This 1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 was rediscovered in an outbuilding of a French Chateau. Research uncovered that it was the 1965 Paris Motor Show car and the official pace car at the 1966 Le Mans – almost certainly making it the most historically significant Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 in existence.
The last owner of this 330 GT didn’t actually know about the car’s provenance, he drove it for many years right through until shortly before his passing in the early 2000s. The car was then parked up and the engine was started regularly by family members until it ceased functioning five years ago.
Fast Facts – The Ferrari 330 GT 2+2
- This 1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 was rediscovered in on the grounds of a French chateau after years in storage. It was originally displayed at the 1965 Paris Motor Show and served as the official pace car at the 1966 Le Mans, making it one of the most historically significant Ferrari 330 GT 2+2s.
- The Ferrari 330 GT 2+2, produced from 1964 to 1967, was designed as a luxurious grand tourer with four seats, combining performance and luxury. It was powered by a 4.0 liter V12 producing 300 bhp, achieving a claimed top speed of nearly 150 mph.
- The first series of the 330 GT 2+2 featured distinctive quad headlights and a refined, spacious cabin for four adults. The Series II, produced from 1965 to 1967, saw stylistic changes and mechanical updates like a 5-speed transmission, improved brakes, adjustable shock absorbers, and a switch to twin headlights.
- This Ferrari 330 GT 2+2’s historical importance is heightened by its connection to Donald Sleator, who is the dealer who used it at the 1965 Paris Motor Show and the driver who piloted it as the pace car for the 1966 Le Mans.
A History Speedrun: The Ferrari 330 GT 2+2
The Ferrari 330 GT 2+2, produced from 1964 to 1967, is one of relatively few Ferraris that were designed by an American – Tom Tjaarda who was working at Pininfarina at the time.
This historically significant Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 is now being offered for sale out of long term storage in a barn on a French chateau.
The 330 GT 2+2 is often regarded as one of Maranello’s most distinguished grand tourers from the era, combining performance with the eminent practicality of a four-seat configuration that had originally debuted on the 250 GTE a few years prior.
Designed to succeed the outgoing 330 America model, the 330 GT offered a refined evolution in both style and mechanical sophistication, becoming a benchmark for automotive luxury and performance in the mid-1960s.
At its heart, the Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 was powered by a 4.0 liter version of the Colombo V12, known internally as the Tipo 209. Derived from Ferrari’s long-standing Gioacchino Colombo-designed V12 architecture, this naturally aspirated engine produced an impressive 300 bhp at 6,600 rpm.
With three Weber carburetors supplying the fuel mixture, the engine was noted for its smoothness, delivering effortless acceleration and a top speed approaching 150 mph – a heady figure for the time.
The Series I Ferrari 330 GT 2+2
The first series, retroactively known as Series I and produced from 1964 to 1965, was notably styled by Tjaarda at Pininfarina and featured distinctive quad-headlights, a design element that drew mixed reactions at the time. It did become popular with owners however, offering twice the lighting at night, quite the benefit considering the lower output of the headlights of the day.
With its 4.0 liter V12, it’s 5-speed manual transmission, and its four seats, the Series II Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 is a surprisingly practical vintage Ferrari.
The spacious cabin offered genuine room for four adults – even those in the rear – a rarity among sports cars of the era, without sacrificing the handling and performance Ferrari owners expected. Further luxury touches included full leather interiors, wood-rimmed steering wheels, and rich carpeting throughout.
The 330 GT was Ferrari’s flagship road car for sophisticated clientele seeking a luxurious, long-distance cruiser.
The Series II Ferrari 330 GT 2+2
The Series II 330 GT 2+2, built from 1965 to 1967 saw notable stylistic revisions, most prominently a shift from the controversial quad-headlight arrangement to a more streamlined dual-headlight setup. Many found this more aesthetically pleasing, though the quad headlight cars have quite the following also.
Improvements in the transmission also marked Series II models, as Ferrari replaced the earlier overdrive-equipped 4-speed gearbox with a more refined 5-speed unit. Additional mechanical updates included improved braking systems and suspension tuning for improved handling, including the fitment of revised Koni adjustable shock absorbers on all four corners.
In terms of driving dynamics, the Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 did a good job of balancing sporting performance and touring comfort. Owners famously used their cars for touring the Continent at speed, back in an era when short-hop air travel wasn’t quite as polished an experience as it is today (ahem). With the more flexible speed limit interpretations of the police officers of the time, it was often simply quicker to drive than to fly.
Here we see the car, its its original paint color, as the pace car at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Today, the Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 enjoys recognition as a classic among Ferrari collectors and enthusiasts, prized for its stylish yet understated design, excellent performance, and its historic significance as part of Ferrari’s popular lineage of luxurious four-seat touring cars.
Though perhaps overshadowed by its two-seat counterparts like the 275 GTB or the later Daytona, the 330 GT 2+2 occupies an important place in Ferrari’s history, and its sales figures of 1,099 cars over four years made it by far the best-selling Ferrari of the time.
The Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shown Here
This car was imported by Donald Sleator, the head of Franco Britannic, the official importer of Ferraris into France at the time. Sleator used the car as one of three on display at the prestigious 1965 Paris Motor Show alongside a Ferrari 275 GTS and a 275 GTB.
Though this would already have made the car quite collectible, its time in the spotlight wasn’t yet over. Sleator was also an official driver of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest from 1955 to 1967, driving the pace car at each event, accompanied by the race director in the passenger seat.
In this capacity, he was able to drive one of his own Ferraris at the Le Mans course car (or pace car) between 1960 and 1967. In 1966, he chose the Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 that he had displayed at the 1965 Paris Motor Show, the car shown in this article.
The 1966 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans would be one of the most consequential in this history of the event, with Ford contesting its then-new Ford GT40 against the formerly dominant Ferraris and beating them soundly – with a 1-2-3 finish.
After its use at Le Mans this car was sold in to private ownership, it had a handful of owners before it was bought by an owner in the Calvados department in the Normandy region of northwestern France.
Above Video: This historic Shell archive film shows the sights and sounds of the 1966 Le Mans, and it’s well-worth a watch.
The case would remain with this owner for many years and he would drive it regularly right through until just before his passing in the early 2000s. After this time the car was stored undercover in the grounds of the family chateau.
It’s now being offered for sale for the first time in many years in as discovered condition. It will need a restoration of course, unless the new owner wants to preserve the car as it is now. If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Aguttes
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