1968 | Ferrari 330 GTS

• Number 86 of 100 produced; one of the rarest, open, twelve-cylinder Ferraris
• Delivered new by Luigi Chinetti Motors with Borrani wire wheels and air conditioning
• Numbers-matching engine and gearbox
• Recently refinished to its original color of Argento, with period-correct Rosso Connolly interior
• Well-known in American Ferrari circles; shown at a plethora of prestigious events
• Featured in the official Ferrari calendar by Gunther Raupp in 2014
• One of Pininfarina’s most widely regarded Ferrari designs

At the 1966 Paris Auto Salon, Ferrari launched the 330 GTS, successor to the 275 GTS and the open version of the popular 330 GTC coupe. It featured an enlarged 4.0-liter V-12 breathing through three triple-choke Weber DCZ/6 carburetors, producing a conservatively estimated 300 brake horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 244 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm, delivered through a five-speed transaxle and ZF limited-slip differential. Zero to 60 mph was possible in around 6.0 seconds and the top speed was nearly 150 mph, both incredibly impressive figures for a convertible in the late 1960s. Nimble driving dynamics come from a fully independent suspension comprised of unequal-length wishbones, coil springs, and Koni shock absorbers, plus anti-roll bars at both ends. Four-wheel Girling vented disc brakes sat behind either standard Campagnolo magnesium alloy or optional Borrani wire wheels.

The car looked spectacular, thanks to Pininfarina bodywork that drew inspiration from the contemporary 500 Superfast, with its split front bumper, triple-louvered engine vents on each fender, and an elegant swage line along each flank, tying the front end to the rear. The bodywork was mostly steel, aside from the doors, hood, and trunk, which were formed from aluminum. The production process saw bare chassis transported directly from the Ferrari factory at Maranello to Pininfarina’s plant at Grugliasco, outside Turin, where they were fitted with bodywork before being returned to Ferrari for the final mechanical installation. Sublimely detailed, the 330 GTS’s design is widely regarded as one of the most elegant produced by Ferrari during a decade of greatness.

The 330 GTS was, of course, limited in production, with only 100 examples produced. They were fiercely desirable when new and have never really fallen out of favor, with collectors still pursuing the finest examples for their stables.

CHASSIS NUMBER 11027

Chassis number 11027, offered here, was the 86th 330 GTS built, completed in February 1968. It was delivered to its original owner shortly thereafter via Luigi Chinetti Motors of Greenwich, Connecticut, finished in Argento with Nero interior and the desirable options of Borrani wire wheels and air conditioning.

According to the records of Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, a copy of whose historical report is on file, the car was driven some 25,000 actual miles over the first decade of its life, before being sold through a Virginia dealer in 1976. It was refinished later in the decade and thereafter fully restored, after which it earned Best in Show awards at the 1985 and 1986 Ferrari Newport Concours and at the 1987 Sporst Car Club of America Concours in Albany, New York.

In February 1994, collector and vintage racer Edie Arrowsmith purschased the 330 GTS, and in her ownership it was restored anew by Steve Tillack. It was shown at the Palm Beach International Concours d’Elegance in 2005, then in 2007 was acquired by a collector on the East Coast in whose ownership it appeared at the 2013 Cavallino Classic and was featured in the 2014 official Ferrari Calendar by Gunther Raupp.

More recently, chassis number 11027 has been returned to its original shade of Argento. Additionally, the interior has been reupholstered in period-correct Rosso Connolly hide. This 330 GTS is offered in beautiful overall condition with numbers-matching engine and gearbox. It is an outstanding example of the model that presents superbly from tip to tail and is true to the legacy of one of the most exciting open Ferraris of its generation.