LONDON.- Bonhams announced the consignment of a very special and historic competition Ferrari to its auction in Scottsdale, Arizona next January.

From the most famous and respected name in sports and racing is the 1966 Ferrari 275 Gran Turismo Berlinetta Competizione Scaglietti – class winner of the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours, 1969 Spa-Francorchamps 1000 Km and 1969 Imola 500 Km under Scuderia Filipinetti.

From the day it was delivered new to legendary race team owner Georges Filipinetti of Geneva, Switzerland, this automobile – chassis number 09079 – has had an exceptional and well-documented history. The eleventh of just twelve built – and one of the most prominent and successful of those twelve, this rare, matching numbers, Ferrari Classiche-certified car went on to do what its makers intended: race.

Competing three times consecutively in the most prestigious race of them all, Le Mans, in 1967, 1968 and 1969, it won the GT class its first year with Filipinetti team drivers Rico Steinmann and Dieter Spörry. Then in 1969, the first and only time it raced Spa-Francorchamps, it won that GT class with Filipinetti team drivers Jacques Rey and Edgar Berney, and then went on to win its class at Imola. In the right hands, number 09079 was a force to be reckoned with.

Launched in 1966, this new GT-class Ferrari designed expressly for competition was built around a completely new chassis specific to this model. It was lighter and stronger than the chassis of the standard 275, was fitted with reinforced wheel hubs and wider than standard wheels, and given twin saddle-mounted alloy fuel tanks with quick-access exterior fuel and oil filler caps. Additionally, it was wrapped in an ultra-thin alloy body thereby reducing weight even further.

The powerplant was also new, with a Tipo 213 Competition motor developed from the Ferrari factory team racer campaigned the previous year. The new 3.3-liter, V12 engine with fully dry sump benefited from a long list of uprated factory modifications. And the strategic placement of this awesome engine – lower and farther back – provided even more advantage with its nearly perfect weight distribution.

Not only were the physical properties of this car extremely impressive but the aesthetics also wowed the world. Its long, shark-like nose with gill-like side vents and low, wide stance made it appear both rakishly handsome and predatory at once. And its practicality, too, made it enormously attractive as it could be ferociously raced on the track or sportingly driven to the country club.

After its tenure with Filipinetti, car 09079 found a home with several respected American collections during the 1970s and 80s. Then in 1985 its body was damaged in a garage fire but the engine, drive train and chassis were all unharmed. The car was shipped to Italy where its bodywork was meticulously and accurately restored to factory specifications by marque experts Carrozzeria Brandoli, after which it received its red book certification from Ferrari Classiche confirming its matching numbers engine, chassis, suspension and transaxle.

Since then, this stunning champion has also won several honors at contemporary shows and events, including the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and has participated in Le Mans Classic, Silverstone Classic and Tour Auto, to name a few. Recently, it was one of just 60 Ferraris selected worldwide to represent the 60th anniversary of Ferrari in Beverly Hills.

Authentic, pedigreed, historic and gorgeous, the highly useable 09079 is truly a car of international importance and represents a rare opportunity for interested buyers. To see and hear this incredible machine in motion, watch the video online at Bonhams.com/video/17789.

The 2015 Bonhams Scottsdale Auction will take place Thursday, January 15th at the luxurious Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in the heart of Scottsdale.