Multiple Concours Winning, Ferrari Classiche certified
1966 Ferrari 275GTS
Coachwork by Pininfarina
Chassis no. 08005
Engine no. 08005

There had been open-top Ferrari road cars before the advent of the '250' series, but it was, chiefly, Pininfarina's offerings on the latter chassis that established the convertible as a fixture of the Ferrari range. After the experimentation and variety which characterised the coachwork of the 250-series cars, the arrival of the '275' in 1964 brought with it standard bodywork, that of the 275GTS being manufactured by Pininfarina themselves. In Ferrari nomenclature of the period a model's designation reflected an individual cylinder's cubic capacity, so the newcomer displaced 3.3 litres, up from its predecessor's 3.0 litres. In standard trim the GTS's Colombo-type, 60-degree, V12 engine produced 260bhp at 7,000rpm, some 20 horsepower fewer than when installed in the contemporary 275GTB.

The chassis followed Ferrari's established practice, being a multi-tubular frame tied together by oval main tubes, and for the first time on a road-going Ferrari there was independent rear suspension, the latter employing a double wishbone and coil-spring arrangement similar to that of the 250LM sports-racer. The adoption of a rear-mounted five-speed transaxle combining the now all-synchromesh gearbox and differential in a single unit helped improve weight distribution, and this feature would characterise future generations of front-engined Ferrari road cars. Produced between 1964 and 1966, the 275GTS altered little during the course of its short life apart from the adoption of constant velocity joints for the open prop shaft shortly after the commencement of production.

By the mid 1960s Ferrari's road cars were beginning to lose some of their rougher edges and take on a more luxurious mien, and the 275GTS interior is notable for its generously sized seats and wood veneer dashboard, the latter appearing for the first time in a Ferrari. Even the most sybaritic of customers, though, would acknowledge that the driving experience is the raison d'être of Ferrari ownership and in this respect the 275GTS had lost none of its predecessors' aggressive charm. Car & Driver magazine had this to say: 'Since the engine is heir to a V12 tradition that's gone on for almost twenty years, it's only natural that it should be the dominating factor in the car's personality, and that the whole car should have been developed around the engine and its own unique character. You can feel it as much as you can hear it. It has a taut, powerful rush of response that comes to you through the seat of your pants, through the steering wheel rim. The instant the clutch is engaged, the chassis takes on life and begins to move as a unit with the engine, it's an all-in-one-piece sensation that you normally feel only in racing cars, one that's unique to the Ferrari among normal passenger vehicles today.'

One of only 200 275GTS models made, chassis number '08005' is the 186th built and was originally finished in Nocciola (hazel) with Beige Scuro (dark beige) interior. It was completed at Pininfarina's Turin factory in February 1966 and in September of that same year was despatched to Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti Motors in New York, USA. Chinetti sold the car to its first owner, Mr Slate, a resident of Los Angeles, in 1966 and it is known to have been sold and registered in Oregon in 1970.

In August 2001, by which time it had been repainted red, '08005' was offered for sale at Bonhams & Brooks' Quail Lodge auction and shortly thereafter was registered to Robert Brower, Sr, resident in Carmel, California. Over the course of 2001/2002, the Ferrari was fully restored, the interior being re-trimmed in black, and in August 2003 was shown at the Cavallino Concours held during the Concorso Italiano at the Black Horse Golf Club, Seaside, California, receiving a Gold Class award. In June 2004, the car was driven by Robert Brower and Marshall Pealman on the Ferrari Factory 275 Tour in Tuscany, Italy and in August '04 was shown again at the Concorso Italiano and also at the 41st Annual Ferrari Club of America National Field and Driving Concours at Quail Lodge, California.

Ferrari Classiche certification was obtained in November 2004 and '08005' continued it concours-winning ways, receiving a Platinum Award (99-plus points) at the August 2005 Concorso Italiano and most importantly a 1st in class award at Ferrari's 60th Anniversary Concours at Fiorano, Italy in June 2007. Classiche then carried out various works on the car to bring it fully into line with factory specification (see Massini Report on file). Mr Brower continued to show his Ferrari at prestigious concours events in the USA up to the time he sold it in October 2012. The aforementioned Massini Report lists only one additional private owner: Mr Charles T Wenger of West Chicago, Illinois, who acquired the car in October 2012.

Benefiting from recent enthusiast ownership and possessing an outstanding concours record achieved at the world's most demanding venues, this beautiful car comes complete with documents pouch, owner's manual, jack and Ferrari tool bag containing a full set of tools. Accompanying documentation consists of the aforementioned Ferrari Classiche certificate and Massini Report, old US title deed, recent change of ownership paperwork and HM Revenue & Customs letter confirming EU duties paid.

As good a quality concours restoration as one could wish for, '08005' represents a rare opportunity to acquire a very superior example of what many consider to be the most elegant of all spyder Ferraris.