The mid-1960s were a wonderful time for Ferrari. On the track, Ferrari was doing better than ever. Those cars wearing the Cavallino Rampante were sitting atop the podium at nearly every major race and were annihilating any competition that stood in their way. Of course, this translated quite well into sales, and Ferrari was attracting more new customers each year. Every new model that was released was considered the pinnacle of sports-car engineering and design until an even more groundbreaking model would replace it in a few years. With the fabled 250 series finally nearing the end of production in 1964, Ferrari chose that year’s Paris Auto Show to premier their replacement for their most successful platform. The 275 GTB would prove to be the beginning of another fantastic series of sports cars and would be considered one of the finest automobiles to ever leave the factory gates at the time Enzo was in charge of the company.

The 275 GTB was the most cutting-edge road-going Ferrari money could buy at the time of its unveiling. Under the bonnet was a 3.3-liter V-12 similar to the unit found in the groundbreaking 250 LM. In order to improve handling, engineers reduced the overall height of the engine, which lowered its center of gravity. At the same time, this would be the first road-going Ferrari to feature a four-wheel independent suspension and a rear-mounted five-speed transaxle gearbox, which improved the car’s weight distribution. This new dual-purpose sports car was truly a jack-of-all-trades. Its performance, coupled with a luxurious interior with a spacious boot, made the 275 GTB one of the greatest dual-purpose Ferraris ever built. It was equally suitable for road or competition use and was ideal for the individual looking to use the car in both respects.

Once the 275 GTB found its way into the hands of its first lucky customers and the motoring press, both parties quickly found the car to be better in every way. It boasted better performance than the iconic 250 SWB and was simultaneously more luxurious than the 250 GT/L ‘Lusso.’ The 275 GTB’s engine was capable of producing 280 hp in standard triple Weber configuration, leading to a 0–60 mph time of just over six seconds and a top speed of 160 mph. The long-nose construction on the later cars also helped eliminate the undesirable high-speed lift characteristics of the early variants, further increasing the already-flexible nature of the car. As with any Ferrari, customers were given unlimited possibilities to outfit and equip their cars to their individual tastes, which of course led some cars to depart the factory outfitted with racing in mind, whilst others were outfitted to maximize passenger comfort.

The most desirable option available from the factory was alloy bodywork. Aluminum bodies were symbolic of a direct link to Ferrari’s competition cars, as some of Ferrari’s most important and successful racers, including the 250 GTO and competition variants of the 250 SWB, wore alloy bodies. Due to their lightweight nature, the alloy body gave the 275 an edge in performance, and clients looking to race their cars often opted for the alloy body, as opposed to the heavier steel body. These cars were designed by Pininfarina, and both the aluminum and steel bodies were hand-beaten at Scaglietti’s facilities in Modena. As production of the original 275 GTB phased out in favor of the 275 GTB/4, only a handful of aluminum-bodied examples left the factory, and these would be considered the crème de la crème of road-going 275 GTBs for their closer ties to Ferrari’s competition cars.

CHASSIS NUMBER 08497

Within the lineage of 275 GTBs, chassis no. 08497 occupies an interesting niche. It was built as a late-production model with the desirable long-nose bodywork and torque-tube driveshaft. It was also outfitted from new with the sought-after aluminum coachwork. Most who ordered aluminum bodywork were looking to use their cars in competition and also specified the six-carburetor setup. However, 08497 is one of only four alloy-bodied, torque-tube, long-nose 275 GTBs to retain the triple-carburetor setup, making it far rarer than its six-carburetor, alloy-bodied siblings.

According to information provided by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, chassis 08497 was completed by the factory on 12 April 1966 and departed Maranello less than a month later yet would remain in its native Italy. Also fitted with full leather seats, the car was originally finished in Bianco Polo (20-W-152) over a Nero (VM 8500) leather interior and was delivered new to Fiorenzo Novali, a resident of Bergamo, through Crepaldi Auto S.a.S., the official Ferrari dealer in Milan. Registered on Italian plates BG 136914, the car remained with him for one year and was subsequently sold to Ettore Bonassoli of Torre Boldone. The car’s third owner was Alessandro de Beneditti of Turin, and at that point the car was re-registered in Turin on registration no. TO A 05345.

In April of 1973, chassis 08497 was imported to the U.S. and sold to August E. Weddle of Goldendale, Washington. Later sold to a Mr. Loomis in California, the car returned to Europe in 1989, when it was acquired by a gentleman in Geneva. After returning to its second home of Bergamo with a subsequent owner, the 275 GTB was sold to Joel Berg in Sweden and restored in blue metallic around 2006. In Berg’s ownership, the car was granted Ferrari Classiche certification, confirming that it is fully matching-numbers throughout, including the original engine and gearbox. It was shown at the 2010 Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza and the next year was driven in the Coppa Milano-Sanremo Rally. In 2014, the car was sold to a significant collector based on the U.S. West Coast, who retains ownership to this day.

A bona fide, blue-chip collectible, the Ferrari 275 GTB is arguably one of the most beautiful front-engine V-12 Ferraris ever built and a must-have for any serious collector. This alloy 275 stands out from the rest due to its exceptionally rare build specification and would be an ideal example for entry to prestigious international concours events as well as vintage rallies.