing Mission GT Challenge in the U.S.

Presented today in its 2003 Veloqx livery, the 360 N-GT remains in good running order with strong leak down and compression test figures, both of which were recently undertaken during a technical inspection by Pursuit Racing. These remain on file alongside a quotation for the car to be made race ready akin to current regulations. The 360 N-GT marks a fascinating point in Ferrari’s GT racing history as it was at this time that Ferrari returned to the GT grid after a long absence and instantly took the fight to their archrivals Porsche. This is a car that can easily be driven on track, looks stunning and is accompanied by one of the finest soundtracks of the era.

While the 308 GT/M may not yet be a household name, the significance of the Michelotto-inspired race car should not be underestimated in Ferrari history. In the context of motorsport, it was conceived as the ultimate evolution of the mid-engined Ferrari 308 platform, only for the Group B formula that shaped its creation to evolve before the car properly had a chance to compete on behalf of the factory. Then, there’s its impact on the modern-day hypercar scene. For, without the GT/M, there might never have been the 288 GTO. And from that icon, Ferrari’s ‘Big Six’—completed by the F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari, and F80—was born to spur on rivals, not least Porsche and McLaren.

The GT/M’s distant cousin was the 308 GTB road car, which had already been adapted for competition. Between 1978 and 1983, variants entered a plethora of race and rally events in both Group 4 and succeeding Group B specification—most notably counting wins in the Targa Florio and Tour de France. But, in partnership with Ferrari, Michelotto—effectively the marque’s customer racing arm—decided to create a truly bespoke prototype.

As a result, the Bosch fuel-injected, four-valve-per-cylinder, 3.0-litre naturally aspirated V-8 engine was rotated to sit longitudinally in a tubular chassis, while power increased from 310 to circa 370 horsepower. The five-speed Hewland gearbox was mounted upside down to make room for a Formula 1-derived Borg and Beck clutch. The double-wishbone suspension was rose-jointed and matched with Bilstein dampers. Brembo supplied ventilated disc brakes and four-piston callipers, and a hydraulic handbrake was fitted to make light work of hairpin bends out on the rally stages. The mechanical components were then cloaked in more aerodynamic carbon fibre and Kevlar coachwork, crafted by Auto Sport of Bastiglia, for a total weight of a mere 840 kilograms. In fact, the 308 GT/M was the first Ferrari race car outside of F1 to gain a composite body.

Designed with a low centre of gravity and to be easy to work on in overnight service parks, just three examples of the 308 GT/M were built by Michelotto. The first of those, chassis number 001 offered here, was tested extensively at Fiorano as parts were optimised and even different wheelbase lengths were tried. However, a full Works programme in Group B rally championships would ultimately be cut short. The limiting factor was a rear-wheel-drive layout at a time when the likes of the four-wheel-drive Audi quattro and Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 were coming to the fore.

While the 308 GT/M was being honed behind closed doors, in early 1984 loyal client Jean Blaton caught wind of this new silhouette racer. The five-time 24 Hours of Le Mans podium finisher approached Maranello to convince Michelotto to sell him chassis 001 via Ferrari concessionaire Garage Francorchamps. Entered under the banner of legendary Belgian race team Écurie Francorchamps, Blaton would campaign this car in club-level events during the mid-to-late 1980s, including at Circuit Goodyear in Luxembourg further to winning contests at Zandvoort in the Netherlands and Zolder in Belgium.

Of the two other 308 GT/Ms, chassis 002 appeared in the 1984 Rally Autodromo di Monza and showed promising speed to lead the event before crashing; the third car was built up at the end of 1986. The trio would come to have a long-lasting legacy, paving the way for the creation of the 288 GTO and, in turn, its F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari, and F80 successors.

In January 1996, chassis 001 was sold across the border to the former President of the Ferrari Owners Club of France, Mr Guy Domet. It was then purchased by an American custodian in December 2006 to be raced in the Ferrari-Maserati Historic Challenge series. Regularly enjoyed on track, it featured as part of the 2006 and 2007 Cavallino Classic meetings at Moroso Motorsports Park in Florida, at Road America in Wisconsin, Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, Sonoma Raceway in California, and Virginia International Raceway.

To keep the 308 GT/M in fine fettle for its use on circuit, the car was regularly prepared by Ferrari specialist Motion Products in Wisconsin. As part of the maintenance, the engine, driveshafts, cooling system, clutch, and transmission were routinely rebuilt and serviced. Invoices (dated from 2006 to April 2009; available to view on file) for the works and trackside support total almost $390,000.

Acquired by the consigning owner approximately 10 years ago, chassis 001 stands out as an incredibly rare Ferrari competition car that holds a fascinating backstory from the dawn of Ferrari’s hypercar era. Having achieved lap times at Fiorano that eclipsed the 288 GTO, F40, and even the larger V-12 engine 512 BB/LM, the 308 GT/M was proven to be blisteringly fast and one of the few extremely rare and exclusive race car models from an era that is now entering its golden period in the collector car market.

Versus the likes of the Ferrari 250 GTO, Testa Rossa, P series of endurances racers, and the Scuderia Formula 1 racers, the 308 GT/M might be lesser known in the annals of Maranello motorsport. But its impact on the marque’s flagship hypercars cannot be understated. The opportunity for the Cavallino connoisseur to add this to their stable is not to be missed.