1961 Ferrari 250 GT

The 250 Series of Ferraris were underpinned by Le Man's winners and the grand touring cars from the company's past. It followed the company's basic construction formula and was powered by a high-revving V-12 engine. Produced in both LWB and SWB forms, it became the first 'production' Ferrari.

By this point in history, road car production was no longer a sideline for Ferrari and had become vitally important to the company's future stability. The 250 series, Ferrari's first volume-produced model, was critically important to the company's prosperity, beginning with the 250 Europe, built from 1953 to 1954 with fewer than 20 examples constructed. Prior to the Europa, Ferrari had built road-going convertibles and coupes in small numbers, usually to special and specific customer orders. They were built atop a sports-racing chassis and often clothed by Vignale and Ghia of Turin, and Touring of Milan. There was no attempt to standardize series production and no two cars were alike.

Vignale had been Ferrari's most popular carrozzeria but with the introduction of the 250 Europa, Pinin Farina (later 'Pininfarina') became Ferrari's number one choice, clothing no fewer than 48 of the 53 Europa and Europa GTs. Experimentation led to a new Ferrari 250GT road car wearing Pinin Farina coachwork publicly displayed at the Geneva Salon in March of 1956. At the time, the Torinese carrozzeria was unable to handle the production workload, resulting in production being entrusted to Carrozzeria Boano after Pinin Farina had completed a handful of prototypes.

The start of true series production began with a Pininfarina 'notchback' Coupe on the 250GT chassis, produced from 1958 to 1960 beginning with the sequence '0841' to '2081', with 350 examples built. The cars were still tailored to individual customer's requests and a handful of show cars and 'specials' were also built on the 250GT chassis.

During the 250GT production, a number of significant developments occurred, including the original 128C 3.0-liter engine being replaced by the twin-distributor 128D, later superseded in 1960 by the outside-plug 128F engine which introduced six separate ports instead of the prior Siamesed inlets. Four-wheel disc brakes arrived late in1 959 and a four-speed-plus-overdrive gearbox was added a year later.

Series production of the 250GT Cabriolet commenced in July 1957 and approximately 40 Series I Pininfarina-styled examples were completed before the introduction of the Series II in 1959. There was confusion between the Cabriolet and the California Spyder which prompted Farina to separate the two by further defining the Cabriolet as a semi-luxurious grand touring car with more soundproofing, more comfortable interior appointments, and more refined styling. The Series II also improved on its predecessor's mechanical components with running changes that included a switch to disc brakes (by 1960) and telescopic shock absorbers, twin distributors and redesigned cylinder heads with spark plugs relocated to the outside. Ferrari's 2,600-mm oval tube chassis was fitted with independent front suspension by unequal A-arms, coil springs, and telescopic shocks. In the back was a live axle located by semi-elliptic springs and twin parallel trailing arms also with telescopic dampers. Additionally, the front received an anti-sway bar. Alloy-rimmed Borrani road wheels usually fitted with Dunlop, Englebert, or Pirelli tires were placed at all four corners. The four-speed all-synchro transmission had an electrically operated 28.2% overdrive motivated by a large single dry-plate clutch.

The Series II cars were powered by the latest, 240-horsepower Tipo 128F V12 engine with outside sparkplugs, coil valve springs, and twelve-port cylinder heads.

The Series II Cabriolets were produced from 1959 through 1962 and about 200 examples of the Pininfarina Series II Cabriolet were built, most of them in standard configuration with open headlamps. It made its debut in 1959 at the Paris Motor Show and brought with it a variety of subtle changes from the first series models. Along with the open headlamps, it was given a slightly more rounded nose, elongated tail lamp lenses, and a wider front and rear track. The interior and trunk received slightly more space.

Production of the 250GT of all times exceeded 900 units of which 200 were Series II Cabriolets. They retained the sporting heritage of their predecessors yet were more practical and refined than any previous road-going Ferrari.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 2489 GT
Engine number: 2489 GT

The first Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II was shown at the Paris Auto Salon of 1959, and production lasted until 1962, with 201 cars being made. It was the most expensive Ferrari in the 250 GT range. The Series II differed significantly from the Series I and the Spyder California; most importantly, under the hood it had the latest 240 horsepwoer Tipo 128F V12 engine, with 12-port cylinder heads based on the Le Mans-winning Testa Rossa TRI61 engine.

