Ferrari facts and figures

As I had my anorak on, I thought I would comment on the electric Ferrari 308 mentioned in the article (pages 6/7 of the September issue of TCM ,and last month’s letters) on a prewar electric bike.

It states that Electric Classic Cars had replaced the Ferrari V12 with a Tesla unit. Not so, the 308 always had a V8 so never had a wailing V12 from Maranello. The giveaway is the number.

Early mid-engined Ferraris before the 355 used a numbering system that reflected displacement and number of cylinders. Thus the 246 Dino was 2.4L, V6; 308= 3.0L, V8;

328= 3.2L V8,512= 5L, V12 etc. The standard 308 was also a bit quicker than you quoted, 0-60 was between 5.8 and 6.5 secs depending on model (the earlier ones were quicker as they were lighter and had less emissions gear).

Incidentally, the front engined Ferraris before the 550 used a different numbering system. All were V12s, and the number was the displacement of each cylinder; thus the fabled 250 was 3L, etc.

I’ll take my anorak off now...

Gerry Allen, via email.

In the early 1930s, Enzo Ferrari ran a team of Rudge motorcycle racers; Rudges remain popular in Italy, as witnessed by the picture at the ASI Motoshow. It’s possible to just pick out the prancing horse on the left of this picture, on a Rudge front mudguard.