1967 Ferrari 330 GTC Berlinetta
Coachwork by Pininfarina
Registration no. YTA 501E
Chassis no. 11089
Engine no. 11089

'At the top - at the absolute top - in the automotive enthusiasts' hierarchy of the cars of the world, there is only one. Ferrari. Is there really any question?' Thirty-plus years after Car & Driver magazine voiced that rhetorical enquiry the answer, of course, remains the same. And the car that prompted that eulogy? The Ferrari 330 GTC.

Intended to fill a gap in Ferrari's line-up between the four-seat 330 GT 2+2 and the racer-on-the-road 275 GTB, the two-seat 330 GTC debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966 and was essentially a closed version of the 275 GTS. Pininfarina's understated coachwork combined elements of the latter at the rear with touches of the 500 Superfast at the front. Few would disagree with Car & Driver's opinion that the result was most agreeable. 'The GTC is a tasteful blend of the mean-and-low look of Ferrari competition GT cars, with the elegance of super-luxury street Ferraris of the past. Detail work, finish, panel fit, every aspect is superlative.'

Beneath the 330 GTC's bonnet resided the 4.0-litre, 300bhp version of Ferrari's familiar, two-cam, 60-degree V12, as used in the 330 GT 2+2. Broadly similar to that of the concurrently produced 275 GTB, the short (2,400mm wheelbase) chassis followed Ferrari's established practice of tying together sturdy oval-section main tubes in a steel spaceframe, while the suspension was independent all round by wishbones and coil springs. First introduced on a road-going Ferrari (the 275 GTB) in 1964, the rear suspension incorporated the five-speed gearbox in a transaxle, an arrangement that created a better-balanced car and one that gave its driver, 'the wonderful sense of knowing just exactly what's going on between one's posterior and the pavé.' The adoption of smart new alloy wheels, replacing the traditional wire-spoked Borranis, marked the start of a trend in Ferrari road cars.

Much development work had concentrated on the reduction of noise levels in the cabin, which with its slim pillars and generous glass area, afforded the occupants excellent visibility and a sense of spaciousness. Needless to say, the 330 GTC was luxuriously equipped in the best Gran Turismo manner: leather seats, electric windows and heated rear screen were standard; radio, air conditioning and Borrani wire wheels the options. With a top speed in excess of 150mph, excellent ride comfort and sure-footed handling, Ferrari could justifiably claim the 330 GTC to be the finest of high-speed conveyances for two people and their luggage. Total production of the 330 GTC amounted to some 600 cars between 1966 and 1968.

This left-hand drive Ferrari 330GTC, chassis number '11089', was despatched from the factory in December 1967 for bodying at Pininfarina's Grugliasco works in Turin and was completed in March 1968. It is an original and matching-numbers (chassis, engine and transaxle) example, as confirmed by the copy build sheets on file. '11089' was delivered new to the official Ferrari agent Crepaldi in Milan, Italy and sold to its first owner in that same city. In the early 1970s the car was owned by a Swissair pilot, Rolf Schneeberger, who may well have been the first owner. Mr Schneeberger kept the Ferrari until 1977 before selling it to a US citizen, Nobil Kassataly, who was residing in Switzerland at the time. Mr Kassataly took the car with him when he returned home to the USA's East Coast in 1978, and brought it with him when he came to live in Glasgow in 1987. The history file contains a copy of the UK registration document, an original MoT certificate and numerous bills documenting the Ferrari's maintenance during this period. After 29 years of ownership, Mr Kassataly sold the Ferrari in 2006 to a German motor dealer, Axel Urban of Parsdorf near Munich, who sold it on to the next owner, Andreas Kunicki, a doctor living in Neuss, Germany in 2007.

In 2011 Dr Kunicki commissioned an meticulous restoration of the mechanicals and bodywork, which was photographed and documented, while leaving the patinated black leather interior un-restored and original. After seven years in Dr Kunicki's ownership, '11089' was acquired in 2014 by its current owner, an English classic-car enthusiast, who is only selling it following the purchase of an older vehicle.

The Ferrari is presented in a condition commensurate with its having had so few owners, and comes with an extensive history file containing the original registration papers, current UK V5C document, itemised bills, MoT certificates, correspondence documenting its care and maintenance, and a detailed photographic record of its restoration in 2011. Also included are the aforementioned copies of the factory build sheets confirming the car's original colour - Argento (silver) - and specification.

Delivering a supreme level of comfort together with Ferrari and Pininfarina's unsurpassed style, this highly desirable, limited production Gran Turismo wants for nothing except a new owner.