300 bhp 3,286 cc dual overhead cam V-12 engine, six Weber carburetors, five-speed manual rear-mounted transaxle, four-wheel upper and lower wishbone coil spring independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and tubular steel frame. Wheelbase: 94.5"

• Fully sorted and freshened in 2012

• Pending Ferrari Classiche certification

• Ferrari’s first dual overhead cam road car

• Maranello’s most revered late-1960s V-12 berlinetta

In late-1966, Ferrari used the Paris Motor Show to debut the latest development of its 275 GTB, the V-12 berlinetta that had been introduced to replace the long-running 250 series just two years earlier. With the addition of a second overhead camshaft to each cylinder bank, Ferrari squeezed one final iteration out of the venerable 60 degree Colombo short-block motor that had powered the 250 and early 275 models, in the process creating the first dual overhead-cam engine ever used in a Ferrari road car. Equipped standard with six Weber carburetors, previously just an option on the single-cam motor, the new engine configuration distinguished itself by developing 20 horsepower more than the unit on which it was based.

The newly christened 275 GTB/4, aptly named for its four-cam valve actuation, did not visually compromise any aspects of the prior 275 GTB’s beautiful Pininfarina body design, adding only a sporty raised hood bulge to accommodate the revised engine’s additional hardware. Increasingly deemed by many Ferrari collectors to be the best looking and performing variant of the late-1960s V-12 berlinetta, the 275 GTB/4 was produced in a sparing quantity of approximately just 330 examples. The model’s rarity, ever rewarding performance characteristics, and classic good looks have made it one of the most celebrated grand touring Ferraris of all time.

This stunning early European-specification 275 GTB/4 features its original matching-numbers mechanical components, as well as overwhelming authenticity, care of a recent freshening. With a certificate of origin issued on March 21, 1967, the car was sold through Motor SpA, the official Ferrari dealer in Rome, on April 11, 1967. Purchased by an Italian construction company called SACEA S.r.l., the Societa Asfalti Costruzioni Edili e Affini, 09523 was domiciled at a Rome address and serviced twice over the next nine months by the factory’s Assistenza Clienti in Modena.

On June 5, 1971, 09523 was sold by SACEA S.r.L. to its second owner of record, Maurizio Luciani, also of Rome. It is safe to assume that this 275 GTB/4 continued to present beautifully and maintain its considerable cachet, as six months later, Mr. Luciani sold the car for one million Italian lire to Gian Paolo Sghedoni, a resident of Modena. In 1972, 09523 was exported to the United States, and three years later, it came into the care of Anthony Thompson, of Pacific Palisades, California. Reported to still exhibit “concours condition” through the mid-1970s, this car was, by 1977, bought by Tony Seiniger, of Los Angeles, who registered his acquisition with the Ferrari Owner’s Club of America. Not long after this, the Ferrari berlinetta was sold to Jake Weaver Jr., of Jackson, Mississippi.

Several years later, 09523 emerged in Bel Air, Maryland, with noted Ferrari collector Ron Spangler at his Prancing Horse Farm. As a senior judge for the FCA who has owned over 100 collectable Ferraris during decades of dedication to the hobby, Mr. Spangler has established a strong reputation among marque enthusiasts, and his attention to the car suggests that it has benefited from the highest level of care.

In 1995, this beautiful grand touring Ferrari was purchased by its current owner, an Alabama-based collector who was struck by the car’s ideally preserved condition and desirable history of mild use. The consignor did, however, judge the aging restoration to require some degree of cosmetic attention. Long an admirer of the 275 GTB examples painted in the Ferrari color of Blue Sera, the consignor had 09523 expertly re-painted in a deep finish of the lovely Maranello hue. Since this beautiful cosmetic work was completed, the consignor has fastidiously stored the car in a climate-controlled garage without once exposing it to rain; thus, optimally preserving the ravishing finish. Also maintained in-house, as needed, over the last 15 years by Rick Parent, formerly of Specialized Fab and John Collins Restorations, 09523 has incurred only a few hundred miles of use during its current ownership.

In preparation for its offering, this car has recently been comprehensively evaluated and sorted by European sports car specialist Ned Gallaher, of Gallaher Restorations in Landrum, South Carolina. Well-known in the southeastern United States, Mr. Gallaher has been restoring collector cars since 1983, and his work has not only earned class awards at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, but he is the official mechanic of the annual Cobra tours organized by renowned automotive author Tom Cotter. Primarily, Mr. Gallaher tested the motor to confirm that it still developed proper compression, assuring that the original V-12 continues to pull strongly with characteristic torque. Attesting that this 275 GTB is one of the very nicest he has seen, Mr. Gallaher further assures that the original gearbox continues to shift properly, with crisp and clean gear changes. Addressing the car’s very few minor needs, Mr. Gallaher replaced the brake lines and master cylinder to guarantee faultless stopping power and installed a brand new, correct Ansa exhaust system.

09523 is perfectly positioned for a run at awards on the FCA show circuit, including the prestigious Cavallino Classic. With applications for Ferrari Classiche factory certification currently pending, 09523’s next owner can likely look forward to Maranello’s endorsement of authenticity for the carefully freshened and stunningly presented 275 berlinetta. Please note that the correct wheel spinners and owner’s manual with leather pouch will be included at the time of sale.

This 275 GTB/4 beacons its next caretaker to bask in the glory of prodigious V-12 acceleration and its melodious engine note, as well as the wonderful handling for which the underlying chassis type 596 has long been noted. 90523 is a remarkably fresh, authentic, low mileage example of one of Maranello’s most revered models, which will surely capture the attention of the Cavallino faithful.