Ferrari 250 GT with chassis number 2489GT is a Series II Cabriolet constructed by Pininfarina. It is a left hand drive vehicle that does have a factory hardtop with a sunroof. It was completed at Pinin Farina's workshop in April 1961 and left finished in Amaranto Roma with leather upholstery. The hardtop with integrated sunroof is thought to be unique to this car. Its first owner took possession of the car in 1961. It was delivered new to Ferrari dealer J.H. Keller AG of Zurich, Switzerland in June of 1961 and then sold to Mrs. Tora. It remained in their care for a number of years before finding its second owner in 1976, when it was sold to Ernst Wanzenried. Ownership passed through several other caretakers before being purchased by its current Florida-based owner. At the time of purchase, it was in very good condition, yet a comprehensive, show-quality restoration was soon undertaken. At that time, the car was painted white and given red leather upholstery and a silver hardtop. The work was completed in early 2012.

Ferrari built just 200 examples of the Series II Pinin Farina Cabriolet between 1959 and 1962. It wore a design by Carrozzeria Pinin Farina and had an original asking price of 5,800,000 lire.

The current owner acquired the car in 2015 and has restored it to its original factory condition.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 3093GT
Engine number: 3093GT

The Series II Cabriolet was produced from 1959 through the end of 1962, and created during the same time as the California Spider. Scaglietti bodied the more sporting, 'inexpensive' cars while Pininfarina produced the more upscale Grand Touring models. There were slightly more than 200 examples of the Series II Cabriolet produced.

Chassis number 3093GT was shipped from Ferrari to the Pininfarina plant in Torino on October 12th of 1961. When it left as a complete Cabriolet it was painted in Shelly Gray paint with a red interior. The certificate of origin was issued on January 20th of 1962. A mere six days later the first owner, Mr. Fontanella (president of Mondial Express S.r.L. of Milan, Italy), took possession. It came equipped with a factory-original hardtop that was painted in metallic silver-blue.

The second owner took possession of the car in January of 1964. The new owner was a 22-year-old resident of Rome named Mrs. Flora Anna Panetta. She kept the car for only a short time, selling it in 1965. It was purchased by Edwin K. Niles, an attorney and car dealer based in Encino, California.

The car was advertised for sale in the Prancing Horse for $5,500 in 1966. The next publicly known owner was in 1976 when it was registered in the Ferrari Owners Club membership directory, then owned by Peter Olend of Wooland Hills, California. Ron VanKregten purchased the car in 1984, by this point the car was finished in red with a brown interior.

The car still has its original engine and FIM radiator. It has an original and rare belly pan and heat shields. There is the correct Marelli electrics, including the generator, distributors and voltage regulator. It has the original Siglia windshield, Sekurit glass, period Talbot mirror, Veglia gauges, Borrani wire wheels, and Michelin VWXs tires.

In 2009, this Series II Cabriolet was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona where it was offered without reserve and estimated to sell for $350,000 - $425,000. The lot was sold for the sum of $385,000, including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 2145 GT

Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet with chassis number 2145GT was constructed by Pinin Farina and is a left-hand drive, Series 2 car. It came to the United States in 1972 under the care of Dave Rosenbery. Since then it has been owned by Robert Nuzzo, John Sullivan Jr., and Jeffrey Fisher. Under Nuzzo's care it appeared at the 1993 Colorado Grand. In 1997, under Sullivan's care, it was shown at the Cavallino Classic where it was awarded an impressive, Second in Class. It has since returned to the Cavallino Classic under the care of Jeffrey Fisher of Palm Beach, Florida.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 1755GT

Chassis number 1755 GT is a Series II Cabriolet that was the ninth of the total 200 cars built. It left the factory finished in Avorio (Ivory) over Marrone leather hides. It was sent to Pinin Farina on January 19th before the completed car was presented in April of 1960 and sold new through dealer Renato Nocentini's Garage La Rotonda in Florence, Italy to Sergio Sorbi. By the early 1980s, the car resided in the United States, in need of restoration and with a modified trunk lid. The current owner's purchased the car in 1984 as a complete matching-numbers example, but requiring a total restoration. In around 2005, a two-year restoration began. Upon completion, it was shown at the 2007 Amelia Island Concours.

