Two Of The Best-Ever Sports Cars Are About To Cross The Auction Block

⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious

Some cars are perfect examples of a time long gone. Others are timeless altogether. These two fit squarely in the latter category. Meet the 1968 Ferrari 330 GTS and 1965 Aston Martin DB5, a pair of sports cars which have aged like fine wine.

It’s not too often that cars like these surface from the hands who treasured it so dearly. But this isn’t a drill– they really are up for sale, available to the public!  For the first time in a long time, the Italian silver fox and 007–style cars are going up for sale at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions in August. You can register to bid here, if we’ve already hooked you.

1968 Ferrari 330 GTS (estimated to sell for $2,200,000 - $2,700,000).

If you’re big into classic Ferraris, there’s a good chance you know how beautiful Pininfarina-bodied ones are. But if you aren’t, we will give you a solid tidbit of intel. They truly turn heads. The S in GTS stands for Spider, which is Ferrari speak for convertible. This one is a highly original example with an impressive road-racing history.

When this car debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 1966, it stunned critics with its styling and performance– not only does it look good (still), but it could also reach a top speed of 150 mph with its large 4.0-liter engine. The car is also finished in its original color combination of Argento Metallizzato (Metallic Silver) over Rosso Scuro (Dark Red) leather.

Not only is it the best of both design and engineering worlds, but also is a rare find. Only 100 examples of the 330 GTS were manufactured between 1966 and 1968. From its birth, it entered the hands of discerning collectors, accompanied by extensive documentation.

In January 1968, the GTS was shipped to Modern Classic Motors in Reno, Nevada, which was owned by casino magnate William F. Harrah. Mr. Harrah is lauded as one of the most prolific car collectors in history, famous for his good taste.

Can you guess where this is going? Harrah selected this 330 GTS for himself to drive, though he also gave the car to his wife at the time, country singer Bobbie Gentry. He customized it slightly, adding a custom accessory–  a Targa top similar to the Porsche 911, which could simply rest on the coachwork. The unique 330 GTS Targa captivated such great attention, it even landed the cover of Road & Track magazine in December 1969. In 1970, when his marriage to Ms. Gentry fizzled, the car was put up for sale. It passed through a few pairs of hands, racing the whole way, before it sold to  a Los Angeles-based collector, who returned the car to its convertible configuration in typical Southern-California style.