Unveiled at the 1964 Paris Auto Salon, the Ferrari 275 GTB was the latest in the company’s long and distinguished line of high-performance berlinettas. Evolved from the preceding 250 GT series and influenced by Scuderia Ferrari’s contemporary prototype sports racing cars, the 275 GTB introduced a number of important mechanical innovations. Four-wheel fully independent suspension was a first for a Ferrari production car and a new five-speed rear-mounted transaxle improved weight distribution and made for a more spacious cockpit. Powered by a 3.3-liter V-12 engine, the 275 GTB was capable of extraordinary performance and was among the fastest road cars of the era, with a top speed approaching 150 mph.
Over a period of two years, Ferrari built just 453 examples of the original 275 GTB, before introducing the revised GTB/4 at the Paris Auto Salon in October 1966. According to the research of Ferrari historian Dyke Ridgley, whose authoritative 275 GTB production list was published by Cavallino magazine, Carrozzeria Scaglietti built just 205 examples of the two-cam 275 GTB in the desirable long-nose body style, which was introduced approximately halfway through the model’s production and characterized by a revised front end treatment, larger rear window, and exterior trunk hinges.

Another significant improvement to 275 GTB was the development of a torque-tube driveshaft, which replaced both the original solid propshaft and improved CV joint arrangement, becoming the standard for all Ferrari models equipped with a rear-mounted transaxle. Introduced late in production, at chassis 08305, the vastly improved torque tube arrangement appears in just 107 cars.

The 275 GTB presented here, chassis 08863, is among the very last of this famous series of twelve-cylinder berlinettas, with only 14 additional examples built after it. Completed in August 1966, this 275 GTB was originally finished in the unusual color combination of Rosso Chiaro (Light Red) with red Connolly leather upholstery and contrasting light cloth seat inserts. Equipped with three Weber carburetors, instrumentation in miles, and Campagnolo cast alloy wheels, the new Ferrari was shipped to the US and retailed through Bill Harrah’s Modern Classic Motors in Reno, Nevada.

Remarkably, 08863 was sold new to a doctor in Portland, Oregon and remained in his family’s possession for 54 years before being sold to the consignor earlier this year. Unlike the vast majority of 275 GTBs, this car has never been restored, shown, or offered for public sale. Rather, it has enjoyed the benefits of single-family ownership, accumulating just over 43,000 miles over the past five decades. Always kept in active service and maintained in running order, this Ferrari remains in fundamentally original, unrestored condition.

Although it has been visibly repainted in areas, the car otherwise remains in largely undisturbed order, with a highlight being the distinctively trimmed interior, which appears original with the exception of reupholstered seats. Similarly, the engine bay and undercarriage remain tidy, the spare Campagnolo wheel still wears its original Dunlop SP tire, and the major components all bear clear factory stampings, including the engine and transaxle (internal numbers 1278/64 and 694 respectively), as well the Scaglietti body number (0444). Accompanying the Ferrari at auction is the original leather owner’s folio – containing the instruction manual, spare parts catalogue, and dealer directory – along with a report compiled by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini and service records dating back to 1975.

The most refined variant of a beloved and iconic model, the long-nose, torque-tube 275 GTB is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after sports cars of the 1960s. Among the precious few that have survived to this day in fine, unrestored condition, this Ferrari possesses a unique appeal for collectors given that it remained in the hands of its original caretaker for over 50 years.

Such exceptional provenance, combined with its distinctive factory specification, low mileage, and “off-the-grid” status, make 08863 one of the most compelling Ferraris to appear at public auction in recent memory.

Please note that this vehicle is titled 1967.