c.1961 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Body
Coachwork by Pininfarina

Summer Motoring Online|30 June 2021, 13:00 CEST|Geneva

c.1961 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Body
Coachwork by Pininfarina

Body no. 972
• 'Barn find' condition
• Offered for restoration
• No documents

* Please note that this motor car will be available for viewing by prior appointment in Switzerland.

Footnotes

Offered here in 'barn find' condition is the body of a Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2, the chassis of which has been used to build another Ferrari. This lot includes the original side window glass and frames; the right-side door card; air horns; and numerous items of mostly internal trim in poor condition.

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. Ferrari's first four-seater, the 250 GTE 2+2 was directly descended from the most commercially successful Ferrari of its day, the 250 GT. Launched in 1954, the latter featured a lighter and more-compact Colombo-designed 3.0-litre V12 in place of its Europa predecessor's Lampredi unit. The 250 GT chassis followed Ferrari's established practice, being a multi-tubular frame 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 looked after braking all round. 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.

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