When Ferrari's highly successful 250 series was superseded in 1964 by the 275, Pininfarina was once again called upon to work his magic for the Maranello concern, creating a true classic of sports car design for the 275GTB. A penetrative nose, long bonnet, purposeful side vents, high waistline, short be-spoilered tail: these were all ingredients of the recipe yet the result was so much more than merely the sum of its parts. The tail spoiler and cast-alloy wheels echoed developments first seen on Ferrari competition cars, while beneath the skin there was further evidence of racing improving the breed, the independent rear suspension - seen for the first time on a road-going Ferrari - employing a double wishbone and coil-spring arrangement similar to that of the 250LM racer. The adoption of a rear-mounted five-speed transaxle combining the gearbox and differential in a single unit helped improve weight distribution, and the feature would characterise future generations of front-engined Ferrari road cars.

Now enlarged to 3.3 litres, the 60-degree V12 engine remained the familiar Colombo type, in standard form producing 280bhp at 7,600rpm. A higher - 300bhp - state of tune employing six Weber carburettors was available, and this was used for the handful of aluminium-alloy bodied 275GTB/C (Competizione) models built, though customers purchasing a 275GTB for road use could also specify aluminium coachwork and/or the six-carburettor engine.

Despite its near-perfect appearance, revisions to the original 275GTB were not long in coming: a longer nose, enlarged rear window and external boot hinges being introduced towards the end of 1965. Mechanically the only major change was the adoption of torque tube enclosure for the prop shaft. The model's ultimate incarnation - the 275GTB/4 - appeared in October 1966, the '/4' suffix denoting the presence of four, rather than the original's two, overhead camshafts. Sadly, by 1968 the progress of automobile emissions legislation had effectively outlawed the 275GTB and its like from Ferrari's most lucrative export market, the United States, and the model was phased out later that same year after a total of only 460 cars had been completed.

Left-hand drive chassis number '06663' was completed in February 1965 in steel bodied, short nose form and first registered in Brescia, Italy on 27th February of that year. Factory records show that the car was originally finished in Azzuro (blue) with Pelle Nera (black leather) interior. Copies of the factory build sheets and a detailed report from marque expert Marcel Massini are on file.

On 1st March '65 the Ferrari was sold via the official dealer Crepaldi to its first owner, Mario Dora, a resident of Viale. Less than two weeks later the car was sold to its second owner, Vempa SaS (Officina Fabrizio Ferrari & Co) in Mestre near Venice, Italy. Co-owned by Fabrizio Ferrari, Vempa was a Lancia main dealer and authorised body workshop. The long nose was made in Modena by Carrozzeria Scaglietti (maker of 275GTB bodies for Ferrari) and delivered to Vempa ready for installation. The former head of the Scaglietti workshop, Mr. Guerra, remembered that only three such cars were modified in this way. The engine conversion from three to six carburettors and a re-spray in white was also undertaken by Vempa in period.

In July 1966 Fabrizio Ferrari raced the 275GTB at the 5th annual Agordo-Frassené hill climb (Trofeo Esso) organised by the Automobile Club of Belluno, achieving a 2nd-in-class finish. Fabrizio Ferrari and '06663' were in action again on 25th September '66, placing 1st in class at the Belluno Club's 9th annual Coppa Alpe del Nevegal event.

Shortly thereafter the car was converted from short to long nose configuration and the engine converted from three to six Weber carburettors. In its new, upgraded specification the Ferrari was raced at the inaugural annual Bassano-Monte Grappa hill climb (Trofeo Inasport) on 4th April 1967 by one Luciano Pasotto, placing 2nd in class. Fabrizio Ferrari was back behind the wheel for the Automobile Club of Verona's 10th annual Stallena-Boscochiesanuova hill climb on 16th April, finishing 1st in class. On 25th April 1967 Vempa SaS sold the 275GTB to Luciano Pasotto of San Michele al Tagliamento, Italy.

Like his immediate predecessors, Pasotto used the Ferrari for Italian hill climbs, achieving a number of 1st-in-class finishes in 1967 (details available). At the end of the year '06663' was pictured on page 36 of the official Ferrari Yearbook. Some ten years later, in November 1977, Pasotto sold the car, which was exported from Italy to the USA. While in the USA it was repainted in yellow and is known to have belonged to private owners Robert Taylor of Burlingame, California (1978) and James G Boulware of Santa Clara, California (1982). In 1985 the Ferrari returned to Italy where it was repainted in giallo fly (yellow) and in 1988 passed into the ownership of Dr Arienti, a dentist based in Melagnano near Milan. The car was serviced at the Ferrari works in Maranello and subsequently was sold again via the Mombelli company.

