Ferrari 330 GTC Speciale by Pininfarina
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Ferrari |
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Modelis: |
330 GTC Speciale by Pininfarina |
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1966-1968 |
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Coupe |
The 330 GTC and 330 GTS were more like their 275 counterparts than the 330 GT 2+2. They shared the short wheelbase of the 275 as well as its independent rear suspension. These models were more refined than earlier Ferraris, quieter and easier to drive. It has been stated that this "was probably the first Ferrari in which you could actually enjoy a radio".
The GTC berlinetta was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 1966. The 330 GTC used the same steering, suspension, and transmission as the 275 GTB, and these features, coupled with a wheelbase that was 10 inches shorter than the 330 GT 2+2, made the GTC much more dynamic to drive. Perhaps the most sporting characteristic of the 330 was its engine. The 330 GTC’s Colombo V-12 produced 300 horsepower and had a top speed of 150 mph, with a 0–60 mph time of under seven seconds. The 330 GTC was definitely no slouch. It was a two-seater coupé with a Pininfarina-designed body. A 1967 GTC was given one-off bodywork by Zagato at the behest of American importer Luigi Chinetti in 1974. This car was called the "Zagato Convertible", since it was of a Targa-style.
The GTS spider followed at the Paris Motor Show. The 330 GTS’s performance, which included a top speed of 150 mph and a quarter-mile dash time of 15 seconds at just under 100 mph, was otherworldly. Yet, it was only part of the story. From its classic Ferrari nose treatment, fitted with a characteristic shallow egg-crate oval grille, to the triple louvered vents on the rear flanks of the front wings, and on to the seductive tapered tail, its design epitomized mid-1960s Italian GT styling. Inside the luxuriously appointed interior were twin leather bucket seats, a wood-rimmed aluminium steering wheel, and full instrumentation, and the interior accommodations were remarkably spacious.
The 330 GTC Speciale one of only four such examples built by Pininfarina in 1967, is truly the last in a line of elite custom-bodied Ferrari gran turismos. The Speciale, however, was not merely a 330 GTC disguised by unique features, but rather a striking, clean-sheet body style. Studied in detail, the design integrated many brilliant Pininfarina cues – some taken from the coachbuilder’s contemporary show cars, while others eventually found their way into future production models. For example, the nose of the car was reminiscent of the limited-production 365 California Spider and was described by Pininfarina in its press materials as having a “remarkably sloping-down line allowing favorable aerodynamic conditions.” Like the earlier California Spider, the GTC Speciale featured covered headlights, a classic egg crate grille, split bumpers, and, on the first two examples, retractable driving lights. Unlike the 330 GTC on which it was based, the front fenders of the Speciale were unadorned, with the engine bay louvers instead placed at either side of the bonnet’s trailing edge – a feature later seen on the 365 GTC. Viewed from profile and rear three-quarter, the bodywork was most impressive with a long silhouette and a marvelous glass greenhouse, undoubtedly inspired by the latest mid-engine show cars. On the side, there was an articulating vent and main window on each door, along with two rear-quarter windows whose shape foreshadowed the upcoming 365 GT 2+2. Continuing to the rear of the GTC Speciale, the very thin and small roof panel ended just behind the seats with vertical rear glass curving behind the cockpit toward the tail. The curved rear glass resulted in a flying buttress treatment, first seen in this modern form on the 206 Dino displayed at the 1965 Paris Auto Show, and subsequently repeated on the two “Tre Posti” 365 P Berlinetta Speciales. The long rear-quarter panels of the Coupe Speciale terminated in an abrupt Kamm tail, similar to the 365 California and mid-engine show cars, with a distinctive triple taillight arrangement at the rear, as seen on Pininfarina-bodied Ferraris from the mid-1960s on through the mid-1970s.
Unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show in 1967, the 330 GTC Speciale was hailed as yet another brilliant Ferrari-Pininfarina collaboration. Its striking modern design captured the very essence of late 1960s motoring. The first of these very special Ferraris, chassis 09439, was sold to a royal customer – Princess Liliane de Réthy of Belgium. De Réthy and her husband, King Leopold III, were patrons of the Ferrari marque and commissioned several important coachbuilt cars, including a Pinin Farina-bodied 375 Plus Cabriolet and a Vignale-bodied 250 Europa GT. The second example, chassis 09653, was built for Dr. Michael DeBakey – a famous heart surgeon from Houston, Texas, who was a friend of the royal couple. In fact, DeBakey had accompanied King Leopold and Princess de Réthy on a visit to Maranello, and, while touring the Ferrari factory, placed an order for his very own GTC Speciale. In total, Pininfarina built just four examples of the 330 GTC Speciale, all constructed and subsequently delivered to their original owners in 1967.
About 598 coupés and 100 spiders were produced before the 1968 introduction of the 365 GTC and GTS.
