Ferrari – 275 GTS (1966)

The Ferrari 275 family was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1966. The closed Ferrari 275 GTB sports car built between 1964 and 1968 was supplemented by the stylistically independent Spider 275 GTS. After production of the 250 GT Cabriolet and the 250 GT Spyder California had been discontinued in 1962, there had been no open-top Ferraris in the model offering. The 275 GTS was to close this gap in the autumn of 1964. Powered by the 3.3 litre V12 engine, the 275 GTS convertible had the drive technology and chassis of the closed 275 GTB but was styled with a completely independent body. While the closed version was replaced by the upgraded 275 GTB/4 in the autumn of 1966, Ferrari discontinued production of the 275 GTS. It was replaced by the Ferrari 330 GTS, an open-top version of the 330 GTC. The 275 GTS presented here is one of the last ones built, no. 189 of 200. This Ferrari was delivered new to the brother of King Hassan II of Morocco – Prince Moulay – in July 1966. The Prince already owned a Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II and King Hassan II himself also ordered a 275 GTS. The national colours of Morocco are green and white and the car was painted in ‘Verde Pino Metallizzato’ as a fitting match, with an interior trimmed in cream leather by Connolly. Most spiders were supplied with Borrani spoke wheels, while this one was equipped with the appropriately subtle alloy rims. After a stay in Morocco, like many Ferraris this convertible came to the USA and stayed there with a number of owners before returning across the Atlantic to Europe in the late 1980s. At one point, it was liveried in red and retrimmed in black leather. In 2001, the body was repainted in the original colour of ‘Verde Pino Metallizzato’ in France and the interior seats were reupholstered in red leather.