275 GTB4 (Italy, 1966)

In late 1966, Ferrari used the Paris Motor Show to debut the latest development of its 275 GTB, the V-12 berlinetta that had been introduced to replace the long-running 250 series just two years earlier. With the addition of a second overhead camshaft to each cylinder bank, Ferrari squeezed one final iteration out of the venerable 60-degree, short-block Colombo motor that had powered the 250 and early 275 models, and in the process, they created the first dual overhead-cam engine ever used in a Ferrari road car. The new engine was standardly equipped with six Weber carburetors, which was previously just an option on the single-cam motor, and its configuration distinguished itself by developing 20 horsepower more than the unit on which it was based.

The newly christened 275 GTB/4, aptly named for its four-cam valve actuation, did not visually compromise any aspects of the prior 275 GTB’s beautiful Pininfarina body design, as it only added a sporty raised hood bulge to accommodate the revised engine’s additional hardware. The 275 GTB/4 is increasingly being deemed by many Ferrari collectors to be the best-looking performing variant of the late 1960s V-12 berlinetta, and its collectability is increased by the fact that it was produced in a sparing quantity of approximately 330 examples. The model’s rarity, ever-rewarding performance characteristics, and classic good looks have made it one of the most celebrated grand touring Ferraris of all time.