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LOT 26

1961 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Coupé, Coachwork by Pininfarina Chassis no. 2255 GT

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•The 34th production car built
•Matching numbers & Ferrari Classiche Certified
•Known history from new
•Four private owners from new
•Concours quality restoration recognised at Salon Privé in 2019

"Pininfarina and Enzo Ferrari have collaborated to make a most desirable motor car: expensive, fast and luxuriously comfortable, with a large luggage compartment. All this adds up to a Gran Turismo, with the accent on the 'Gran', par excellence. If you want to go road racing look to the Berlinetta, but for touring in the grand style, 'Two plus Two' equals near perfection." - Sports Cars Illustrated.

Intended to extend Ferrari's appeal to a sector of the market already contested by rivals Aston Martin and Maserati, the 250 GTE 2+2 debuted in the summer of 1960. There had been a few 2+2 Ferraris built in the 1950s by the likes of Vignale, Ghia, and Touring, but the 250 GTE was Ferrari's first production four-seater. Directly descended from the most commercially successful Ferrari of its day, the 250 GT, the 2+2 version was launched in 1954 featuring the lighter and more compact Gioacchino Colombo-designed 3.0-litre V12 in place of its Europa predecessor's Lampredi unit.

One of the finest and longest-running automotive power units of all time, the Colombo V12 dated back to 1946. Enzo Ferrari had begun planning his new car during the war and commissioned Colombo to design a small-capacity V12 engine for it. The original 1.5-litre Tipo 125 unit took its designation from the capacity of an individual cylinder (125cc) thus instigating a system of nomenclature that would characterise Ferraris for many years to some.

The 250 GT chassis followed Ferrari's established practice, being a multi-tubular spaceframe tied together by oval main tubes, though the independent front suspension now employed coil springs instead of the transverse-leaf type. A four-speed, all-synchromesh gearbox transmitted power to the live rear axle, while hydraulic drums all round looked after the braking. Disc brakes arrived late in 1959 and a four-speeds-plus-overdrive gearbox the following year, and both were features the 250 GTE enjoyed from the start of production in 1960.

Pininfarina's brief had been to produce a 2+2 without sacrificing the 250's elegant good looks or sporting demeanour and the master stylist succeeded brilliantly with the GTE. By moving the engine, gearbox and steering gear forward and the fuel tank back, sufficient room was created for two occasional rear seats within the 250 GT's 2,600mm wheelbase. The Tipo 128E outside-plug engine's 240bhp ensured that there was no reduction in performance despite the inevitable gain in weight. A popular and highly profitable car for Ferrari, the 250 GTE evolved through three series, changes being mainly confined to the dashboard layout and exterior lighting arrangements, remaining in production until 1963.

Completed by Carrozzeria Pininfarina in January 1961, '2255' is the 34th production car built out of a total of 955 units and originally was finished in Grigio Acciaio Brunito with Verde interior. The original paint was not a standard Ferrari colour but is believed to be close to the period shade of Canna di Fucile. '2255' was delivered new to Lugano, Switzerland to Mr Alberto Giuliani, and is featured as an example of the early Ferrari 250 GTE in Stanley Nowak's book 'Ferrari: Forty Years on the Road' (page 114). In this picture the Swiss identification roundel is clearly visible.

Sold by Rob de la Rive Box in 1970 to Mr G D Schmidt, an American serviceman stationed in Germany, '2255' was apparently later traded for a Ferrari 212, making its way via a dealer to Idaho and the care of John R Schultz. Mr Schultz keeps the car for 40 years before it was sold to its current UK-based owner via an American dealer in Texas. The Ferrari is registered in the UK as '657 UYJ'.

The car's restoration commenced in 2014 and took four years under the supervision of Tony Willis of the Maranello Concessionaires Archive, the UK representative for Ferrari Classiche. The body and mechanical restoration was carried out by Toni Auto in Maranello (see photographic record and supporting invoices) with Bacchelli & Villa assisting. The interior has been re-trimmed in Connolly leather by the renowned coach-trimmers Tappezzeria Luppi of Modena. Invoices on file detail every aspect of the restoration and easily exceed £200,000 in total. The car is Ferrari Classiche Certified, and the quality of the restoration was recognised with a 'Best in Class' trophy at Salon Privé in 2019. Presented in breathtakingly beautiful condition, this most practical Ferrari Gran Turismo comes complete with spare wheel, tool kit, instruction manual, Ferrari leather wallet, and the all-important Ferrari Classiche folder.

