60 | GOODWOOD REVIVAL SALE
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1962 Ferrari 250 Gte series ii 2+2 Coupé
CoaChwork by Carrozzeria pininFarina
Not registered in the UK
Chassis no. 3429 GT
Engine no. 3429 GT
Body no. 68120
The 3-litre V12-engined Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 – as offered here - was
developed amidst great secrecy by Ferrari and Pininfarina during 1959.
Their objective was to produce a useable four-seat high-performance
Coupé in the Ferrari tradition, apart from being restricted to only two
seats – as had all series-production Maranello models built to that
date.
But as Ferrari historian Antoine Prunet has debated in his book
‘Ferrari – The Road Cars’ (EPA, Paris, and G.T.Foulis, 1987) “Several
questions had to be resolved for the new vehicle. Could a true Gran
Turismo automobile be other than a two-place car? In the case of the
250 GT in particular, would it not be too daring to attempt to reconcile
the problems for a satisfactory habitation for four people with the
2.60 metre wheelbase chassis and the lengthy 12-cylinder engine?
Would not the basic nature of the ensemble be altered in appearance?
Would not a grave imbalance be created that would injure both the
car’s performance and its aesthetics?... suddenly in 1960 the concept
became reality and very quickly became a great success”.
The secret new four-seat Ferrari was unveiled to a stunned press and
public alike at the 1960 Le Mans 24-Hour race meeting, one of the
new cars being loaned to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest for use as
the Course Car.
To achieve the required extra cabin space without lengthening the
proven chassis’ 2.60-metre wheelbase, the V12 engine had been
moved forward 20cm – 8-inches – within the frame. Two supplementary
seats were then worked into the extra cabin space.Overall the new 2+2
was 305mm longer than the corresponding 250GT Coupé, 60mm wider
but notably 56mm lower in roof height, which augmented the finished
body’s elegant and graceful proportion to the casual eye.
The power unit was similar to that in the Pininfarina Cabriolet with
latest-design Testa Rossa-derived cylinder heads with ‘outside’ spark
plugs and with coil-type valve springs. Induction was via three Weber
40DCL/6 carburettors, and the engine delivered a lusty 240bhp at
7,000rpm. This unit drove through a four-speed gearbox with overdrive
on top, as used in the parallel Cabriolet.