Clint Eastwood and his Ferraris

Clint Eastwood’s Ferrari 275 GTB is a true collector’s item. It was gifted to him in 1966 by producer Dino De Laurentiis. It will be on display at the Auto e Moto d'Epoca show from October 26 to 29. By Alessandro Vai, 18 October 2023.

Clint Eastwood and his 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB in 1971. Photo by Press Office Auto e Moto d'Epoca.

Clint Eastwood’s Ferrari is a truly special model. It is a 1966 275 GTB that will be on public display from October 26 to 29 in Bologna at the 40th edition of the ‘Auto e Moto d'Epoca’ show. The story of Clint Eastwood’s Ferrari begins when producer Dino De Laurentiis — aware of the Californian actor’s passion for luxury cars, particularly those from the Prancing Horse marque — decided to gift him one. Consequently, De Laurentiis ordered a 275 GTB, which at the time was the sportiest and most luxurious two-seater grand tourer produced in Maranello.

What makes Clint Eastwood's Ferrari 275 GTB special?

The original configuration features a ‘Night grey’ colour, a speedometer calibrated in miles per hour (as the car was intended for use in the United States), Borrani wire wheels and headrests, with an interior upholstered in black VM 8500 leather. The 275 GTB left the Ferrari factory in March 1966 and was registered to Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica, as noted in the supplementary registration document. However, Clint Eastwood’s 275 GTB also boasts other distinctive features: higher bumpers, a split fuel tank positioned on either side of the luggage compartment, a larger rear window and external trunk hinges encased in chrome covers.

Clint Eastwood in the early 1970s with his silver 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB. Photo by Press Office Auto e Moto d'Epoca.

When Clint Eastwood received the keys of his Ferrari, he decided to customize it further. He commissioned George Barris to change the color, opting for a dark yet brilliant green with emerald highlights that only come alive when the bodywork catches the sunlight. Inside, he had a small cabinet for the transceiver system.

All the journeys of the 275 GTB and where you can see it now

The 275 GTB was shipped to the United States in the late 1980s and changed hands frequently over the following decade. It was subsequently brought back to Europe and has been preserved in excellent condition ever since, undergoing regular mechanical maintenance and making sporadic appearances in regularity rallies and other events — such as ‘Auto e Moto d’Epoca’, which will be held at the Bologna Fiere exhibition center for the first time.

Photo by Robin Adams 2015. Courtesy of RM Sotheby's.

Photo by Robin Adams 2015. Courtesy of RM Sotheby's.

Clint Eastwood: his Ferrari was unlike any other. By Manuel Magarini, automotive journalist, on 01 August 2026.

Clint Eastwood in the early 1970s with his silver 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB. The Ferrari was a gift from film producer Dino De Laurentiis. Some time after this picture was taken, Eastwood had George Barris paint the car in metal.

Clint Eastwood received a Ferrari 275 GTB from Dino De Laurentiis and customized it; years later, the car went up for auction in Gstaad in 2004 for $486,000.

Clint Eastwood: why his Ferrari 275 GTB was special

A man, a legend. Throughout his decades-long career, Clint Eastwood has starred in films that have become part of cinematic lore, such as ‘A fistful of dollars’. Although jokes about his supposedly limited range of expression have tried to tarnish his image, he has won a place in people's hearts, captivating audiences across generations. He has long had a passion for cars — most notably the Ferrari 275 GTB, a piece of Maranello history — and has been spotted behind the wheel of one in photos that surfaced on social media.

The Ferrari gifted by Dino De Laurentiis

Accounts indicate that it was an old gift from Dino De Laurentiis, presented in 1966 while Eastwood was in Rome filming ‘The witches’. Upon learning of the actor's interest in cars, the producer ordered a brand-new example — chassis number 08539 — which was completed in March and initially registered to the company Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica.

Purists might take issue with the color — ‘Night grey’ rather than the traditional ‘Ferrari red’ — but one has to admit that the pairing with the VM 8500 black leather interior worked well. The package included Borrani wire wheels, headrests and a speedometer calibrated in miles — a detail of no small importance considering its future move to the United States.

The first signs of guaranteed success emerged at the 1964 Paris Motor Show. Designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, the bodywork embodied the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship. From the exceptionally long hood and set-back cockpit to the short tail, the car bore striking resemblances to the 250 GTO; yet beneath the skin, the engineers dared to innovate, implementing solutions — including independent suspension — that had previously been seen only on special production models.