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Time, Location
11 Oct 2020
Belgium, Knokke-Heist
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[ translate ]

•The 34th production car built
•Matching numbers & Ferrari Classiche Certified
•Known history from new
•Four private owners from new
•Concours quality restoration recognised at Salon Privé in 2019

"Pininfarina and Enzo Ferrari have collaborated to make a most desirable motor car: expensive, fast and luxuriously comfortable, with a large luggage compartment. All this adds up to a Gran Turismo, with the accent on the 'Gran', par excellence. If you want to go road racing look to the Berlinetta, but for touring in the grand style, 'Two plus Two' equals near perfection." - Sports Cars Illustrated.

Intended to extend Ferrari's appeal to a sector of the market already contested by rivals Aston Martin and Maserati, the 250 GTE 2+2 debuted in the summer of 1960. There had been a few 2+2 Ferraris built in the 1950s by the likes of Vignale, Ghia, and Touring, but the 250 GTE was Ferrari's first production four-seater. Directly descended from the most commercially successful Ferrari of its day, the 250 GT, the 2+2 version was launched in 1954 featuring the lighter and more compact Gioacchino Colombo-designed 3.0-litre V12 in place of its Europa predecessor's Lampredi unit.

One of the finest and longest-running automotive power units of all time, the Colombo V12 dated back to 1946. Enzo Ferrari had begun planning his new car during the war and commissioned Colombo to design a small-capacity V12 engine for it. The original 1.5-litre Tipo 125 unit took its designation from the capacity of an individual cylinder (125cc) thus instigating a system of nomenclature that would characterise Ferraris for many years to some.

The 250 GT chassis followed Ferrari's established practice, being a multi-tubular spaceframe tied together by oval main tubes, though the independent front suspension now employed coil springs instead of the transverse-leaf type. A four-speed, all-synchromesh gearbox transmitted power to the live rear axle, while hydraulic drums all round looked after the braking. Disc brakes arrived late in 1959 and a four-speeds-plus-overdrive gearbox the following year, and both were features the 250 GTE enjoyed from the start of production in 1960.

Pininfarina's brief had been to produce a 2+2 without sacrificing the 250's elegant good looks or sporting demeanour and the master stylist succeeded brilliantly with the GTE. By moving the engine, gearbox and steering gear forward and the fuel tank back, sufficient room was created for two occasional rear seats within the 250 GT's 2,600mm wheelbase. The Tipo 128E outside-plug engine's 240bhp ensured that there was no reduction in performance despite the inevitable gain in weight. A popular and highly profitable car for Ferrari, the 250 GTE evolved through three series, changes being mainly confined to the dashboard layout and exterior lighting arrangements, remaining in production until 1963.

Completed by Carrozzeria Pininfarina in January 1961, '2255' is the 34th production car built out of a total of 955 units and originally was finished in Grigio Acciaio Brunito with Verde interior. The original paint was not a standard Ferrari colour but is believed to be close to the period shade of Canna di Fucile. '2255' was delivered new to Lugano, Switzerland to Mr Alberto Giuliani, and is featured as an example of the early Ferrari 250 GTE in Stanley Nowak's book 'Ferrari: Forty Years on the Road' (page 114). In this picture the Swiss identification roundel is clearly visible.

Sold by Rob de la Rive Box in 1970 to Mr G D Schmidt, an American serviceman stationed in Germany, '2255' was apparently later traded for a Ferrari 212, making its way via a dealer to Idaho and the care of John R Schultz. Mr Schultz keeps the car for 40 years before it was sold to its current UK-based owner via an American dealer in Texas. The Ferrari is registered in the UK as '657 UYJ'.

The car's restoration commenced in 2014 and took four years under the supervision of Tony Willis of the Maranello Concessionaires Archive, the UK representative for Ferrari Classiche. The body and mechanical restoration was carried out by Toni Auto in Maranello (see photographic record and supporting invoices) with Bacchelli & Villa assisting. The interior has been re-trimmed in Connolly leather by the renowned coach-trimmers Tappezzeria Luppi of Modena. Invoices on file detail every aspect of the restoration and easily exceed £200,000 in total. The car is Ferrari Classiche Certified, and the quality of the restoration was recognised with a 'Best in Class' trophy at Salon Privé in 2019. Presented in breathtakingly beautiful condition, this most practical Ferrari Gran Turismo comes complete with spare wheel, tool kit, instruction manual, Ferrari leather wallet, and the all-important Ferrari Classiche folder.

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Estimate
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Time, Location
11 Oct 2020
Belgium, Knokke-Heist
Auction House
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