To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Monterey event, 15 - 17
August 2019.
Estimate:
$2,900,000 - $3,500,000
- Ferrari Classiche-certified
- Retains its original chassis, engine, and gearbox
- One of four triple-carburetor, long-nose, torque-tube,
aluminum-bodied examples built
- Documented by marque historian Marcel Massini
- Includes both three- and six-carburetor setups
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 cr�me de la cr�me 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.To view this car and
others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM
website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo19.