The Colombo 60-degree V-12 engine has single overhead camshafts and triple Weber carburetion. The 260 horsepower is sent to the rear-wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox with overdrive. The wheelbase measures 102 inches and there are four-wheel disc brakes.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Amelia Island sale presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $600,000 - $800,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $770,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 3055 GT

This Ferrari 250 GT Series II Pininfarina cabriolet was finished by the factory in a rare colour of Oro Longchamp (16288 MM), with a Cuoio Natural interior (VM 3218). In 1994, the car was acquired by Paul Gilpatrick of Westminster, Colorado. That year, the car was shown at the Concorso Italiano and the International Ferrari Concours in Monterey, California, where the car earned 3rd in class. The following May, 3055 GT was recognized with a Silver Award at the FCA's National Concours in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Gilpatrick also campaigned the car in the 1994 and 1995 runnings of the Colorado Grand vintage rally.

Colorado resident Harry Mathews purchased the car in 1997. The car was campaigned in the Colorado Grand in 1997 and 1998 before selling it to Dick Belveal, who entered the car in the California Mille, the Colorado Grand and the Copperstate 1000. The car was awarded a Platinum Award at a 2007 FCA meet in Arizona. During its present ownership, the car has been given a full bare-metal re-spray. Currently, the car displays approximately 38,000 miles on its odometer.

The car is powered by a 2953cc single overhead camshaft V-12 engine capable of producing 260 horsepower. It has a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at RM Auctions Monaco Sale. The car was estimated to sell for €525.000-€600.000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of €638.400 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 2683GT
Engine number: 2683GT

This 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II by Pininfarina is the 136th of the 200 PF Cabriolets built. The car was originally finished in white with black leather interior and was delivered new to France. The first owner was Mr. Baud who covered almost 125,000 kilometers before selling it to another French owner, Mr. Vialfond. He drove it another 120,000 kilometers before treating it to a comprehensive restoration, from 1993 to 1994. During this work, the color scheme was changed to dark blue over black leather.

In 1994, the car was sold to Mr. Ruenzi, in Switzerland, with the mileage now approaching 300,000 kilometers. Following an auction sale in 1999, the car went to the United Kingdom, where it was owned by Mr. Peter Mullen, of London. It was then sold to Mr. Nick Colonna, of California, who brought it to the United States in 2004. Prior to a showing at the 2005 Cavallino Classic in Palm Beach, Florida, the Ferrari was given a freshening and wide-ranging service. In 2006, its next owner, Mr. Joshua Teverow, took delivery. It returned to Cavallino in 2007, the year it entered the collection of another California collector. While in his care, the car was treated to further major improvements, which included new Rosso Corsa paint, fresh chrome, and a Cognac leather interior. The work totaled over $120,000.

The car has a reproduction tool roll with a set of Beta tools, a jack and wheel puller, and a custom-fitted car cover with storage bag.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 2093 GT
Engine number: 2093 GT

On April 14th of 1969, Malcolm Pray purchased this Ferrari 250 GT Series II Cabriolet for $2,800. It remained in his collection for 45 years.

The car was originally delivered to Franco-Britannic Autos Ltd., of Levallois, a Paris suburb, in 1960. When new, the car was finished in Rosso Rubino with tan leather upholstery and fitted with a factory hardtop, which was also finished in the body color. That year, the car was on display at the Paris Motor Show. It arrived in Paris on September 26, 1960, just in time for the Paris show, which ran from October 6-16.

On August 18th of 1966, it appeared in New York City and was acquired by J.S. Inskip. On September 1st, it was sold to Stern-Haskell who retained the car for two-and-a-half years, before coming into the care of Mr. Pray.

In 1997, it was repainted in its original Rosso Rubino color. A few years later, the leather was removed, re-dyed, and then reinstalled. The dashboard was restored, and the instruments within and their bezels remain untouched. The odometer shows just 46,601 kilometers. All four wheels are the original code RW 3538 Borrani chrome wires and ride on Michelin 185R 400X tires. In the trunk is an original Borrani spare that is date-coded 8-60.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 250GTF2441

This 1961 Ferrari 250 Series II Cabriolet with Pinin Farina coachwork is a well-preserved and low-mileage example. It was in storage for 33 years before being discovered in Southern California in late 2009 by Mike Regalia.

