The Forgotten Ferrari 1971-1972 365 GTC/4 “Gobbone”

Photo credit: RM Sotheby’s

What would you say if I told you that a car’s legendary status can depend, in part, on its nickname? After all, discretely telling your friends “I got my hands on a Daytona” is surely going to win you more admiration than telling them you’ve bought yourself a “Gobbone” (the nickname earned by the Ferrari 365 GTC/4, which translates as “Hunchback”).

Cars, like people, can sometimes find themselves forever saddled with an unfortunate nickname. The lovely Ferrari 365 GTC/4, on account of its unusual curved lines, was dubbed “Gobbone” (the Hunchback)

In fact, the 365 GTB/4 Daytona has always been lavished with more passion, love and attention than the 365 GTC/4, which was introduced alongside it in 1971, replacing the 365 GT 2+2. And this is despite the fact that the GTC/4 boasted the same refined mechanics, the same 4.4-liter, 12-cylinder engine (fed by 6 Weber carburetors and equipped with four overhead camshafts), put out 340 HP (320 in the case of the US version), and, like its sister car, was dressed in Pininfarina bodywork. Indeed, even though the 365 GTC/4 was undoubtedly penalized by its lack, to an extent, of what English speakers call the “wow effect” — that “certain something” that captures everyone’s attention and clears away everything in its path —, it is hard to justify its descent into the state of oblivion in which, even today, it still seems to be trapped.

The 365 GTC/4, of which just 500 specimens were manufactured in total, has original and interesting lines that, even today, give it a contemporary look

The car was designed by Filippo Sapino, creator of the Ferrari 512 S and the Abarth 2000 Scorpione, among other things, and he gave it soft and gentle lines, with the bumper integrated into the front of the vehicle (a first for Ferrari). After its debut at the 1970 Paris Motor Show, production of the model began in Spring 1971. Between then and Autumn 1972, when it took its final bow, the 365 GTC/4 was produced in just 500 units. Consequently, it is one of the rarest Ferrari models among those produced in series between the 60s and 70s.

In order to retain the slender nose, this model features a sort of bumper in synthetic material that is wrapped around the grille – a first for a Ferrari

Today, it is valued at between €150,000 and (very exceptionally) €250,000, but on average it is offered for around €220,000 — an extremely competitive price compared with those commanded by other 12-cylinder models of the time produced at Maranello. Given its rarity, and affordable price, the “Gobbone” could feature among the market surprises in the near future.