The 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC4, some info

Yesterday, I had a conversation about my car's history with a very special person, Sig. Carlo Tazzioli, the former Ferrari Spa commercial director and former manager of Ferrari Deutschland and Switzerland. He also proceeded to talk about the 365 GTC4 in general.

'' E' ancora una bella auto. Ha avuto una vita breve causa la guerra tra Arabi ed Israeliani del 1973 e della conseguente crisi petrolifera mondiale. In fabbrica la chiamavamo afettuosamente "gobbone" per la sua forma arcuata. ''
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I proceeded to ask him if he knew of any discussions between Ferrari and Pininfarina regarding the design of this model, and the answer was :
'' Delle dinamiche interne di Pininfarina non sono al corrente. Il nostro interfaccia era Leonardo Fioravanti. Il nostro progettista era Angelo Bellei che aveva una grande intesa con Fioravanti. Le richieste del nostro Marketing erano chiare: una vettura piu' aerodinamica grazie al motore con carburatori laterali. Linee sinuose accattivanti e una pancetta posteriore in grado di accogliere sacche per giocatori di golf o di tennis. Pininfarina soddisfo' le richieste. ''

Showing him the picture below with Enzo Ferrari smiling at the prototype presented ( Note,no fog lights yet ). He promptly answered :
'' Ferrari amava le sue creature e ne' andava fiero .''

I will not translate so as to not contaminate these important comments from such an important person who was at the time in the epicentre of Ferrari SPA.
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So in turn I had to use Google Translate! Hopefully Google caught the spirit of the comments, I think it did.

 

Yes , usually it's very correct ;-)

 

Carlo Tazzioli, what a wonderful gentleman.

 

I met him in the factory in 1984 or 1985. very nice gentleman with a lot of knowledge. will have a look at some photo history in my folders when I have time if I will find some photos.

 

Thankfully French and Italian are close enough to allow to understand short sentences - even though I definitely do not speak Italian.

 

The Ferrari 365 GTC/4 , contrary to common belief, is not a 2+2 car but a 2 seater coupe'. This, as described on the official Ferrari website in the Past Models section. The GTC/4 nomenclature to the body means Gran Turismo Coupe', and the 4 denotes the 4 cams on the V12 engine. The official 4 seater was the later 365 GT4 2+2 with the same V12 engine. Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I may be wrong but I do see four seats.
You may want to consult other, better websites.........
(not my photos)

Marcel Massini

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I personally like the plaid seats. Cool. So many were replaced with all leather when "restored". And many repainted in resale red too. Boo.

 

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You are correct with showing the rear '' seats '' , which do fold down for storage or a Jacket, and you know well that these seats do not accommodate any normal sized persons,( see my pic and tell me if a knee can fit between the front seat and the rear ''seat''. Also, the above sloped glass makes it next to impossible to go in and out. But what I said is not how many ''seats'' the car has, but showing the nomenclature referral on the Official Ferrari website section of Past Models. Maybe this has skipped your attention ? Better websites on this matter than Official Ferrari website section of Past Models ?
On the same official site you will find the same description of the Ferrari 365 GT 2+2
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I erroneously ommited inserting the reference from the same site for the Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 , here it is .
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Everybody knows that no adult can really sit in the back of a 365 GTC/4.
Nothing has skipped my attention, I am fully aware of the "nomenclature", no worries, except that some websites are stating b.s.
It just is not a "two seater Coupé". Maybe it is a four-seater Coupé? After all, the pix I posted of 365 GTC/4 interiors show more than two seats.
Nowadays, unfortunately, there are so many people who just blindly trust all websites, like lemmings.
Splitting hairs?

Marcel Massini

 

'' there are so many people who just blindly trust all websites, like lemmings ''

You keep insisting that the website is not to be trusted. The website is the following : Official Ferrari website , and the attached screenshots are from the Past Models section , there.
And there is no need to split hairs here, just quoting what is written on the Official Ferrari website.
It was just a curiosity.

Marcus Bonello

 

I trust my eyes, and my eyes see four seats.

 

Don, You are correct, but the discussion here is about how it is officially listed by Ferrari. The list the car as a 2 seater Coupe' . Now, whatever it is, is another matter ;-)

 

It‘s a 2+2 seater, like the 911 (also 2+2 in most versions) but, like the 911, it‘s much more a 2-seater coupe
with two emergency seats in the back which could only hardly used as a real seat, perhaps a small kid with a very small adult
in the front seat.

I would have prefered if the GTC/4 has only two seats and a pure luggage compartment in the back like the Daytona.

 

365 GTC/4 had a very short wheelbase for a car with the 2 rear seats at only 2500 mm.

Comparativley:

250 GT/E 2+2 wheelbase = 2600 mm.
250 GT/L wheelbase = 2400 mm.
275 GTB wheelbase = 2400 mm.
330 GT 2+2 wheelbase = 2650 mm.
365 GT 2+2 wheelbase = 2650 mm.
365 GTB/4 wheelbase = 2400 mm.
365 GTC/4 wheelbase = 2500 mm.
The 2+2 successor, the mechanically very similar 365 GT4 2+2 had a 200 mm longer wheelbase at 2700 mm.

Mid engined of course, but even the 2 seater super sports 365 GT4 BB/512BB/512BBi had the same wheelbase of 2500 mm.

 

The longer wheelbase, makes a whole lot of difference in handling compared to a Daytona.
In any car of the same marque, i.e. an AR spider vs a GTV... 10 cm. The handling on a race track is sensational.
Provided it is well braced by a full cage.
Never seen a "Gobbone" on the track. A grand tourer, with great noises.

Regardless, only 'tiny tots' need apply for those rear seats.

 

Marcel has the same experience like many others who has read this website,
it seems that in some details it was be written by a very young trainee without a clue…

 

Yes of course, the Gobbone was designed to be nothing more than a luxury grand tourer, most telling, the self levelling rear suspension.