Ferrari Conciso: A Strange Yet Brilliant Creation of the 1980s

Radical Charm - Sometimes the most fascinating cars are not the ones that win championships or break sales records, but the ones that dared to be different. The 1980s were full of such oddities, especially from Ferrari, which experimented with unusual concepts like the Ferrari Mythos and the Colani Testa D’Oro. But among these eccentric creations, one stands out today as both baffling and brilliant: the Ferrari 328 GTS Conciso.

The 1989 Ferrari 328 GTS Conciso, created by German designer Bernd Michalak, was not merely a restyled version but a radical attempt to strip the car down to its purest form. (Picture from: MotorAuthority)

Yes, despite its unfamiliar looks, this is very much a Ferrari. Built upon the platform of the Ferrari 328 GTS, the Conciso was the brainchild of German designer Bernd Michalak. His goal wasn’t to simply restyle the car, but to strip it down to its most essential form. That vision resulted in an aluminum-bodied machine, shedding roughly 30 percent of the original weight. The lighter frame hinted at sharper performance, even before a single gear was shifted.

The 1989 Ferrari 328 GTS Conciso featured an aluminum body that cut about 30 percent of its weight, giving it a lighter frame that promised sharper performance even before the engine came alive. (Picture from: MotorAuthority)

And yet, calling it minimalistic would be an understatement. The Conciso completely ditched conventional doors, forcing drivers to vault their way into the cockpit. The roof? Forget about it—it was designed as a pure open-air roadster. Even the windshield abandoned the usual frame, prioritizing a sense of freedom over practicality. It was less about comfort and more about experiencing the raw connection between driver, car, and road.

The 1989 Ferrari 328 GTS Conciso carried its eccentric simplicity inside, placing the speedometer and tachometer to the right while secondary gauges sat ahead of the driver, a quirky setup that suited its rebellious character. (Picture from: MotorAuthority)

The inside continued this theme of eccentric simplicity. Rather than laying out gauges in the usual order, the most crucial dials—the speedometer and tachometer—were oddly positioned to the right, while secondary information like oil temperature and fuel level sat directly in front of the driver. It was unconventional, even illogical, yet somehow it fit the rebellious personality of the car.

The 1989 Ferrari 328 GTS Conciso powered by the same 3.2-liter V8 engine as the 328 GTS, delivering around 270 hp through a five-speed manual transmission. (Picture from: TopGear)

Underneath the radical exterior, however, the Conciso remained faithful to Ferrari’s engineering. It carried the same 3.2-liter V8 engine as the 328 GTS, delivering around 270 horsepower through a five-speed manual transmission. In its original form, the 328 GTS sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in about 5.9 seconds, but thanks to the Conciso’s weight savings, this strange creation likely shaved a little off that figure, making it even more responsive.

The 1989 Ferrari 328 GTS Conciso reminds us of a time when even Ferrari wasn’t afraid to let creativity run wild. (Picture from: MotorAuthority)

Today, the Conciso stands as a one-of-a-kind Ferrari—literally. No other example exists, which makes it an object of intrigue as much as a collector’s prize. Its value is hard to pin down, since rarity doesn’t always align with conventional desirability, yet there’s no doubt that enthusiasts with a taste for the unusual see it as a gem of 1980s automotive experimentation. Or you wanna see another weird car designs in here.

Looking back now, the Ferrari 328 GTS Conciso represents more than just an odd design exercise. It shows how bold designers could reinterpret an iconic sports car into something unorthodox, playful, and thought-provoking. In a world where modern cars often feel homogenized, the Conciso reminds us of a time when even Ferrari wasn’t afraid to let creativity run wild, even if it meant producing something weird enough to make people ask, “Wait, is that really a Ferrari?”  *** [EKA [21072019][13042021] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTORAUTHORITY | TOPGEAR ]

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