1967 Ferrari 330 GTS - One of Only 99 Examples Built - Coachwork by Pininfarina
Estimate: $2,000,000 - $2,400,000
Chassis: 10703
Engine: 10703
A Rare and Exclusive Open Ferrari; One of Only 99 Examples Built
Originally Delivered to California; Known Provenance from New
Striking Appearance in Black with Green Upholstery and Borrani Wire Wheels
Retains Matching-Numbers Engine and Optional Air-Conditioning
Offered with Handbooks, Tool Roll, and Massini Report
3,967 CC SOHC Tipo 209/66 V-12 Engine
Three Weber 40 DCZ6 Carburetors
300 BHP at 6,600 RPM
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Girling Ventilated Disc Brakes
PROVENANCE
Emil Martini Jr., Beverly Hills, California (acquired new via Luigi Chinetti Motors in 1967)
Robert Martini, Hillsdale, New Jersey (acquired from the above in 1974)
FAF Motorcars, Tucker, Georgia (acquired from the above in January 1976)
James L. Shuman, Atlanta, Georgia (acquired from the above by June 1976)
John Alexander, Atlanta, Georgia (acquired from the above in 1979)
Willian L. Effinger, Atlanta, Georgia (acquired from the above circa 1984)
Carlo Perego, Épalinges, Switzerland (acquired by November 1988)
Kamel Braik, Geneva, Switzerland (acquired from the above circa 1990)
Claude De Marche, Lausanne, Switzerland (acquired from the above circa 1992)
Peter Hosmer, Ward Hill, Massachusetts (acquired from the above in 1994)
Current Owner (acquired from the above)
EXHIBITED
FCA Southeast Regional Meeting, Pine Isle, Georgia, June 1976
LITERATURE
Hilary A. Raab Jr., Ferrari Serial Numbers Part I, chassis no. listed on p. 115
Ferrari Market Letter, vol. 19, no. 23, November 1994, chassis no. listed on p. 3
THIS CAR
Soon after the 330 GTC was unveiled at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show, Ferrari introduced its exclusive Spider variant, the GTS.
The 330 GTC and GTS were built on the same tubular chassis, which was very similar to that of the contemporary 275 GTB/4. All three cars featured the same mechanical layout, which incorporated fully independent suspension, four-wheel Girling disc brakes, a rigid torque-tube driveshaft, a five-speed rear-mounted transaxle, and Campagnolo alloy wheels, though the classic Borrani wires could be fitted at an owner’s request.
Whereas the 275 GTB/4 berlinetta utilized a high-revving, four-cam version of the 3.3-liter V-12, the 330 GTC and GTS were equipped with Ferrari’s magnificent four-liter, two-cam V-12, which delivered a genuine 300 bhp at just 6,600 rpm. As a result, the 330 GTS was one of the fastest open two-seaters of its era, with a top speed approaching 150 mph.
Designed and built by Pininfarina, the 330 GTS was the epitome of mid-1960s GT styling. The harmonious, understated design was a successful update of the popular 275 GTS, incorporating a new frontal treatment inspired by the 500 Superfast, Ferrari’s most expensive gran turismo.
As would be expected of a $15,000 Italian thoroughbred, the 330 GTS was built to exacting standards by Old World craftsmen, and the cockpit was beautifully finished, with bucket seats trimmed in Connolly leather, a three-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel, and a simple but attractive wood-veneer fascia carrying the full range of white on black Veglia instruments.
In an August 1968 road test, Road & Track found that the 330 GTS offered a healthy improvement in all-out performance when compared to the 275 GTS. Though it did not accelerate quite as fast as the 275 GTS/4 NART Spider (the magazine’s test car was one of two alloy-bodied examples), the 330 GTS reached a higher top speed, had better low-end torque, and was more refined. The editors were so impressed with the new Ferrari that they offered this encouragement to readers: “Go ahead, give yourself a treat, buy one.”
Completed in 1967 and finished in Rosso Cina (China Red) with black leather upholstery, this 330 GTS, chassis 10703, was delivered through US distributor Luigi Chinetti Motors to its first owner, Emil Martini Jr., a resident of Beverly Hills, California. Mr. Martini was the president of the Bergen Brunswig Corporation, one of the largest US pharmaceutical distributors, and was an avid Ferrari enthusiast who owned several desirable models, including a 365 GTB/4 Daytona and a Dino 246 GTS. In 1974, Mr. Martini sold his lightly used 330 GTS to his brother, Robert Martini, then living in Hillsdale, New Jersey. A photograph of 10703 is featured on Robert Martini’s page in the 1975–1976 Ferrari Owners Club membership roster.
In January 1976, Mr. Martini sold the Ferrari to FAF Motorcars in Tucker, Georgia, which paid $11,923 for the car and noted that it featured air-conditioning, a desirable option for the 330 GTS. Later that year, the car was sold to James Shuman of Atlanta, who displayed it that June at the Ferrari Club of America Southeast Regional Meeting in Georgia. The Ferrari remained in the Atlanta area until the late 1980s, when it was sold to Carlo Perego’s Auto Avenir SA in Épalinges, Switzerland. In 1990 or 1991, Mr. Perego sold 10703 to Kamel Braik, a banker living in Geneva, and, from there, the car passed to Claude De Marche of Lausanne.
In 1994, the Ferrari returned to the US when it was sold to well-known East Coast collector Peter Hosmer. At the time of his acquisition, the Ferrari was in well-kept condition, still finished in red and reportedly showing just over 20,000 original miles. Remarkably, the 330 GTS remained in Mr. Hosmer’s care for over 20 years, during which time it was refinished in its current color scheme of black with green leather upholstery – a handsome combination ideally suited to this sophisticated Pininfarina design.
The current owner acquired the car from Mr. Hosmer, and today 10703 presents very well, having been carefully maintained and sparingly driven over the past two decades. Not only does this Ferrari make a strong impression cosmetically, with period-correct details such as Michelin XWX tires and Irvin “parachute” seat belts, it performed beautifully on a recent test drive with a Gooding & Company specialist.
Offered with a tool roll, owner’s handbooks, and a Marcel Massini history report that notes its matching-numbers engine, 10703 is bound to impress the discerning collector. A refined and elegant Ferrari, this 330 GTS is a particularly versatile machine that is a perfect candidate for an incredible variety of automotive events – from prestigious concours d’elegance to the most selective tours. Classic 12-cylinder Ferraris with open coachwork, disc brakes, and the refined torque-tube driveline are a rare breed, composed solely of the 330 GTS, 365 GTS, 275 GTS/4 NART Spider, and 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider. The combined total production of these models is just 253 individual cars, of which only 99 are represented by the 330 GTS.
Without a doubt, the 330 GTS is among the most sought-after sports cars of the 1960s; fast, beautiful, and rare, these Ferraris embody the breed’s finest qualities. The example presented here is a particularly appealing one, worthy of serious consideration.
