Italian brand AC Motorsport has revealed the Michelotto Gruppo 4 Tributo, a new sports car built as a modern tribute to the Ferrari 308 and developed with engineering and racing firm Michelotto. The car was unveiled with a naturally aspirated 3.4-litre V8, a dog-leg manual gearbox and a kerb weight of 950 kg, though AC Motorsport has not announced when it will go on sale or what it will cost.
A new car, not a restomod
The Gruppo 4 Tributo looks like a restomodded 308, but it is a new car built around a custom tubular chassis with lightweight composite panels. Its overall shape and footprint closely match the original, with a low nose, a blacked-out grille, horizontal daytime running lights and pop-up headlights. Gills and vents on the hood and front quarter panels echo the 308, while flared fenders give the tribute a more aggressive stance.
Along the sides there are prominent rocker panels, a large intake behind the doors and star-shaped wheels wrapped in Pirelli tyres. The rear features a large clamshell, black grilles, dual exhausts, an exposed carbon fibre diffuser and four circular taillights.
AC Motorsport was founded two years ago by Francesco Calzavara, who previously worked at Michelotto. The Gruppo 4 name references the Group 4 specification Ferrari 308 GTB rally cars that Michelotto built and raced in the World Rally Championship.
Powertrain and weight
The engine is a naturally aspirated 3.4-litre V8 producing 380 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, paired exclusively with a dog-leg manual transmission. Those outputs are modest by modern exotic-car standards, but the 950 kg (2,094 lb) kerb weight is the headline figure: it is 140 kg lighter than the original 308.
AC Motorsport has positioned the car around a pure driving experience rather than outright performance. The combination of a light body, a naturally aspirated V8 and a manual gearbox points to a priority on response and engagement over raw acceleration, which is where the weight saving matters most.
AC Motorsport has not published a 0-100 km/h time or a top speed for the Gruppo 4 Tributo.
Interior and equipment
The cabin of the prototype is simple and, in the source's assessment, somewhat at odds with the exterior design. It has a flat carbon fibre dashboard, a large screen in front of the driver and a bank of physical switches and dials across the centre. Other features include a three-spoke steering wheel, a metal gated shifter and carbon fibre racing seats.
What is still unknown
AC Motorsport has not said when the Gruppo 4 Tributo will go on sale, how much it will cost, how many will be built or which markets will receive it. Performance figures beyond power, torque and weight have also not been released.
