The design remains distinctive and quite unique in the history of Ferrari, which explains why it doesn’t appeal to everyone. Elegance has taken precedence over sportiness, the distinguishing features of which are four tailpipes, suggesting that a monster is hiding under that long Italian bonnet. No doubt about it, this Ferrari is designed for wide open spaces and long journeys, a true GT. The three-part body and angular lines contrast with the sensual curves of the 365 GT 2+2 it replaces. A very masculine design indeed. The front of the car features retractable headlamps that can be operated electrically from the cockpit, and fog lamps. The whole car is generously glazed, giving a very airy interior, a detail that is even more apparent at the rear thanks to the small area occupied by the quarter-pillars.

Presented at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, the 365 GTC/4 followed a unique concept in the Ferrari range: it was neither the sporty GT descended from the Daytona, nor the 2+2 heir to the 365 GT 2+2. The design of the 365 GTC/4, designed by Pininfarina, was inspired by that of the Daytona, with slightly tauter lines typical of the 70s, heralding the radical change that was to come with the 365 GT4 2+2. The plastic bumpers contrasted with the usual use of chrome-plated steel, and the V12 engine with 4 overhead camshafts was directly derived from the Daytona, but differed in that it had a wet sump and carburettors on the outside of the V to allow the installation of a pollution control system meeting American standards. The gearbox was attached to the engine. The 365 GTC/4 had two small rear seats, larger than the racks of prancing-horse berlinettes, but smaller than those of 4-seaters such as the 365 GT 2+2. The level of equipment is high for a Ferrari of the 70s: power steering, air conditioning and hydraulic rear levelling are standard.

For a long time, the bow of the future 365 GTB/4 was too close to the Ferrari 275 GTB. After several trials, Pininfarina finally came up with a rather novel solution, which was to be the only original feature of the 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ (temporary: the American homologation authorities refused to accept these headlights, forcing Pininfarina to resort to a more conventional solution with retractable headlights). The Italian coachbuilder will house the headlamps under a Perspex window that will form a complete band across the front. Another notable change, still on the front, is the fact that the grille is no longer oval but integrated and discreet. While the 275 GTB still retained its sixties-style curves, the Daytona was already a little more angular and rounded.

In February 1967, after a humiliating defeat by Ford in the Le Mans 24 Hours in June 1966, the Commendatore led his team to a hat-trick of victories in the Daytona 24 Hours. Phew! The family crest had been honoured. That’s all it took for this epic duel to indirectly spill over into production GTs with the new 365 GTB/4, which the public quickly nicknamed ‘Daytona’ in memory of this hat-trick of victories. It was a name that was never officially adopted, as the Commendatore refused to accept it. The Daytona, though classic and almost criticised when it was first launched in the face of the more innovative Lamborghini Miura, would over time become a true classic of the brand. With its sublime lines, its incomparable V12 engine and its performance that is still exceptional so many years later, it represents the archetype of the long-distance GT. It was the last front-engined GT in the range before the return of the 550 Maranello.

One year after the launch of the 365 GTC coupé in 1969, Ferrari launched the 365 GTS convertible. The 365 GTS, which replaced the 330 GTS and GTC, was built on the same tubular steel chassis as the 330 GTC. And the differences are minimal when it comes to the bodywork. Only the wings lost their air vents, and the bonnet was fitted with ventilation grilles. The engine was fed by 3 Weber 40 DCZ/6 carburettors. The 365 GTS cabriolet was produced for one year, but never exceeded 20 units and was replaced by the Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Spider.

Heir to the 330 GTC, the 365 GTC was not distinguished by its revolutionary shape, since only a few mechanical changes were made. It fell out of favour (only 168 units were sold in the two short years it was in production), and was overshadowed by the success and bold silhouette of the Daytona. The 365 GTC is recognisable by the bonnet vents that replaced those on the wings.

The Ferrari 365, whose name refers to its unit capacity, was the successor to the 330. Presented at the Paris Motor Show in October 1967, it was not until the following year that the first deliveries of the 4-seater coupé took place. Aesthetically, Pininfarina stuck to a typical 60s style, drawing inspiration from the 500 Superfast as well as his own work on the 330 GTC, specially built for the Princess of Réthy. In terms of length, this 2+2 is imposing. This is due as much to its immense sloping bonnet as to its gigantic rear trunk, designed to accommodate the belongings of its four occupants. The tradition of very long exhausts is respected, and while the front end is almost a copy/paste of the Superfast (lights, bumper, grille), the rear is more specific to the new 365, despite the reminder of the three round lights.

The little-known Ferrari 330 GTS is an extraordinary car that combines simple, refined pleasures with all the magic that a real Ferrari can offer. Typical of a true grand tourer, it offers a generous, comfortable cabin that encourages long, slightly sporty drives. If the Pininfarina-designed lines are a feast for the eyes, the ears are also in for a treat with a beautiful symphony. That of a V12 developing an impressive 300 bhp. Even if pure performance is not its primary objective, it nevertheless allows itself to reach 240 km/h with a rocky, liberated sound.

The history of the 330 GTC is rather complex, or at least not the easiest to understand! In 1965, Ferrari was looking for a way to offer a car that would fit between the 330GT 2+2 and the 275 GTB. The decision-makers at the prancing-horse firm, in partnership with Pininfarina, decided to take the 275 GTS (available on the American market) and create a capped version for customers on the Old Continent. The result was the 330 GTC, with lines reminiscent of its predecessor, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2, whose lineage was inaugurated in 1960 with the 250 GT 2+2, then the first 4-seater GT of its kind.

The 330 GT was the successor to the 250 GT/E, the first 2+2 road-going Ferrari to be built in significant numbers. The 250 GT was sometimes judged too conservative and not powerful enough; these criticisms were taken into account for the next model: the 330 GT, presented in ’64, offered a more aggressive and assertive design, thanks to the talent of Tom Tjaarda for Pininfarina, a much more powerful engine (4 litres instead of 3, and 300 bhp instead of 240), it was more comfortable and also faster (245 km/h).