The Ferrari 328 Cabriolet was a unique experimental Spider built on chassis number 49543. Designed by Pininfarina and constructed by Scaglietti, this rare Ferrari explored the possibility of a fully open V8 sports car years before the arrival of the Ferrari 348 Spider.
Photography: DriveCity
Forgotten Ferrari
During the 1980s, Ferrari was preparing to replace the successful 308 with the improved 328. The new model featured updated styling, a larger 3.2 litre V8 engine and several mechanical improvements. While the 308 had been available as the closed GTB and removable roof GTS, Ferrari also explored the possibility of introducing a fully open convertible.
The result was the Ferrari 328 Cabriolet, also known as the Ferrari 328 Spider. Built on chassis number 49543, this unique prototype featured a folding soft top instead of the removable targa panel used on the production 328 GTS. Although the project reached an advanced stage of development, Ferrari ultimately decided against series production.
From 308 to 328
The Ferrari 308, introduced in 1975, established the design and mechanical layout that would define Ferrari's compact V8 sports cars for many years. Its mid mounted engine, distinctive Pininfarina styling and balanced proportions made it one of the company's most recognisable models. The GTB offered a fixed roof, while the GTS featured a removable panel between the windscreen and rear roof structure.
Photography: Ferrari
When Ferrari began developing the 328, the company considered expanding this formula. The larger V8 engine offered improved performance, while chassis revisions provided an opportunity to investigate a conventional Spider. Unlike the GTS, this new version would have a completely open passenger compartment and a folding fabric roof.
Chassis number 49543
The Ferrari 328 Cabriolet was developed on chassis number 49543. The prototype was completed in 1984 and underwent road registration and development testing until the spring of 1985, well before series production of the 328 began. The prototype was designed by Pininfarina, while Carrozzeria Scaglietti in Modena constructed its bodywork.
This was more than a styling exercise. The car was registered for road use and underwent development testing. Ferrari used the prototype to evaluate the 3.2 litre engine and investigate how the chassis behaved without a fixed roof. Removing this structure affects body stiffness, making careful engineering essential to maintaining the handling expected of a Ferrari.
Different design
Visually, the Ferrari 328 Cabriolet retained the familiar proportions of the production 328, including its low front end, distinctive side air intakes and compact mid engine layout. However, removing the fixed rear roof structure gave the prototype a noticeably different appearance.
Unlike the 328 GTS, which retained its rear roof section when the removable panel was taken off, the Cabriolet was completely open along the upper body line. A folding soft top replaced the targa arrangement, creating a genuine Spider configuration. This design anticipated the two-seat open V8 Ferraris that would follow, as the Mondial Cabriolet already offered open-air driving in a 2+2 layout.
Engine and performance
Mechanically, the Ferrari 328 Cabriolet closely followed the production 328 GTB. Its naturally aspirated V8 engine had a displacement of 3,185.76 cc and produced 270 horsepower in European specification. The engine was mounted transversely behind the passenger compartment, maintaining the familiar layout of Ferrari's compact V8 sports cars.
Although the prototype shared the main technical characteristics of the 328 GTB, its open body required additional structural development. Ferrari used the experimental vehicle to investigate these differences under real driving conditions. Specific acceleration and maximum speed figures for chassis 49543 have not been reliably established.
Why Ferrari cancelled
Despite its advanced development, the Ferrari 328 Cabriolet never entered production. According to Supercars.net, Ferrari's marketing department was concerned that a fully open two seat 328 would compete with the existing Mondial Cabriolet, which had been introduced in 1983.
Photography: Ferrari
Ferrari therefore continued offering the 328 exclusively as the GTB and GTS. Production ended in 1989 after 1,344 GTB and 6,068 GTS examples had been built, giving a combined total of 7,412 cars. The Cabriolet remained a unique factory prototype.
Lasting influence
Although the Ferrari 328 Cabriolet never reached customers, its development was not wasted. Ferrari's historical documentation identifies chassis 49543 as part of the research programme that eventually led to production Spider versions of its eight cylinder sports cars, beginning with the Ferrari 348 Spider in 1993.
Following its development work, the prototype remained in Ferrari’s own hands, having been owned by the factory’s prototype department, and it has since been offered for sale as a unique piece of Ferrari history. Its survival makes it an important example of Ferrari's experimental engineering during the 1980s.
An important prototype
The Ferrari 328 Cabriolet represents a fascinating chapter in Ferrari history. Designed by Pininfarina and constructed by Scaglietti, chassis 49543 demonstrated how Ferrari's compact mid engine V8 platform could be adapted to a fully open Spider body.
Although commercial concerns reportedly prevented production, the project helped prepare the way for later Ferrari convertibles. Today, the unique 328 Cabriolet remains an important link between the removable roof Ferraris of the 1980s and the fully open Spider models that followed.
Should Ferrari have brought this car into production?
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