The 250 Cabriolet Series I were derived from the 250 GT Coupe. The Cabriolet had a similar appearance to the California Spyder, causing confusion and prompting Ferrari to separate the two by further defining the Cabriolet as a quasi-luxury touring car with more comfortable interior appointments, more refined styling, and more soundproofing. The Series II improved on its predecessor with several important mechanical changes including a switch to disc brakes and telescopic shock absorber, twin distributors and redesigned cylinder heads with spark plugs relocated to the outside.

Mr. Regalia decided against performing a restoration and instead chose to give the car a rehabilitation. The exterior cosmetics were address and the interior carpet (which had been changed from its original Red to Black) was replaced with the original type and color and protected with the proper floor mats. The rest of the interior remains original, including the convertible top and sun visors. It also has its original hard top. The seats remain in good overall condition, with original plating and in operational order. The optional console is fitted with a correct Becker Europa radio in fine operating condition. The engine, gearbox, rear end, fuel tank and exhaust were removed for cleaning and disassembly. The engine was completely dismantled and new components installed where necessary, then carefully detailed and reassembled.

Since the work was completed, the car now shows just over 5,200 original kilometers. In 2014 it was awarded the Enzo Ferrari Award at the Desert Concorso in Palm Desert, California.

This Type 508 E Cabriolet, chassis number 2441, wears body number 29918 and is the 118th of 200 built. It engine a Type 128 E engine and Rosso MM 15093 paint. It was sent to Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in Torino, Italy on January 27th of 1961. Pinin Farina completed the work on May 16th of 1961. It was completed at the factory in June of 1961. Upon completion, it was delivered new to Renato Nocentini's dealership Garage La Rotanda in Prato near Florence, Italy. It was exported from Italy to California sometime in the 1970s.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 2045 GT

Powered by the 128 F Series V-12 three liter engines, the Ferrari 250 Cabriolets were both seriously quick and stylish. The son of an owner of this car stole the car while his father was out of town. He proceeded to drive it to Sedona, Arizona from their home near San Diego. En route, he managed to burn out the clutch, quite understandable considering his lack of experience and proper training. The son had the car towed home, covered up, and never said a word. When his father arrived home he found that the car would not run and that no one locally had the necessary skits to resuscitate it. So it was left in storage and covered with boxes for 20 years. That is where the current owner found the car. It has since undergone an extensive restoration. The son did eventually confess to his misdeed, albeit 30 years later.

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 2587
Engine number: 2587

This Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II is one of eight delivered in smoke gray Grigio Fumo paintwork with a beige leather interior. At the end of 1959, Ferrari introduced the second generation of Pinin Farina-bodied cabriolets that boasted strong performance but with perfect road manners. Just 200 Series II Cabriolets were built, and this car was the 131st to be delivered. The car was sold new to Mr. Daniel Balozian, a Frenchman living in California at the time, who owned it until 1986 when it was sold to Richard W. Gent of Euclid, Ohio. After several more owners and a change of paint color, the car was eventually purchased by the current owner, who commissioned a bare metal restoration back to its original, factory-correct appearance.

The car was presented at the Ferrari 70th Anniversary special display at Casa Ferrari during the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

It was acquired by its current owner in August of 2018. Most recently, the car won the Excellence in Class award at the 2019 Cavallino Classic Sports Sunday at Mar-a-Lago Concours, in addition to being shown at the 2019 Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance and the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 3009 GT
Engine number: 3009

The second-series Ferrari 250 GT cabriolet had an outside-plug version of the Colombo V-12 engine, designated Tipo 128F, open headlamps, elongated taillamp lenses, and a slightly more rounded nose. During the three years of production, 200 examples of the second-series cabriolets were produced.

This particular example was completed by the factory in November of 1961 and delivered new to Luigi Chinetti Motors in New York. It was the 150th of the 200 Series II examples constructed. It was finished in the color scheme of Verde Italver (6012) over Natural Franzi leather (NR1) and sold new to its first owner, Angelo Roma of New York, in January 1962. By the mid-1960s, it was residing on the West Coast in the care of Arthur L. True of Spokane, Washington. Mr. True would later bequeath most of his collection to the Henry Ford Museum in 1967, however chassis number 3009 GT remained in Washington. By the 1980s it was owned by Willard Quinn III, also of Spokane. By 1989 the car had returned across the Atlantic and was purchased by Erich Traber of Switzerland. Mr. Traber retained the car for a decade and had it painted gunmetal grey and retrimmed the interior in red leather.

