Ferrari introduced the 275 GTB at the 1964 Paris Motor Show as the replacement for its highly successful 250 SWB Berlinetta. To create a worthy successor, Scuderia Ferrari team driver Michael Parkes was brought in to assist with development and the latest race-bred innovations were incorporated. A rear-mounted, five-speed transaxle was fitted to improve balance, and, for the first time, independent rear suspension was used on a production Ferrari road car. The Tipo 213 engine was a further refinement of Ferrari’s classic single overhead cam V-12 and displaced 3.3 liters, the same as the 1965 Le Mans-winning 250 LM. Rated at 280 bhp, the new Ferrari could rev to nearly 8,000 rpm and claimed a top speed in excess of 150 mph.

Styled by Pininfarina, the 275 GTB’s dynamic profile owed much to the famous 250 GTO, with its long hood, covered headlamps, short Kamm tail, and angled vents. Over a period of two years, Ferrari built just 453 examples of the original 275 GTB before introducing the revised four-cam GTB/4 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 248 examples of the two-cam 275 GTB in the original short-nose body style, the purest expression of this iconic design.

The Ferrari 275 GTB presented here, chassis 07675, is a relatively late-production short-nose Berlinetta, completed in September 1965. Originally finished in Argento Metallizzato (Silver Metallic) over black leather upholstery and equipped with three Weber carburetors, Campagnolo sunburst wheels, and metric instrumentation, this Ferrari was destined for the Italian market.

According to Automobile Club d’Italia records, 07675 was first registered in October 1965 to Pietro Mercurelli, whose residence is recorded as Via Vittorio Veneto 72 in central Rome. The 275 GTB was serviced at Ferrari’s Assistenza Clienti department in Modena in December 1965 and sold the following June, through Roman dealer VECAR, to Maggiolina Perini.

In October 1966, the Ferrari was sold through another Roman sports car dealer, SEA Automobili, to Marcello Maria Gallo. An amateur racing driver who campaigned De Tomaso Panteras and Osella sports racers through the 1970s and 1980s, Gallo campaigned 07675 in several races at the Vallelunga circuit, including the Coppa Fausto Pesci in November 1966 and the Coppa Gallenga in April 1967. Several images exist of Gallo racing his 275 GTB at Vallelunga, with competition-type Borrani wire wheels fitted, as it features today. One such photo, showing 07675 wearing race no. 94, was even featured in the 1967 Ferrari Yearbook.

In December 1967, Marcello Gallo sold his 275 GTB to fellow Roman Liliana Pelosi and the Ferrari remained in Italy until the late 1960s or early 1970s, when it was exported to the US. According to the research of Marcel Massini, the first recorded American owner of 07675 was John Sanders, a resident of Modesto, California, who listed the 275 GTB in the Ferrari Owners Club directory.

In the early 1990s, the 275 GTB was co-owned by Los Angeles-area exotic car broker Werner Schoch and Swiss dealer Koni Lutziger. Repainted red by then, it was advertised for sale in Ferrari Market Letter and sold, in June 1992, to a private collector in Chiba, Japan. During his ownership, the Ferrari was refinished in its current color scheme, a distinctive combination of Fly Yellow over dark blue. He participated in the official Ferrari 275 Tour, held in Italy in June 2004 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this landmark model.

Never before offered at auction, this fascinating 275 GTB presents in lovely condition throughout and appears authentic from a component perspective, retaining its original riveted data tag and bearing clear factory stampings on both the engine and transaxle (internal nos. 666/64 and 359, respectively). Not only does 07675 come with its period-installed, competition-type Borrani wire wheels and Barone-brand steering wheel, but it is also accompanied by a tool roll, Campagnolo sunburst spare, and history report produced by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, which includes copies of the original Italian registration records.

The original version of a beloved and iconic Ferrari, the short-nose 275 GTB is undoubtedly among the most sought-after sports cars of the 1960s. This example, with its well-documented Italian provenance, period competition history, and genuine character, is a truly exciting find – one worthy of serious consideration

*Please note that this vehicle is titled 1967.