GTP Cool Wall: 1964-1966 Ferrari 275 GTS

[Wiegert]

1964-1966 Ferrari 275 GTS nominated by @Carbon_6

Body Style: 2-door convertible
Engine: 3.3L n/a V12
Power: 260 hp
Torque: 217 ft-lbs
Weight: 1152 kg
Transmission: 5-speed transaxle manual
Drivetrain: Front-engined, rear-wheel drive
Additional Information: Built by Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina for the US market, the 275 GTS was presented alongside the 275 GTB at the 1964 Paris Salon, marking the return of an open top model to the range since production of the 250 GT California stopped in 1963. Only 14 of the total 200 that were made are right-hand drive.​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

 

[MisterWaffles]

*Ferrari*

*Red*

*1960s*

*Wire Wheels*

Have I clicked Sub Zero faster?

 

[Stotty]

When Ferrari made beautiful cars.

SZ

 

[UltimateYosh]

It's a '60s Ferrari.

Sub-Zero.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

SZ. All day long.

Although they're mostly driven by rich toffs who trailer them everywhere and keep them in garages, they can't keep it from being SZ.

 

[TheCracker]

A pretty Ferrari with none of the pretence of being a racing car, unlike the 275 GTB. Cool, but still a bit Pebble Beach.

 

[Turbo]

Beautiful car, but they are probably stored in garages until the owner dies, and fairly anonymous looking too. The point of a sports car is to have fun driving it, not to fill up space in a garage.

 

[Roo]

Sub Zero if driven on the road.

Seriously Uncool if only stuck in a private collection/trailered to concours events.

I'll give it a Cool.

 

[Danoff]

Beautiful car, but they are probably stored in garages until the owner dies, and fairly anonymous looking too. The point of a sports car is to have fun driving it, not to fill up space in a garage.

Sub Zero if driven on the road.

Seriously Uncool if only stuck in a private collection/trailered to concours events.

I'll give it a Cool.

No idea why you guys would hate on people who preserve a car. Do you ever want to see a perfect one? Then be thankful people are preserving them for you to have a chance to see and maybe even own and drive.

 

[Suzumiya]

It's not french and it's not practical. How will I carry my family in this?! Uncool.

 

[AudiMan2011]

Beautiful classic 60's Ferrari.

Absolute Zero.

 

[Roo]

No idea why you guys would hate on people who preserve a car.

I don't hate them. It's just not cool. Preserving a car doesn't mean you can't ever drive it on the road (/track for non-road legal race cars, obviously). Of course, if an owner chooses to ensure their car (or investment) never moves an inch, that's fine, it's their property and it's not for me to say what they should or shouldn't do with it. But if it's never used as a car, it's still a seriously uncool thing to do.

Do you ever want to see a perfect one?

That's the point - if they stay permanently in temperature-controlled storage facilities, you won't ever see a perfect one. If it's kept roped off at the occasional high-end car show you'll never get close enough to see if it's perfect or not anyway.

 

[TheCracker]

That's the thing with 60's era Ferraris. They're too valuable. They might as well be a stack of bonds locked in a safe. They're no longer bought as something to be used and enjoyed, except for that compulsory short drive required for many concourse shows. Even a lowly 250/330 GT/E, of which a thousand or more were made and were worth about £40k 15-20 years ago are worth upwards of £400k and rising.

You get the odd exception, those long-time owners of GTO's and TR's - the Bamfords, Wangs and Masons etc who regularly take them out to race at Goodwood and the like. But they bought them when they were relatively cheap. Even a totalled GTO would be considered an investment on their initial purchase value.

 

[Adamgp]

60's Ferrari. Quite good looking, but likely to be locked away in a climate controlled garage and seldom driven.

Still an SZ.

 

[Mike458]

Very very VERY SZ. I don't feel like I need to explain why.

 

[Danoff]

I don't hate them. It's just not cool. Preserving a car doesn't mean you can't ever drive it on the road (/track for non-road legal race cars, obviously). Of course, if an owner chooses to ensure their car (or investment) never moves an inch, that's fine, it's their property and it's not for me to say what they should or shouldn't do with it. But if it's never used as a car, it's still a seriously uncool thing to do.

It's such a strange sentiment. Maybe I'll never understand it. If you like the car, the only thing in this situation that's good for you is for them to do what they're doing.

That's the point - if they stay permanently in temperature-controlled storage facilities, you won't ever see a perfect one. If it's kept roped off at the occasional high-end car show you'll never get close enough to see if it's perfect or not anyway.

You could buy one of these in perfect condition and do with it what you want. You don't have to only see them at car shows, you can have your very own. You just have to think it's worth it.

That's the thing with 60's era Ferraris. They're too valuable. They might as well be a stack of bonds locked in a safe. They're no longer bought as something to be used and enjoyed, except for that compulsory short drive required for many concourse shows. Even a lowly 250/330 GT/E, of which a thousand or more were made and were worth about £40k 15-20 years ago are worth upwards of £400k and rising.

You get the odd exception, those long-time owners of GTO's and TR's - the Bamfords, Wangs and Masons etc who regularly take them out to race at Goodwood and the like. But they bought them when they were relatively cheap. Even a totalled GTO would be considered an investment on their initial purchase value.

It's a hell of a lot better for them and all of the rest of us than a stack of bonds.

 

[Roo]

It's such a strange sentiment. Maybe I'll never understand it. If you like the car, the only thing in this situation that's good for you is for them to do what they're doing.

For this car in particular, and for all cars I'll never ever be rich enough to afford, I'm not really fussed what happens to them, or what the owners do. But this is the Cool Wall; what I like, or what I think is good or bad, is irrelvant and has no bearing on how cool a car is (or is not).