It was sold to a collector in Japan in November of 2004, where it remained for several years, then returned to the United States in 2010 and given a full restoration. More recently, the car has received further cosmetic work, including being repainted in Nero, along with an engine rebuild.

This vehicle retains its original engine, transmission, and rear differential and is currently undergoing Ferrari Classiche certification.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 2533
Engine number: 2533

The second generation of Pininfarina-bodied luxury cabriolets on the 250 GT model line was introduced as the 1950s were coming to a close. These grand touring vehicles complemented the company's line of competition-derived 250 California Spyders and were equipped with four-wheel disc brakes and an outside-plug engine. A total of 200 examples of the second-series cabriolets were built and officially designed by the 'GTF' prefix affixed to their chassis plate.

This particular example is the 127th Series Cabriolet produced between 1959 and 1962. It received its Pininfarina coachwork on June 28th of 1961 before returning to Maranello, where it remained until September of that year. It was given Grigio Conchiglia (MM 16.249) over a Pelle Blu (VM 3087) and delivered new to the premises of dealer Vincenzo Malago within Rome. The first recorded owner was Renato Stefani di Canegina of nearby Viterbo. In 1965 the car was sold to its second Italian owner and subsequently exported to the United States where it was noted with a California owner by 1973.

The car was in California for just over a dozen years before it returned to Europe via the Swiss collector and financier Edgard Mannheimer of Zurich. By this point in history, its original colors had been painted over with a red exterior and the interior changed to beige upholstery. Within a year, Mannheimer sold the car to the Belgian tifosi Maurice Harlaux out of Brussels. Harlaux retained the car for several years and showed it several times during his ownership, including in September of 1992 at the FF40 Ferrari Francorchamps International Concours d'Elegance in Brussels. In December 1998, the car was acquired by an individual from the Netherlands, through whom it soon passed to an Italian Ferrari collector.

In April of 2013, chassis 2533 received its Ferrari Classiche, confirming the presence of all major factory-provided components. A short time later, it was sold to a California-based collector, exported from Italy, and treated to a complete restoration. Upon completion, the car wore its factory-correct color combination of Grigio Conchiglia over a Pelle Blu leather with a matching cloth top.

The car has a period-correct Autovox radio, a trunk-mounted Hirschmann automatic antenna, Michelin Defender tires, and Borrani wire wheels cast in July 1961. The only modern addition was another brake light affixed to the rear bumper.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet
Chassis number: 2703
Engine number: 2703

Ferrari built 200 examples of the second-series cabriolets and was officially designated by the 'GTF' prefix affixed to their chassis plate. This example is the 138th-second series cabriolet produced between 1959 and 1962. It received its Pininfarina bodywork on July 4th of 1961 and returned to Maranello. It was given a Grigio Argento (MM 16003) paint scheme over a Nero (VM 8500) leather interior and was delivered new shortly thereafter to Luigi Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut. Additional factory specifications provided to 2703 included a matching hardtop and Borletti instrumentation 'in miles.'

The car spent time with several owners in the greater New York City metropolitan area before it was acquired by Sam Smith of Bethesda, Maryland in January 1975. From Smith, 2703 next passed in June 1977 to Parker Hall of Vicksburg, Mississippi—with whom it would remain for the next 42 years. During his ownership, the car was exhibited just twice in the late nineties, and later completed the 2010 Copperstate 1000 Road Rally and 2014 Colorado Grand.

Chassis 2703 was certified by Ferrari Classiche in April 2011 as retaining all its major original, numbers-matching powertrain components including engine, gearbox, and rear differential. At the time, Classiche noted that the suspension had been updated with more modern shock absorbers, though the original-style Dunlop disc brakes were retained.

The original Grigio Argento paintwork has been preserved under a clearcoat layer which is believed to have been applied under Hall's ownership. The seats, however, are believed to have been reupholstered very early in the car's life, and the floormats are newer facsimiles although the originals have been retained.

