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Understandably, when we think of a V8, we usually think of larger engines. Think of Ford's Coyote V8 with its five-liter displacement, or the current General Motors LT-based V8, whose size can go up to 6.6 liters in its stock configuration. While Americans do have a penchant for larger motors, even Japanese V8s like the ones found within the Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance boast a displacement of five liters.
We can't forget, there have been some smaller eight-pots, too. However, one example takes the cake in terms of sheer tininess. It's made by Ferrari, and it saw use for just a few years within the limited-production Ferrari Dino 208 GT4 and its successor, the 208 GTB. Its size? Just two liters, and somehow, Ferrari was able to pack eight pistons into an engine that's dwarfed by engines like the Cadillac 2.7-liter inline-four - no small feat.
Ferrari Fought The Law
Quick Facts About The Ferrari Dino 208 GT4
- Produced between 1975 and 1980
- Built to circumvent then-Italian engine displacement laws
- Only 840 examples built
- Closely related to the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4
Much like the Japanese kei car, which was built to cleverly get around Japanese vehicular taxes levied against cars that exceeded a certain engine and body size, the Ferrari Dino 208 GT4 was built for a similar purpose. Back in the 1970s, laws were in place which dictated that cars whose engines exceeded two liters in size were subject to a 38 percent VAT, or ValueAddedTax. Cars with engine displacements lower than two liters got away with just shy of a 19 percent VAT.
Because Ferrari was looking for ways to branch into a slightly lower-income market, creating a 2.0-liter version of its existing GT4 sports car was an attractive prospect. So, in order to take the plan from an idea to reality, Ferrari began configuring the 2.0-liter version of the mill that would end up inside the 208 GT4. As for the rest of the car, the 208 GT4 remained very similar to the 308, upon which it was based. The 208 GT4 was branded as a Dino in 1975, after which it bore the Ferrari namesake beginning in 1976.
The Tiny Engine That Could
The 208 GT4's tiny 2.0-liter eight-pot was just a smaller version of the 2.9-liter Dino V8 showcased within the 308 GT4. In order to reduce its displacement by nearly a liter, Ferrari engineers decreased the engine block's bore by 14.2 millimeters (0.56 inches), but kept its stroke the same. This meant smaller pistons were needed to fit the smaller cylinder bores. A twin-carburetor setup was present, along with dual overhead camshafts with two valves per cylinder, and the little powerplant spun to nearly 8,000 rpm.
Managing the 2.0-liter's 85 horsepower per liter was a Ferrari-bred five-speed manual transmission. The 208 GT4's frame was of a tubular spaceframe setup, a design based on the previous Dino 246's. A fully-independent suspension system was present, complete with coaxial telescopic shock absorbers to help cushion the ride, but also provide enough firmness during hard cornering. The Dino 208 GT4, along with the 308 GT4, became Ferrari's first rear-mid-engined V8 sports car, a layout that would become integral to Ferrari's car design for decades to come.
Small-Scale Encore
The 2.0-liter Dino V8 didn't just see action within the 208 GT4, it was also featured within the 1980 and 1981 208 GTB and GTS models, albeit on a very small scale. A turbocharged variant was also produced between 1982 and 1985 for use in both the 208 GTB and GTS Turbo. Collectively, fewer than 1,000 units in total were built of all derivatives over six years. The NA version produced 155 hp, while the turbocharged boosted it to 217 hp.
As for the 208 GT4's looks, it was one of the first Ferraris not to be designed by Automobili Pininfarina, instead using Bertone for its bodywork. The sharp contrast between designers is apparent, especially considering the 208 and 308's sharp, angular design. Back then, critics claimed the 208 and 308 designs were suspiciously close to the Lancia Stratos and, especially, the Lamborghini Urraco. In fact, the cabin of 208 and 308 GT4 was very similar to that of the Urraco. The Pininfarina designer responsible for both the Urraco and the 208/308 GT4, Marcello Gandini, was never tasked with designing a Ferrari again.
The 208 GT4's Heavier Twin Sister
As we've touched on, the Ferrari/Dino 308 GT4 is nearly identical to its smaller twin, the 208 GT4. When the 308 GT4 was introduced in 1974, it was a first in Ferrari history, as it was the very first model to not be styled by Pininfarina. It was also responsible for ushering in an era of modern, contemporary - and more sharp-edged - looks, and leaving behind the sloping lines and curvaceous hips of the Ferraris of yesteryear, like the 250.
The 308 GT4 was an important car for Ferrari. So important, in fact, that Enzo Ferrari himself played a large role in its design, reportedly having a static model of the 308's work-in-progress cockpit built to test different pedal and steering-wheel configurations. In his mind, this over-the-top approach was meant to ensure the 308 felt good to drive. Its 2.9-liter V8 was the first V8 engine in the Dino family.
The 208 GTB/GTS Also Had A Bigger Sister
Similarly to the 208 GT4 lineup, the Ferrari 208 that went on sale in 1980 was actually the smaller-engined, tax-compliant version of the 308 lineup that first debuted in 1975 and was made famous by TV series like Magnum P.I. - and which you can see pictured above. The 308 came in a GTB coupe and GTS drop-top with a 2.9L V8, gaining features such as fuel injection and four valves per cylinder, before eventually evolving into the 328 in 1986, with a larger 3.2L V8. This Ferrari generation was eventually discontinued in 1989 after 14 years of production, and formed the basis of yet another famous Ferrari supercar - the 288 GTO (below) - the predecessor of the immortal F40.
Ferrari's Other Smallest-Ever Engine
The 208 GT4's tiny V8 isn't the only engine Ferrari made that set a record for a small displacement with many cylinders. In 1947, Ferrari engineers were interested in competing in Formula One, and designed a small V12 in order to do this. The engine in question displaced just 1.5 liters, the smallest ever produced, and featured a supercharger in its F1 iteration. As for its naturally aspirated road-going version, the 1.5-liter V12, also called the Colombo 125 V12 S, was featured in the Ferrari 125 S sports car, developing 117 hp at 6,800 rpm.
Unfortunately for Ferrari, even with its roots-type supercharger, the 125 V12 wasn't powerful enough to compete with the likes of Alfa Romeo's V8 and Maserati's four-cylinder F1 engines. In 1949, the 125 V12 S received a new, dual-overhead camshaft cylinder head, increasing its power alongside its ability to rev. Coupled with a new, two-stage supercharger, the now-coined 125 V12 F1 then produced 276 horsepower and began earning itself five wins on the Grand Prix circuit. Following the 1950 season, the 125 V12 was replaced by the 275 Lampredi V12, a much larger, naturally-aspirated mill.
Sources: Ferrari, FerrariChat.com.
