Ferrari 250 GT

The Ferrari 250 is a sports car built by Ferrari from 1953 to 1964. The company's most successful early line, the 250 series included several variants. It was replaced by the 275 and the 330.Most 250 road cars share the same two wheelbases, 2,400 mm (94.5 in) for short wheelbase (SWB) and 2,600 mm (102.4 in) for long wheelbase (LWB). Most convertibles used the SWB type.

Nearly all 250s share the same engine: The Colombo Tipo 125 V12. At 2,953 cc (180 cu in), it is not a large engine even for the time, but its light weight and impressive output (up to 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp)) made a big difference. The Ferrari V12 weighed hundreds of pounds less than its chief competitors — for example, it was nearly half the weight of the Jaguar XK straight-6.[1]

The light V12 propelled the small Ferrari 250 racing cars to numerous victories.250 Export/Europa

The 1953 250 Export and Europa were the only of the family to use a different engine. They shared the 2953 cc Lampredi V12 designed for Formula One use.
[edit] 250 Export

The Export model was similar to the 250 MM with its 2,400 mm (94.5 in) wheelbase. One exception was its 220 PS (162 kW; 217 hp) Lampredi engine. It was launched at the Paris Motor Show of 1953.
[edit] 250 Europa

The 250 Europa, also introduced in Paris in 1953, looked entirely different. With the long 2,800 mm (110.2 in) wheelbase and Ferrari America-style bodies, it was designed as more of a grand tourer than any previous 250. Both Pininfarina and Vignale handled the coachwork, with 21 produced in total.GT cars

The 250 design was extremely successful on the race course as well as the street. A number of GT models were built in varying states of road or racing trim.
[edit] 250 Europa GT

The first street car to use Colombo's 250 V12 was the 250 Europa GT, introduced at the 1954 Paris Motor Show. Pinin Farina's sober Paris coupe was just one of many shapes for the 250 GT line, with coachbuilt production extending through 1956 before the 250 line became more of a standardized product. The original 250 Europa GT used a 2,600 mm (102.4 in) wheelbase on a conventional chassis. The dry sump V12 was tuned to 220 PS (162 kW; 217 hp), with three Weber 36DCZ3 carburettors. Aping the Vignale's 250 Europa, Pinin Farina added now-familiar vents to the front fenders, a standard styling feature for many of the 250 GTs that followed.Pinin Farina introduced a 250-based prototype at the 1956 Geneva Motor Show which came to be called the 250 GT Boano. Intended as a styling exercise and inspiration to 250 GT Europa customers, demand soon called for construction of a series of the car.

Unable to meet demand, Pinin Farina asked Mario Boano, formerly of Ghia, to handle the construction. When Fiat recruited Boano, he handed production duties of the Ferrari to his son-in-law Ezio Ellena. With partner Luciano Pollo, Carrozzeria Ellena would produce the Ferrari for another few years. Ellena revised the car, raising the roof and removing the vent windows from the doors.

Carrozzeria Boano built 74 250 GTs on the long wheelbase chassis.

All but one were coupes. The single convertible, 0461 GT, was sold to New York collector, Bob Lee, off the stand at the 1956 New York Auto Show. At the direction of Enzo Ferrari, Lee bought the car for $9,500, far below cost. He still owns it, making it one of the oldest Ferraris still in the hands of the original purchaser.30 America

A 250 in all but name, the 1963 330 America shared the outgoing model's chassis if not its engine. Powered by the new 4.0 L engine of the later 330 cars, 50 330 Americas were built. Likely the most famous 330 America is that belonging to California socialite Sandra Ilene West. Mrs. West was buried at the wheel of her car following a 1977 drug overdose. Her instructions specified that she be clad in her lace nightgown with the driver’s seat "slanted at a comfortable angle". The car (and driver) is interred at the Alamo Masonic Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas.[citation needed] In the early 1990s (as reported in Classic Car magazine), a green-metallic 330 coupe was regularly abandoned, claimed and then re-abandoned in Melbourne over the course of 4 years. Its ultimate fate is not known.The Ferrari 250's place in Lamborghini history

Tractor manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini owned at least three Ferrari 250s: a 250GT coupe by Pininfarina, one or two 250 SWB Berlinettas by Scaglietti, and a 250GT 2+2 by Pininfarina. He was frustrated by frequent clutch problems and complained to Enzo Ferrari.[10] Ferrari insulted Lamborghini, who then resolved to build better GTs and sports cars than Ferrari. Lamborghini hired ex-Ferrari engineers to design and develop his Lamborghini cars.