The Ferrari now rides on a set of date-coded Borrani wire wheels wrapped in period-style Pirelli Cinturato tires.

by Dan Vaughan

Production of the 250 Series began in 1954 and continued on through the early part of the 1960's. There were numerous variations of the 250 and would ultimately become Ferrari's most successful line of vehicles to date. The 250 is also recognized as the first Ferrari to ever receive disc brakes. This did not take place until the end of the 1950's. Also, the 250 was the first four-seater.

Ferrari's were custom-built cars built in exclusive quantities. Ferrari provided the engine and chassis while Italian coachbuilders provided the body. This meant the specifications varied. Engines also varied in horsepower rating, torque, and displacement. This was no different for the 250 GT which saw many different variations in body style and body types.

Ferrari built the road-going Ferrari's to fuel his passion for racing. Many of the vehicles he built for the road had a competition model. That is, a modified version of the road-going model. An example of this was the 1959 short-wheelbase (SWB) Berlinetta (Berlinetta which means coupe) and given an aluminum body. It was debuted in October 1959 at the Paris Salon. GT cars were road-legal vehicles that could also be taken to the track and compete without the need for modifications. Although this was their purpose, Ferrari realized that many customers would not race their vehicle, but rather wanted the power and performance that sports cars offered. To comply, Ferrari built these cars to be powerful and luxurious. The vehicles could still be run on the track, mostly requiring the adoption of stickers and complying with any safety requirements.

The 250 road-going vehicles mostly shared two-wheelbase sizes, a 2400 mm and 2600 mm. The 2400 wheelbase were referred to as the SWB (Short wheelbase) while the other was the LWB (long wheelbase).

The base engine was a Colombo 60-degree, single-over-head cam, 'vee' type 12-cylinder, with aluminum alloy block and heads, and cast-iron cylinder liners. The displacement was 180 cubic inches (2953 cc). Horsepower production was around 220-260. The front suspension was independent with double wishbones and coil springs. The rear suspension was a live axle.

The first 250 introduced was the 250S and available in either Berlinetta or spider configuration. Introduced in 1952, they were powered by a 3-liter Colombo engine producing about 230 horsepower.

At the 1953 Paris Motor Show, Ferrari introduced the 250 Europa and Export. These were the only models in the series that were powered by a Lampredi v-12 engine also seen in Formula 1. The 250 Export had a 2400 MM wheelbase, similar to the 250 MM. The 250 Europa had a larger, 2800 mm wheelbase which allowed more interior room. During their short production lifespan, only 18 examples were produced. Pininfarina and Vignale were tasked with creating the coachwork.

In 1954 four specialty-built 250 Monza were built for racing. They shared many similarities with the 750 Monza's, but were equipped with the 3-liter Colombo engine.

At the 1957 Geneva auto show, Ferrari displayed their 250 GT Cabriolet. Coachwork was courtesy of Pininfarina; the wheelbase was 2600 mm in size. In 1959 the second in the 250 GT Cabriolet series production began after only 36 examples being produced.

From 1957 through 1959 Ferrari produced the 250 GT Berlinetta 'Tour de France' (TdF). The name had been given for the 10-day automobile race. Originally the engine produced 240 horsepower but was later modified to 260 horsepower. Carrozzeria Scaglietti was responsible for creating the bodies based on Pinin Farina's design.

Scaglietti was responsible for constructing the 1957 250 GT California Spyder. These sat atop a long, 2600 mm chassis, and aluminum was used throughout the body in an effort to reduce the overall weight. In total, around 45 examples were created before they were replaced by the SWB version in 1960.

There were 250 examples of the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB produced. Production began in 1959 and used the shortened, sportier wheelbase. Giotto Bizzarrini, Carlo Chiti, and Mauro Forghieri were responsible for the development. Some were built for racing while others were meant for daily transportation. Horsepower ranged from 240 to 280. Steel or aluminum bodies were used. The steel bodies were suited for the road-going vehicles, also known as Lusso. The racing trim vehicles were powerful and had low weight. They were very competitive and are regarded as the most important GT racers of their time. In 1961 the SWB Berlinetta captured the GT class of the Constructor's Championship.

In 1960 a Scaglietti 250 GT Spyder California SWB was shown at the Geneva Motor Show. Built as a replacement for the LWB and based on the 250 GT SWB, around 55 examples were produced.

