1954 Ferrari 250 Monza Spyder

One of the rarest Ferrari sports racing cars ever built, this is the third of just four 250 Monzas. These Ferraris look like 750 Monzas but were built with three-liter V12 engines instead of the four-cylinder motors used in the 750 Monzas.

There were four Ferrari 250 Monza cars created, with two bodied by Scaglietti and two by Pininfarina. The only example to retain its original bodywork is chassis number 0442.

The 250 Monza reinforced Ferrari's reputation for building a competitive car and for being very versatile. They were able to create this vehicle, similar to some of their prior cars, to meet the current needs of their customers. The 250 Monza's were powered by the Colombo three-liter V12 engine that produced around 240 horsepower. Keeping with Ferrari tradition, they had hydraulic drum brakes on all four corners and a four-speed manual gearbox.

This example shown is chassis number 0442 M finished in dark red with a brown interior. It is right-hand drive and sold new to Franco Cornacchia's Scuderia Guastalla. It was used in competition in Europe and at the Carrera Panamericana.

Since that time it has passed through several owners, used in various types of racing and historic events, and most recently been shown at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2007