Ferrari’s latest release, the 296 GTS, has once again set a new chapter for the car manufacturer, further leading this Italian noble car factory into a new era. When it comes to GTS convertible sports cars, the recent auction house Bonhams will present one next month at the classic car auction in Monte Carlo, a vintage GTS ride driven by former Formula One champion Jean-Pierre Beltoise – the 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS Convertible.
Before the iconic 250 series was introduced, there had already been a convertible version of the Ferrari road car on the market, developed by the well-known Italian car design company Pininfarina, providing a convertible design on the next generation chassis and establishing a fixed design for Ferrari. After going through experiments and changes in the body structure of the 250 series cars, the arrival of the 275 model in 1964 brought a standard body, the 275 GTS, manufactured by Pininfarina. It was during this period that Ferrari began naming each model in all of its car series based on the capacity of its cylinders, so the new model had a displacement of 3.3 liters, higher than its predecessor’s 3.0 liters. In its standard configuration, the GTS’ Colombo, 60-degree V12 engine can generate 260bhp of power at 7,000rpm, about 20 horsepower less than when installed in the 275 GTB.
After the release of the 275 series in 1964, Ferrari introduced models such as GTB, GTS, and GTB/4 for the same series, all featuring front engines, rear-wheel drive, and equipped with a five-speed manual gearbox. The GTB and GTS were both designed and produced by Pininfarina; however, unlike modern models like the 458 and 488, the two differ not only in their hardtop and soft-top distinctions but also in appearance: the GTB has a lower streamlined engine hood with headlights covered by transparent glass, while the GTS has two large round headlights, more in line with the traditional sports car look of the time, giving it a more classic style from a modern perspective.
Since its debut two years ago, it is understood that Ferrari produced 200 units of the 275 GTS. The model up for auction this time has the serial number “06999” and was officially unveiled on April 9, 1965. It was then distributed by the Paris agent Général Auto and changed hands several times until it was purchased and owned by Jean-Pierre Beltoise’s company Stand 14 in 1969. Later, a French collector repurchased this car in 1989, changing its original Celeste sky blue body to a deep blue color, and took care of it for 21 years until the current owner took over in 2011 and carried out a complete refurbishment project.
Bonhams stated that despite this lot having passed through multiple owners or dealers in the half-century since its debut, this car has been certified by Ferrari’s Classiche, with its non-original but correct type gearbox and non-original color scheme noted, including its accompanying €250,000 restoration cost.
It is interesting that this 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS Convertible will be auctioned at Bonhams in Monte Carlo in May with an estimated price of 1.2 to 1.6 million euros, and the auction house even mentioned that this vintage car is equipped with a Brantz rally odometer, allowing it to participate in races and rallies this summer.
資料及圖片來源：Bonhams
