Enzo Ferrari died on August 14, 1988. He dedicated his entire life to the world of engines, to making his surname a myth, both in the world of competitions and in the commercial world. With his models he built an empire like no other, and then we will tell you which was one of the most successful sports cars in his history. Avanti, meet this beautiful creation on wheels!
It was one of the most desired and sportingly successful Italian cars that have been manufactured in the province of Modena, to be more precise, in the city of Maranello. It was one of the most successful motorsport models of the ’60s, created by the manufacturer Enzo Ferrari, who is remembered this Sunday 34 years after his death.
It is one of the creations of the brand of the Prancing Horse that used the acronym GTO, which in Italian means “Gran Turismo Omologata”, while the number that makes up its identity derives from the amount of its cubic capacity in cm3 of each of the 12 cylinders of the car, at the time of knowing its mechanics.
In other words, on this special day we celebrate the Ferrari 250 GTO, one of the most beautiful and expensive sports cars of the brand that recalls its creator, Il Comendattore. “On this day, 34 years after his death, we remember Enzo-Ferrari. So we asked #Ferrari Design Director Flavio Manzoni to create an iconic portrait where we can see Enzo Ferrari’s eyes looking into the future: a statement of his attitude,” the firm recalled on its Twitter.
What was the Ferrari 250 GTO like?
His design was shared. The design of it was commissioned by Enzo to Giozzo Bizzarini, then chief engineer, who was in charge of sketching the 250 GTO, in 1962. But an altercation with Enzo led to his dismissal and the project was left in the hands of Mauro Forghieri, who finished it with the help of renowned designer Sergio Scaglietti .
Regarding its mechanics, this Ferrari was powered by a V12 engineextracted from nothing less than another iconic model: it was the same 2,953 cm3 Colombo block that equipped the Testa Rossa 250. It is a motor heart with an overhead camshaft per bedplate, its diameter/stroke ratio of 73 x 58 .8 millimeters associated with a dry sump lubrication system (168Comp/62) and 6 double-body Weber carburettors.
Total, it was capable of developing 300 peak horsepower at 7,500 rpm, with a torque of 294 Nm at 5,500 rpm. It had rear-wheel drive, a five-speed manual gearbox. The maximum speed of this Ferrari was 280 km/h.. This version was derived from the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB and, between 1962 and 1964, 36 units were produced.
Why was he one of the ferrari most laureate? His track record speaks for itself: On the track, he won the 1962 Sebring 12 Hours, the World Sportscar Championship three times without interruption in the Gran Turismo class, between 1962 and 1964; and he twice won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The most expensive in history
In 2018, a Ferrari 250 GTO from 1963 has been considered the most expensive car in history to be sold at auction: nothing less than 61,584,000 dollars. It was one of the three or four most outstanding examples that exist, with another peculiarity: instead of wearing a red paint, its coverage was in a silver and yellow tone. Question for fans of the world ferrari and speed: what would you be willing to do to have this model?