1968 Ferrari 275 GTB/4

The Ferrari 250 Series was superseded in 1964 by the '275', again wearing coachwork by Pininfarina. It was given a long bonnet, penetrative nose, high waistline, short be-spoilered tail, and purposeful side vents. The cast-alloy wheels and tail spoiler were developments first seen on Ferrari competition cars. The independent rear suspension was the first use on a road-going Ferrari, employing a double-wishbone and coil-spring arrangement similar to that of the 250LM racer. The engine was mated to a rear-mounted five-speed transaxle combining the gearbox and differential in a single unit, a setup that improved weight distribution. The enlarged 3.3-liter, 60-degree V-12 engine remained the familiar Colombo type, in standard form producing 280bhp at 7,600rpm. When installed with six Weber carburetors, the horsepower rose to 300. Customers could specify aluminum coachwork and/or the six-carburetor setup.

Development and modifications followed the 275 GTB during its lifespan, gaining a longer nose, enlarged rear window and external boot hinges towards the end of 1965. The only major mechanical change was the adoption of a torque tube enclosure for the prop shaft. In 1966, the model's ultimate incarnation appeared, the 275 GTB/4, with the '/3' suffix denoting the presence of four, rather than the original's two, overhead camshafts. It first appeared at the Paris Salon in October 1966, and its bonnet bulge was the only distinguishable difference from the prior version.

Along with four overhead camshafts, the valve actuation had been changed with the roller-ended rocker arms of the two-cam engine being replaced by simpler inverted bucket tappets. The included angle between the inlet and exhaust valves was also changed, from 57 to 54 degrees for a more compact chamber. Standard equipment included a sextet of twin-choke Weber 40 DCN carburetors (optional on the two-cam 275GTB). The few extra horsepowers were gained by the adoption of a dry-sump lubrication system fed by a 16-liter oil tank.

The V-12 engine in the 275 GTB/4 delivered 300 horsepower at 8,000 RPM, a 20 horsepower improvement on the two-cam engine's figure, while maximum torque increased from 217 to 240lb/ft at 6,000rpm. The top speed was in the neighborhood of 165, 10 mph better than before.

By 1968, the progress made the automobile emissions legislation had effectively outlawed the 275GTB with production effectively phased out later that same year.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2019