Despite its traditional Grand Tourer lines, the final result looked to the future — as evidenced by the disc brakes. The 3.3-liter Colombo V12 engine produced 280 hp at 7,600 rpm, managed by a five-speed manual transmission mounted at the rear in a transaxle configuration to optimize weight distribution. The claimed top speed was 258 km/h.

The signature on the 275 GTB

Grateful for the gift, Eastwood wanted to put his own personal signature on the 275 GTB. He called George Barris, the renowned American customizer and asked him to replace the original grey paint with a very dark green that would reveal emerald highlights in sunlight — tones that were almost invisible in the shade. Inside, he had a two-way radio installed, a feature that remained in the car in the years that followed.

Once the work in Italy was completed, the 275 GTB crossed the Atlantic and was registered in Nevada in the actor’s name; from this point on, the details of its history become hazy. The car did not resurface until 1988, when it entered a Swiss museum; it subsequently passed to an Ecuadorian collector — who drove it in various European events — before being sold at a Bonhams auction in 2004 for 558,086 Swiss francs (equivalent to approximately 486,000 dollars at the time). Added to the model's rarity was the fact that it had belonged to an actor who had become a legend — thanks in part to the Westerns filmed in Italy.

‘A fistful of dollars’ was released in 1964, launching the trilogy directed by Sergio Leone. Eastwood, known for ‘Rawhide’, accepted a role for $15,000 that other actors had turned down: a gunslinger caught up in the war between the Baxters and the Rojos for control of San Miguel.

Clint Eastwood’s ‘targa’

Clint Eastwood and his 1975 Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer. Originally sold to a customer in Italy, the Ferrari was later imported into the U.S. by Amerispec Corporation. Amerispec added legally required American style bumpers. Eastwood bought the Ferrari in December of 1977. Shortly after buying it, he had a custom targa style roof installed by a company in Connecticut. Eastwood sold the car in 1985 and it eventually ended up in Japan. It made its way back to the U.S. in 2011 when Gooding and Co. auctioned the Ferrari in Pebble Beach. It realized a price of $211,750. The purchaser was billionaire William E Heinecke.

Clint Eastwood and his 1975 Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer.

People often talk about his most famous Ferrari 275 GTB, but today the focus is on this ‘special’ 365 GT4 BB.

Chassis number 18553, it left the factory on 28 May 1975, finished in ‘Grigio ferro’ (Iron grey) with a beige interior. Eastwood was not the first owner, however; the car was initially delivered in Italy to Campagnano Automobili s.r.l., which sold it to a certain Mr. Germani. It was subsequently exported via Amerispec Corporation to the United States, where it was fitted with ‘extended’ front and rear bumpers to comply with EPA and DOT regulations (hideous, yet unfortunately necessary at the time).

The 1975 Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer of Clint Eastwood.

In December 1977, the car joined Clint Eastwood’s collection. Shortly thereafter, due to his height (1.93 m) relative to the cramped cockpit, the actor decided to have it converted into a ‘Targa’ by commissioning a Connecticut-based craftsman to cut off the roof. Subsequently, a few other BBs (perhaps influenced by Eastwood) underwent the same ‘treatment’ by firms such as Straman, also in the US. Returning to chassis number 18553, Eastwood kept the car for eight years before parting with it in 1985. It then passed through the hands of various collectors on the US West Coast before ending up in Japan — specifically in Nagoya. It later returned to the US, where it was offered at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 1999 for $125,000 but failed to sell. At some point, it was fitted with European-spec bumpers once again. In 2011, it was sold at a Gooding & Company auction at Pebble Beach for $211,750 (including fees). The new owner, William E. Heinecke, subsequently entered the car in the 2016 Concorso d’Eleganza of Villa d’Este. The car remains in his possession to this day.

However, this is not the only BB owned by the actor, as there is another — even less well-known — example in his collection: the third production 365 GT4 BB, ‘Rosso corsa’ color.

Clint Eastwood posing with a fresh-off-the-line Ferrari 308 GTB, in 1978.

Clint Eastwood posing with a fresh-off-the-line Ferrari 308 GTB, in 1978.

Clint Eastwood striking a pose with his Ferrari 308 GTB in 1978.

Clint Eastwood striking a pose with his Ferrari 308 GTB in 1978.

Clint Eastwood in his Ferrari 308 GTB in 1978.