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The first-series Ferrari driven by Tom Selleck in Magnum P.I. was a 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS, with a 3-litre V8 rated at 240 hp in US specification, according to Ferrari’s official history. The car changed during the show’s run: later seasons featured the fuel-injected GTSi and then the four-valve GTS Quattrovalvole. The GTS is the open-roof version of the 308, with a removable targa-style roof.
Which Ferrari did Magnum P.I. drive?
Ferrari identifies the first-series car as a 1979 308 GTS. The series was filmed in Hawaii and ran for eight seasons, from 1980 to 1988, Ferrari says. The car’s familiar red, open-roof shape became closely associated with Selleck’s character, but the model designation varied over the show’s run.
Ferrari’s official history gives the first-series US-specification 308 GTS an output of 240 hp. It says the second series used the fuel-injected 308 GTSi, rated at 214 hp, and that the character drove a 308 GTS Quattrovalvole from the fourth season, rated at 240 hp.
Magnum’s Ferrari versions at a glance
| Version | What changed | Show chronology and power |
|---|---|---|
| 308 GTS | Carburettor-fed V8; removable targa-style roof | First series; Ferrari lists 240 hp for the US version |
| 308 GTSi | Fuel injection replaced the four carburettors | Second series; Ferrari lists 214 hp |
| 308 GTS Quattrovalvole | Four valves per cylinder | From the fourth season; Ferrari lists 240 hp |
These figures and the series chronology come from Ferrari’s official 308 history. They describe the versions Ferrari associates with the show; they do not establish the identity or specification of every individual car used in filming.
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What makes the GTS different from the GTB?
The 308 GTB is the fixed-roof Berlinetta, while the 308 GTS has a removable targa-style roof. Ferrari says the GTS joined the GTB in late 1977. The open roof is the most immediately visible distinction between the two body styles.
The original 308 GTB was notable as Ferrari’s first fibreglass-bodied production car. Ferrari says it changed to steel and aluminium for US-market cars in late 1976 and for European cars in the first half of 1977. Those body-material details concern the GTB history and should not be assumed to describe every GTS.
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How the 308 changed
Ferrari says the 308 line remained on the market for ten years and sold more than 6,000 examples. That is a figure for the line described in Ferrari’s history, not a total for GTS cars alone.
In 1980, Ferrari replaced the four carburettors with fuel injection in response to emissions changes, particularly in the United States. The injected cars were called the GTBi and GTSi. The later Quattrovalvole versions added four valves per cylinder.
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Are surviving 308 GTS cars from the show?
Not on the evidence cited here. Ferrari’s history supports the model and series chronology, while auction listings from RM Sotheby’s document individual 1979 308 GTS cars. The reviewed sources do not establish that either auction car was used in filming, identify an authenticated filming-car chassis number, or verify a screen-used car’s present location.
For example, RM Sotheby’s records a 1979 308 GTS sold in Miami in 2026 for $100,800 and a different 1979 308 GTS sold in Dubai in 2024 for $57,500. Those are results for two specific cars, not a market average or a valuation of a Magnum P.I. car.
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FAQ
What Ferrari did Magnum P.I. drive?
Ferrari identifies the first-series car as a 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS. Later in the series, the character drove a 308 GTSi and a 308 GTS Quattrovalvole.
Was Magnum’s Ferrari a GTS or a GTSi?
Both appeared in the show’s chronology described by Ferrari: the first series used a 308 GTS, and the second series used the fuel-injected GTSi. Ferrari says the GTS Quattrovalvole appeared from the fourth season.
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What year was Magnum’s first Ferrari 308?
Ferrari identifies it as a 1979 308 GTS.
What is the difference between a 308 GTB and a 308 GTS?
The GTB is the fixed-roof Berlinetta; the GTS has a removable targa-style roof. Ferrari dates the GTS’s arrival to late 1977.
Can an auctioned 1979 308 GTS be called the original Magnum car?
Not without independent provenance evidence. The auction records cited here document individual 308 GTS examples, but do not establish that they were used in the show.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Ferrari: “First Time: 8-cylinder engine in GT Berlinetta”
- RM Sotheby’s: 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS, Miami 2026
- RM Sotheby’s: 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS, Dubai
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