You could buy one of these in perfect condition and do with it what you want. You don't have to only see them at car shows, you can have your very own. You just have to think it's worth it.

I'm assuming we're talking hypothetically, because there is no way I'll ever be smart enough to have the sort of job that pays the amounts of money to buy a 60s Ferrari, perfect or not.

However, for the moment let's run with the idea that I had bought one. Personally I'd drive it, but that's just me. If I did choose to keep it locked away, or only trailer it to the odd show now and then, I may well like it like that, and it might be good for the wider car community, even if the vast majority would never have an opportunity to see it. But it wouldn't be cool.

 

[Danoff]

I'm assuming we're talking hypothetically, because there is no way I'll ever be smart enough to have the sort of job that pays the amounts of money to buy a 60s Ferrari, perfect or not.

However, for the moment let's run with the idea that I had bought one. Personally I'd drive it, but that's just me. If I did choose to keep it locked away, or only trailer it to the odd show now and then, I may well like it like that, and it might be good for the wider car community, even if the vast majority would never have an opportunity to see it. But it wouldn't be cool.

It would still be cool. An ancient sword can be cool even if it's not currently being used to slice someone up. You don't need to be smart to earn gobs of money, it does take skills, but not so much intelligence. A surprising amount of it is being likable, influential, or even just interesting.

Anyway, don't sell yourself short. Maybe you'll have the money to buy one someday and you'll be awfully glad someone kept it pristine for you.

 

[Roo]

A surprising amount of it is being likable, influential, or even just interesting.

Ah, that's where I've been going wrong!

Anyway, don't sell yourself short. Maybe you'll have the money to buy one someday and you'll be awfully glad someone kept it pristine for you.

I understand where you're coming from, but speaking solely for myself, I wouldn't buy a pristine one - I'd get a well-used example, or prehaps one that needed work doing to make it driveable again. I like a car to have its own history; a tear here, a dent there. Pristine cars don't have that story to tell. I can appreciate a delivery-milage, untouched car, but I much prefer something I can get involved with. I could never have that interaction with a car that's perfect. Driving an imperfect car would also be a lot less stressful!

In some ways, I find perfection to be almost dull in high end or classic cars; it's the norm. The most interesting delivery-milage, from-production-line-straight-to-museum car I've ever come across was a mid-90s Toyota Carina, because it's such an unlikely car to keep.

 

[Danoff]

Driving an imperfect car would also be a lot less stressful!

QFT

 

[TenEightyOne]

Sub-zero, even with the heaters literally on. A classic that's packed with the usual unreliable Ferrari madness, brakes made of cheese, electrics made of hope... but with style made from the tears of The Little Lord Baby Jesus himself.

 

[Carbon_6]

Sub-zero, even with the heaters literally on. A classic that's packed with the usual unreliable Ferrari madness, brakes made of cheese, electrics made of hope... but with style made from the tears of The Little Lord Baby Jesus himself.

Interesting observation. I like it.

 

[Michelin Man]

Its ok, nothing particularly special as far as I'm concerned, and the fact that the badge on the bonnet is that of a prancing horse doesn't give it any special royalties either.

And whilst it isn't exactly ugly it isn't stunning either, fairly average really. And at the end of the day it just seem's like a fairly average 60's sports car. Certainly not the best Ferrari (subjective of course).

Meh.

 

[TexRex]

Its ok, nothing particularly special as far as I'm concerned

It's an old road car, so that's not the least bit surprising.

 

[Turbo]

No idea why you guys would hate on people who preserve a car. Do you ever want to see a perfect one? Then be thankful people are preserving them for you to have a chance to see and maybe even own and drive.

I have nothing against people who take pride in keeping their car as in good shape as possible. However, that doesn't mean that you can't ever have fun with the car in order to achieve this.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

Its ok, nothing particularly special as far as I'm concerned, and the fact that the badge on the bonnet is that of a prancing horse doesn't give it any special royalties either.

And whilst it isn't exactly ugly it isn't stunning either, fairly average really. And at the end of the day it just seem's like a fairly average 60's sports car. Certainly not the best Ferrari (subjective of course).

Meh.

See one in person and I think you'll change your mind. Until I saw one of these in the metal I never really cared for it; the styling looks a bit generic and not particularly special in photos. But in person the proportions and size really make it work, and it's a truly gorgeous thing which manages to ooze both class and sporting intent.

 

[TexRex]

class and sporting intent

Perfect word choice. It's a touring car, a continent-crosser not a white-knuckle sports car.

 

[Carbon_6]

I can just imagine one of these driving the Amalfi Coast in the summer.

Wouldn't look out of place at all.

 

[Michelin Man]

See one in person and I think you'll change your mind. Until I saw one of these in the metal I never really cared for it; the styling looks a bit generic and not particularly special in photos. But in person the proportions and size really make it work, and it's a truly gorgeous thing which manages to ooze both class and sporting intent.

I must admit I haven't seen it in person, however whilst I completely understand and respect what your saying, it doesn't change how I've looked at the 275. Granted, viewing a car in person can change your perception of how it looks, though personally I never really experience this. There have been exceptions of course, and on the subject of Ferrari, the 458 was probably one such exception; in that I kind of liked the way it looked, before realising it was really quite unpleasant when I saw it in the flesh. It's "horse for courses" really.

As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I'm certainly not the biggest of "prancing horse" fan's, as I've never really cared for the 275GTS even though it seems it's one of the more highly regarded Ferrari's, judging from opinion. It's just never really looked that spectacular, heck I'd probably even say it leans more towards being "ugly" (perhaps "not-good-looking" is better) than beautiful. Just something about it that's always looked off to me, aside from it looking looking fairly generic.

Personally I think the 250 California, or the 330 GTC (especially in Zagato form...) are far prettier Ferrari GT's from the roughly the same era.