Bellisimo: Jay Leno behind the wheel of a Ferrari 308

When it comes to cars with reputations, the Ferrari 308 has a strong one. The “affordable Italian” sounds great, but many owners found the maintenance bills piling up quickly. In the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, Donnie Callaway brings his 1984 Ferrari 308 GTB in to talk about how that car’s history is intertwined with his.

A younger Callaway fell in love with a 308 GTB while employed at a dealership in California. One day he arrived at work to find the car sold—this news came as no surprise as he couldn’t afford it and no amount of bargaining with the dealer was going to find that Ferrari in his garage. Years later, he caught wind of a 308 that was destined to be cut up. After some smooth negotiating he was able to buy the car—then found out it was bright white, a color that didn’t necessarily invoke the Ferrari feelings he was after. There were initial thoughts of changing the hue, but Callaway decided to preserve the car’s original color after diving into the restoration process.

Both Jay and Callaway talk about how 308 prices stayed reasonable for many years, allowing the car to be both attainable and aspirational for many. It is still known as an affordable Ferrari, but values have risen in recent years. Callaway loves the car—and Jay seemed to enjoy driving it too. It’s rolled up more than 100,000 miles and Callaway has no intention of selling it or parking it.

Be sure to watch the video to find out even more of the backstory on this car and the owner’s love affair with Ferraris.