Unveiled at the Geneva Salon in March 1966, the 330 GTC (Gran Tourismo Coupe) allied the 275 GTB chassis with the basic engine from the 330 GT 2+2. Coachwork was a compromise of the 400 Superamerica front blended to the rear tail treatment of the 275 GTS. The new car was a capable performer—fast, quiet, and comfortable.
As it inherited the GTB chassis and its rear transaxle, the 330 GT 2+2 engine block had to be redesigned in the GTC to accommodate the different engine and differential mounts. Ferrari engineers found the solution to the alignment problems that had affected the 275 series; they
introduced a torque tube for the driveshaft, which formed a solid link between the engine and the rear transaxle. The 330 GTC came with the same wheelbase as the 275, some 94.5 inches, and naturally had the same four-wheel disc brakes and all independent double wishbone and coil suspension.
From the outset, automotive journalists raved about this model. The first road test appeared in The Motor in November 1966 and was conducted by the driver/journalist Paul Frere. He was highly impressed: “The greatest surprise is the silence of the engine. In handling, the 330 GTC is exactly like all the Ferraris I have driven before. But the most impressive feature of the handling of the new vehicle is the solidness with which it changes direction, particularly in the S bends, where it tracks with about the same precision as a modern race car.”
Frere made two high-speed runs and recorded 146 mph just before he slowed and encountered traffic, at which point the vehicle was still perceptibly accelerating. He concluded that the car would probably equal the factory’s claimed 150 mph. In the same test he achieved a lively 14.6 seconds for the standing quarter mile, almost exactly matching the figures produced by Road & Track when they tested the 330 GTS. It is also of note that the legendary Ferrari world champion Phil Hill has himself called the 330 GTC “the best road-going Ferrari ever built.”
The current owner purchased this Ferrari in December 1991 and completed a full cosmetic restoration at a cost of over $50,000. The majority of the labor went into the body and paint, with all new chrome plating and extensive upholstery work as well. New suspension bushes were also fitted. This stunning Ferrari has traveled less than 1,500 miles in the last 9 years.
With speeds approaching 150 mph, blistering acceleration and outstanding ride and handling, Ferrari could justifiably claim the 330 GTC to be the finest high-speed conveyance for two people and their luggage.