Car Driven by History's Most Famous Moocher Goes on the Block

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

No, not Kato Kaelin. (That’s two OJ references on one day. We’re done. – Ed.)

Mouth-watering classics hit the block at Bonhams’ Scottsdale auction house all the time, but few were ever driven by the embodiment of 1980s masculinity. Well, today’s your chance to clear out your retirement funds and make a bid on one of the most recognizable vehicles in all of TV Land.

The 1980s was far from rough for Thomas Magnum. Fit, mustachioed, and more or less recovered from the horrors of Vietnam, Magnum’s life consisted of living for free on novelist Robin Masters’ Hawaii estate, where he indulged in opulent, seaside surroundings, a wine cellar that Higgins forbid him from entering, free helicopter rides from an overly generous fellow vet, jeans, and a red Ferrari 308 GTS.

A private investigator never had it so good. Well, there were some hardships — especially in those serious episodes. Ivan never saw that bullet coming.

Yes, Magnum P.I. (1980-1988) was the perfect premise for TV audiences in the heady 1980s, and the 308 GTS proved the perfect vehicle for escaping hitmen in Ford Fairmonts. Well, one of the Ferraris used on the show — a 1984 Ferrari GTS Quattrovalvole — can now be yours. It hits the block today in Scottsdale.

The vehicle, which arrived midway through the fourth season, replaced a 1980 308 GTSi and carried Magnum through 1985.

According to Bonhams:

It is believed that there were about five cars of each series used. The cars were destined to be used for one of two distinct purposes: action shots and light action/close-ups, the latter of which were kept in pristine condition. All of the cars used on the show were provided by Ferrari North America. Once a car was no longer in service, Ferrari North America would take the car back, give it a fresh paint job and servicing, and sell it to its “first” owner.

With a detailed ownership history, a 3.0-liter DOHC V8 and just 36,000 miles on the odometer, this model carries an estimated value of $150,000 to $250,000. And yes, there’s no chance that Tom Selleck didn’t drive this car.

Unlike the Testarossa, which added to Miami Vice‘s helping of ’80s excess, the 308 GTS is arguably the last “classic” Ferrari to roll out of Maranello. Grab your Hawaiian shirt, Colt 1911, and checkbook.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Art Vandelay Art Vandelay on Jan 20, 2017

    Sit Ubu, Sit... Good Dog Woof Thats about all i remember

  • NeilM NeilM on Jan 20, 2017

    I'm surprised that Tom Selleck could even fit into the 308. A friend of of mine has one that he bought slightly used back in the late 80's, and it's got one of those old fashioned long arms/short legs Italian car seating positions, with the steering wheel slightly horizontal and bus-like. Not comfortable at all. But damn, is it pretty!

  • Kjhkjlhkjhkljh kljhjkhjklhkjh I'd rather they have the old sweep gauges, the hhuuggee left to right speedometer from the 40's and 50's where the needle went from lefty to right like in my 1969 Nova
  • Buickman I like it!
  • JMII Hyundai Santa Cruz, which doesn't do "truck" things as well as the Maverick does.How so? I see this repeated often with no reference to exactly what it does better.As a Santa Cruz owner the only things the Mav does better is price on lower trims and fuel economy with the hybrid. The Mav's bed is a bit bigger but only when the SC has the roll-top bed cover, without this they are the same size. The Mav has an off road package and a towing package the SC lacks but these are just some parts differences. And even with the tow package the Hyundai is rated to tow 1,000lbs more then the Ford. The SC now has XRT trim that beefs up the looks if your into the off-roader vibe. As both vehicles are soft-roaders neither are rock crawling just because of some extra bits Ford tacked on.I'm still loving my SC (at 9k in mileage). I don't see any advantages to the Ford when you are looking at the medium to top end trims of both vehicles. If you want to save money and gas then the Ford becomes the right choice. You will get a cheaper interior but many are fine with this, especially if don't like the all touch controls on the SC. However this has been changed in the '25 models in which buttons and knobs have returned.
  • Analoggrotto I'd feel proper silly staring at an LCD pretending to be real gauges.
  • Gray gm should hang their wimpy logo on a strip mall next to Saul Goodman's office.
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