With the Ferrari's competition career now behind it, the original Abarth side exhaust system was reinstalled together with Borrani wire wheels (it previously ran on alloys). In 2006 the car was sold to Josef Panis of Wiener Neustadt, Austria, from whom it was purchased by the current vendor in 2008.

Rarer - and quicker - than a 250GT SWB yet considerably less expensive than a 250GTO, the 275GTB is a landmark model in the technological evolution of Ferrari's road cars, as well as being one of its most beautiful. Bonhams recommend close inspection of this magnificent early 275 berlinetta with well documented period competition history.

Le châssis à conduite à gauche n° 06663 reçut en février 1965 une caisse en acier, version nez court, avant d'être immatriculé pour la première fois en Italie à Brescia le 27 février. Les archives de l'usine indiquent que la voiture était alors peinte en Azzuro (bleu) avec intérieur en Pelle Nera (cuir noir). Des copies des fiches de fabrication de l'usine et du rapport de Marcel Massini figurent au dossier.

Le 1e mars 1965, la Ferrari fut vendue par le concessionnaire officiel Crepaldi à son premier propriétaire, Mario Dora, résidant à Viale. Moins de deux semaines plus tard, la voiture fut revendue à son deuxième propriétaire, Vempa SaS (Officina Fabrizio Ferrari & Co) de Mestre près de Venise. Co-propriété de Fabrizio Ferrari, vempa était un important distributeur Lancia et un carrossier agréé. Le nez long a été exécuté à Modène par Carrozzeria Scaglietti (fabricant des caisses de 275 GTB pour Ferrari) et livré à Vempa prêt à installer. L'ancien directeur des ateliers Scaglietti, M. Guerra, se rappela que seules trois voitures furent ainsi modifiées. La conversion du moteur de trois à six carburateurs et une peinture blanche neuve furent réalisées par Vempa.

En juillet 1966, Fabrizio Ferrari pilota la voiture dans la 5e édition de la course de côte d'Agordo-Frassené (Trofeo Esso) organisée par l'Automobile Club de Belluno et finit deuxième de sa catégorie. Fabrizio Ferrari et « 06663 » coururent ensuite le 25 septembre 1966 et remportèrent leur catégorie à la 9e Coppa Alpe del Nevegal du Club de Belluno.

Peu de temps après, la voiture fut transformée en recevant un nez long et le moteur fut doté de six carburateurs Weber. Dans cette nouvelle configuration, la Ferrari améliorée fut engagée dans la course de côte inaugurale de Bassano-Monte Grappa (Trofeo Inasport) le 4 avril 1967 par un certain Luciano Pasotto qui finit deuxième de sa catégorie. Fabrizio Ferrari reprit le volant pour la 10e course de côte Stallena-Boscochiesanuova de l'Automobile Club de Vérone le 16 avril où il finit premier de sa catégorie. Le 25 avril 1967, Vempa SaS vendit la 275 GTB à Luciano Pasotto de San Michele al Tagliamento (Italie).

Comme ses prédécesseurs, Pasotto utilisa la Ferrari dans les épreuves en côte italiennes en obtenant de nombreuses places de premier de catégorie en 1967 (palmarès disponible). À la fin de l'année, « 06663 » figura page 36 du Ferrari Yearbook. Dix ans plus tard, en novembre 1977, Pasotto vendit la voiture qui partit aux Etats-Unis où elle fut repeinte en jaune. On sait qu'elle appartint à Robert Taylor de Burlingame (Californie) en 1978 et à James G. Boulware de Santa Clara (en 1982). En 1985, la Ferrari revint en Italie où elle fut repeinte en giallo fly (jaune) avant de passer en 1988 aux mains du Dr. Arienti, dentiste à Melagnano près de Milan. La voiture fut entretenue par l'usine Ferrari à Maranello avant d'être revendue via la société Mombelli.

Sa carrière en compétition étain bien terminée, l'échappement latéral Abarth original fut remis en place tandis que les roues Borrani d'origine remplaçaient les roues en alliage. En 2006, la Ferrari fut vendue à Josef Panis de Wiener Neustadt (Autriche) avant de passer aux mains du vendeur actuel en 2008. Plus rare – et plus rapide – qu'une 250 GT châssis court, mais beaucoup moins chère qu'une 250 GTO, la 275 GTB et un modèle marquant dans l'évolution technique des routières de Ferrari et l'une des plus belles.