The Ferrari 250TR was produced from 1957 through 1958 during which only 19 examples were created. The 'pontoon' fender body was designed by Scaglietti and the power was supplied through a Colombo 12-cylinder engine mounted at a sixty-degree angle and outfitted with six Weber 38 DCN carburetors. Power was sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox. With 300 horsepower, the 800 kg vehicle was able to achieve a 168 mph top speed. From 1958 through 1961, the 250 TR was entered in 19 championship races where they emerged victorious ten times.

The 250 in 250 TR represented the unitary displacement while the TR was an acronym meaning Testa Rossa. Testa Rossa translates to 'red head' which referred to the color of the engine's cylinder head.

The 250 TR series was built to capture the world championship which was experiencing questionable times. During the 1955 24 Hours of LeMans a fatal accident occurred and the Commissione Sportiva Internazionale (CSI) began investigating ways to make the sport safer for the drivers and the spectators. Their efforts were escalated in 1967 when another fatal accident occurred at the 1957 Mille Miglia. The committee decided upon a displacement limit but they were in disagreement on the size; the proposed figures ranged from 3 to around 3.5 liters.

1958 was the introductory year for the new regulations, which had been announced during the latter part of 1957. Ferrari had been building, testing, and racing the 250 GT which had performed well during the 1957 Mille Miglia. The Colombo V12 260 horsepower engine received a larger bore, camshaft, and other improvements resulting in a 3.1-liter displacement and 320 horsepower. Testing continued throughout the 1957 season in both body configuration and mechanical components.

Ferrari had anticipated the new engine size regulations and thus had been sufficiently prepared to capture the world championship. Due to the potential of negative publicity caused by the fatal accidents, other manufacturers, such as Aston Martin, Lotus, Cooper and Jaguar, were hesitant to continue racing. Ferrari believed their closest competitor would be the powerful and technologically advanced Maserati 450 S which featured a quad-cam eight-cylinder engine.

Ferrari quickly began capturing victories during the 1958 season. The 250 TR was a solid vehicle thanks to the preparation and testing. The steel tubular ladder frame was of traditional Ferrari construction; a DeDion rear axle was used on the works racers. Customer cars were outfitted with a live axle. Drum brakes were placed on all four corners of the car. The engine had been modified to comply with regulations and to fit in the engine bay. In reality, the vehicle was an outdated car having only the benefit of proper planning and proven technology. Most cars featured disc brakes which provided superior stopping power. The Colombo engine dated back to the beginning of Ferrari and was antiquated in comparison to the modern power plants.

Nearing the close of the 1958 season, the competition began to rise. Aston Martin had a lethal combination, a 3 liter DBR1 racer and Stirling Moss as the driver. Even though the Aston Martins did score a victory at Nurburgring 1000 KM, Ferrari was able to capture the World Championship. The legendary Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien easily capture a third victory for Ferrari at the grueling 24 Hours of Lemans. The 250 TR works cars were referred to as TR58, to distinguish them from the customer TRs.

For the 1959 season, the vehicles received slight modifications which made the vehicle lighter and more powerful. The big news was the use of Dunlop disc brakes. The engine received coil valve springs and the horsepower increased slightly to 306. A Colotti-designed five-speed gearbox replaced the four-speed unit. Pininfarina was tasked with designing a new body and the construction was handled by Fantuzzi. As a result of the improvements, the name was changed to TR59. At their inaugural race, the TR59 finished first and second. This streak did not last and at the end of the season, it was Aston Martin who emerged as the world champion. The TR59 was plagued with reliability issues mostly due to the gearbox. The vehicles were forced to retire early from races, including Le Mans.

For the 1960 season, the TR was modified slightly to comply with new regulations and to rectify transmission issues. These vehicles are commonly referred to as the TR59/60. Aston Martin had withdrawn from the championship which left no factory opposition for Ferrari. Porsche and Maserati provided competition, especially at Targa Florio and the Nurburgring 1000 km where they scored victories. At Le Mans, Ferrari finished first and second and captured the world championship, beating Porsche by only four points.

For the 1961 season, Ferrari introduced the mid-engined 246 SP. The TRI61 was given a new spaceframe chassis and was able to capture victories at Sebring 12 Hours and Le Mans. With victories between the 246 SP and the TRI61, Ferrari once again captured the world championship.

The CSI implemented stricter rules for the 1962 season which meant the TR was unable to score points for the factory. It was still allowed to race for the overall victory.

by Dan Vaughan