Dayton Daily News

Last week we left you behind the wheel of what Scott Tolliver calls, "a handful," the Porsche 930 Turbo. Pretty much a racecar in street clothing. Today we become a bit more refined, with sleek Pininfarina lines, and the prancing horse emblem of Ferrari on the nose and fenders.

"I can drive the Porsche for a few hours. It's fun, but it's work. In the Ferrari 308, I can drive around all day. It's like a high-performance luxury car," Tolliver said. "The car is much more civilized. Smooth steering and response, a well-appointed interior, comfortable, quieter — just all around great to drive."

The Ferrari 308 was born in 1975, a tube-framed car with the 3-liter V-8 mounted just behind cockpit, all hidden beneath a fiberglass body. The transverse-mounted mid-engine and double wishbone independent suspension give the car a far better balance and civilized center of gravity, something Tolliver says is the glaring difference in handling between the Porsche and the Ferrari.

In 1978, Ferrari introduced steel bodies for the 308, and in 1982 they upgraded the performance by introducing the Quattro Valve, with

4 valves per cylinder. The fuel-

injected V-8 puts out about 245 horsepower. The 308 production came to an end in 1985, with just over 12,000 cars produced.

Tolliver grew up around cars, but was always fascinated by the sleek lines of foreign sports cars.

"I had the muscle cars and all, but as a kid, I always though the sports cars looked much better." he said.

During the past 20 years, Tolliver estimates he has owned about

10 Porsches, but he has the exact count on Ferraris. "I've had four: a Testa Rosa, a 328 and this is my second 308," he added.

The Springboro resident also turned his love of cars into a career; he's the general manager of Voss Village

Cadillac.

Tolliver occasionally takes his

Ferraris to regional Concours events. He has attended the Ault Park

Concours in Cincinnati and the

Discovery Concours d'Elegance that was held in Dayton.

"It's really fun to sit there and see a kid come up and his eyes just get big. Then I tell him to sit in it and get his picture taken. They just love it, and I enjoy sharing the car with people. The dads start asking questions, and I tell them to sit in the car, too, and they grin just like the kids," Tolliver said.

Keeping a Ferrari or a Porsche on the road isn't nearly as much trouble as many would believe.

"These cars are far more reliable than most people think. And they aren't that expensive. Sure, some things cost a lot, but many items are priced like any other car parts. Guys like Tony DiPilo at Specialty Motorwerkes are why I can own these cars. Do the routine maintenance, and then have a knowledgeable mechanic like Tony work on it, and you're in good shape."