Switzerland is better known for chocolate and watches than cars, yet it hasn’t always remained neutral in the automotive industry. We’ve seen several oddities emerge out of this Alpine nation, including the International-Harvester Scout-based Monteverdi Safari, but it’s hard to top the Sbarro Super Eight. This boxy hatchback is a one-off that blends Ferrari 308 GTB guts and oh-so-1980s styling, and you could be its next owner.
First, who the hell is Sbarro? We’re not talking about the pizza place. In car design-speak, Franco Sbarro is an Italian-born Swiss coachbuilder who spent decades building one- and few-off cars, including replicas of historic models like the Bugatti Royale and vehicles designed in-house. The red 1984 Super Eight currently listed on Bring a Trailer falls in the latter category, and it’s a follow-up to the even wilder 1982 Super Twelve.
Sbarro set out to answer a question that must have been asked at least a handful of times: What if Ferrari built a hot hatch? Let’s find out. His team took the 3.0-liter four-valve V8 and the five-speed manual transmission out of a 308 GTB, shortened the coupe’s chassis, and dropped a muscular-looking fiberglass body over the whole thing. All of the styling cues that screamed “FAST!” in the 1980s are accounted for, including a grille covering the headlights, a front splitter, numerous vents, and punched-out wheel arches. BBS wheels add a finishing touch to the look.
The 308 GTB’s interior carries over, including sport seats and a gated shifter, but the steering wheel looks Sbarro-specific. The attention to detail is impressive, as Sbarro put a bigger focus on elegance and luxury than on performance when developing the Super Eight. There’s not much of a trunk, though: Lifting the rear glass reveals a spare wheel secured to the engine cover with four leather straps. I guess you could put your groceries around or behind the wheel, but they’d be so close to the V8 that I’d worry about cooking a full meal on your way back from the store.
What we’ve got, then, is a deliciously-proportioned, Ferrari V8-powered hatchback with a cool interior. And it’s allegedly the only one in the world. Bring a Trailer explains the Super Eight was displayed at the 1984 Geneva auto show, purchased by industrialist Bernd Grohe (who helped fund the project), sent to the Sbarro Museum, and later sold to a series of private owners. The V8 is said to run well, and the listing notes a handful of visual imperfections (including chips), but they’re fairly minor. The odometer shows about 18,647 miles, though the true mileage is unknown.
It’s difficult to put a value on a one-off car like the Sbarro Super Eight. As of writing, bidding stands at $62,500 with approximately a week left in the auction. There’s a reserve, so the bids will need to clear it before this boxy hatchback finds a new home. This cool, obscure piece of Swiss automotive history is sold with a Dutch registration and located in Paris, France, but it should be fairly easy to import here because it’s more than 25 years old.
On one hand, the one-off status makes this Super Eight even more desirable. There’s literally not another one like it. On the other hand, imagine if Sbarro had built, say, 5,000 of these. I love the idea of a WRC-spec Super Eight with a period-correct livery, but even without a racing pedigree, the model would have undoubtedly stood out as the holy grail of 1980s hot hatches. “Oh, you’ve got a Renault 5 Turbo? Cute! Check this out.”
It’s safe to say that everyone at The Drive is already jealous of the next owner.
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