Ferrari 250

Ferrari 250
1962 Ferrari 250 GT/E
Overview
Manufacturer	Ferrari
Production	1953–1964
Designer	Giotto Bizzarrini Sergio Scaglietti Pininfarina Vignale Ghia
Body and chassis
Class	Grand Tourer
Body style	Berlinetta cabriolet coupé
Layout	FR layout
Powertrain
Engine	3.0 L V12
Transmission	5-speed manual 4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in)(SWB) 2,600 mm (102.4 in)(LWB) 2,800 mm (110.2 in)(Europa)
Chronology
Successor	Ferrari 275/Ferrari 330

5-speed manual

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 Colombo Tipo 125 V12 engine. At 2,953 cc (180 cu in), it was notable for its light weight and impressive output of up to 300 PS (221 kW; 296 hp) in the Testa Rossa and GTO. The V12 weighed hundreds of pounds less than its chief competitors — for example, it was nearly half the weight of the Jaguar XK straight-6. Ferrari uses the displacement of a single cylinder as the model designation.

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

Typical of Ferrari, the Colombo V12 made its debut on the race track, with the racing 250s preceding the street cars by three years.

The first 250 was the experimental 250 S berlinetta prototype entered in the 1952 Mille Miglia for Giovanni Bracco and Alfonso Rolfo. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL racers of Rudolf Caracciola, Hermann Lang, and Karl Kling were faster on the long straights but the 230 PS (169 kW; 227 hp) Ferrari made up sufficient ground in the hills and curves to win the race. The car was later entered at Le Mans and in the Carrera Panamericana.

The 250 S used a 2,250 mm (88.6 in) wheelbase with a "Tuboscocca" tubular trellis frame. Suspension was by double wishbones at the front, with double longitudinal semi-elliptic springs locating the live axle at the rear. The car had the drum brakes and worm-and-sector steering typical of the period. The dry-sump 3.0 L (2,953 cc (180 cu in)) engine used three Weber 36DCF carburettors and was mated directly to a five-speed manual transmission.