It must say something about the power of television that all though I have rarely watched it as an adult, I still know things about some of the folks who inhabit that world. Back in the 80’s there was a private eye show, the mother of a friend of mine used to refer affectionately to as ‘Magnumpi’, a private eye who lived in some completely improbable paradise and blagged pretty much everything he needed, including a Ferrari 308 GTS, from some benevolent fellow with a clipped English accent called Higgins.

Even though I never saw an entire episode I do know, but don’t ask me how, that Magnumpi decided to trade in his bachelor life style for a family and a regular (?) job in the Navy when the show came to an end. Today’s car the 328 GTS is probably the vehicle Magnumpi would have upgraded to if he had not been so rash.

The 328 GTS (GTS meaning Gran Turismo Spider – Targa top as opposed to its sibling the hard top GTB – Gran Turismo Berlinetta) out sold the GTB 5 to 1 between 1985 to 1989. It was powered by a 270 hp, 4 valve per cylinder, 3185 cc / 194 cui V8 good for taking the car to 60 mph in less than six seconds and on to over 160 mph.

328’s are considered by Ferrari aficionados to be the most reliable Ferrari’s ever built, because the engine does not need to be removed from the vehicle for routine maintenance. Just the kind of convenience a family man might be looking for, shame the 328 only has two seats !

Slightly Off Topic postscript to yesterdays blog I’d like to welcome everyone who has popped in from the Ferrari Chat Forum, and thank Julio Batista whose Dad raced 500 TRC #0698 against Armando Garcia Cifuentes, Julio kindly posted a photograph of 500 TRC #0690, the subject of yesterdays blog, which shows the extent of the damage sustained after its horrendous accident in Havana.

Thanks for popping by, I hope you’ll join me for an amazing life is stranger than fiction story about a small but hugely storied car from the United States tomorrow, don’t forget to come back now !