Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee

Although the idea of being disappointed by your shiny Prancing Horse may seem hard to imagine, the power-hungry first owner of this 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS QV wasn’t impressed with the performance of the Blue Chiaro sports car adorning his driveway. Enter Nigel Hudson, of Nigel Mansell’s Emblem Sports Cars, who was called upon to cram the 4.8-litre, four-cam V12 of the new Ferrari 400 into the lithe body of the 308 — a solution we can’t help but feel wouldn’t be an option in today’s automotive climate. One of only four known V12-engined 308s in existence (seemingly confirming the existence of four slightly unhinged Ferrari owners), this example was discovered by the current owner in 2013, after 10 years off the road, and was sent back to Nigel Hudson himself for a two-year re-commissioning. Set to cross the block at Silverstone Auctions’ 14 May sale, with an estimate of 50,000–60,000 GBP, this franken-Ferrari is sure to get some brave hands raised…

Photos: Silverstone Auctions