At the Paris Salon in October 1964, Ferrari unveiled the replacement for the 250 GT platform. Powered by a 3.3-liter development of the long-running Colombo short-block V-12, the 275 GTB was clothed in Pininfarina-designed and Scaglietti-built coachwork that bore more than a passing resemblance to the celebrated 250 GTO. The model was the first Ferrari road car to feature independent rear suspension and a five-speed transaxle as well as the GTB nomenclature (grand touring berlinetta) that remains in use today.

After only a year, the 275 GTB underwent a minor redesign that featured a longer nose, and the early cars are therefore regarded as the purest iteration of the original design. In October 1966 the twin-cam engine was replaced with a four-cam arrangement, and the prior model became regarded as a distinct entity, produced in a modest quantity of just 454 examples, of which the short-nose design accounted for slightly more than half.

While a majority of the early 275s were equipped with the standard three-carburetor manifold, six carburetors were optioned on a relatively small number of cars. The best of the best, these six-carburetor short-nose examples are now regarded as the purest and most powerful iteration of the striking 275 GTB, and they are prized by today’s enthusiasts and found in exceptional collections the world over.

This beautifully maintained six-carburetor 275 benefits from a well-documented chain of ownership that includes a 24-year period of careful storage and current ownership by one of the most respected figures in race-driving instruction. According to the research of marque expert Dyke Ridgley, chassis no. 07241 is one of just 59 short-nose cars originally equipped with six carburetors, and one of just 248 total short-nose examples.

Specified for the European market with instruments in kilometers, the steel-bodied 275 received a certificate of origin in early May 1965 and was finished in Grigio Ferro (iron gray) over a full leather interior in Beige Scuro (dark beige). According to the research of marque historian Marcel Massini, the berlinetta was retailed through the well-known Ferrari dealership M. G. Crepaldi and was purchased new in May 1965 by a Milan-based chemical company called Distillerie Lombarde di Catrane di A.N. Zampolli e. C. Soc. A.s. The 275 GTB was registered with Milan tags MI A 18594, and two months later the car returned to the factory’s Modena outlet for service.

In March 1966, Zampolli sold the Ferrari to Sergio Nessi of Bergamo, and he registered the car with local tags BG 134856. Fourteen months later Nessi sold the 275 to Giancarlo Belloni of Aleggio, and he registered the berlinetta with Novara tags and retained possession for nearly two years before selling the car to Francesco Apponi Battini of Perugia.

In November 1972 Mr. Battini sold the Ferrari to Nicolo Cinquemani of Rome, and he is believed to have only kept the GTB a short time before exporting it into American ownership during 1973. By 1976 the 275 was owned by Myron Schuster of Brooklyn, New York, and he serviced the car at the respected FAF Motorcars in Tucker, Georgia, and went on to retain possession for an impressive 35 years. In the spring of 1977, Mr. Schuster commissioned a rebuild of the engine and transaxle, and this probably coincided with the body’s change of color to traditional rosso. It is believed that Schuster only briefly drove the berlinetta after this work before putting it into extended storage, at which point the odometer displayed approximately 51,000 kilometers.

The Ferrari remained domiciled for 24 years before being sold in 2001 to a dealer in White Plains, New York. In October 2001 the 275 was purchased by Stephen Patterson, a collector residing in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and he presented the car at the FCA National Concours in Los Angeles in May 2002. In need of some freshening after years in storage, the berlinetta was entrusted to Rod Drew in Costa Mesa, California, and a sympathetic restoration was commenced. In 2005 the partially restored Ferrari was sold to Don Murray of nearby Laguna Beach, and he commissioned Steve Beckman of Costa Mesa to conduct a full exterior refinish. The restoration was completed over the following year and included a fresh new interior in beige leather.

In July 2012 the beautiful 275 was purchased by Skip Barber, the former racing driver who founded one of the world’s most respected driving instructional schools and eventually became owner of the legendary Lime Rock circuit in Connecticut. Shortly after acquiring the car, Barber sent it to the esteemed marque expert Greg Jones of Stuart, Florida, for maintenance and refurbishment to concours standards. On the basis of this work, the GTB was presented at the Cavallino Classic in January 2013, where it won a coveted Platinum Award.

In December 2015 the enthusiast website Petrolicious posted a film about Mr. Barber that heavily featured the 275, which he declared to be the favorite car in his collection. The video included several impressive driving shots, including a full chorus of the V-12 engine as it fired to life. Mr. Barber also submitted the 275 certified to Ferrari Classiche, confirming that the important berlinetta retains its original matching-numbers chassis, engine, and coachwork, though it should be noted that the transaxle has been replaced with a correct type 563 unit.

Currently displaying 57,048 kilometers, this short-nose 275 is one of just 59 six-carburetor examples and displays the obvious benefits of having been well maintained and freshened during ownership by a handful of respected marque enthusiasts, including the luminary Skip Barber. This desirable six-carb GTB offers a stunning low-mileage example that is ideal for presentation at FCA gatherings and regional concours d’elegance or enjoyment within the confines of any sporting collection.