1956 – 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta

Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta (LWB)

Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta “Tour de France”

Ferrari introduced the 250 GT Berlinetta (LWB) in 1956. It was nicknamed the Tour de France, or TdF, after dominating the French rally over multiple years, sealing a place for itself in sports car racing history. Eventually seventy-seven Tour de France cars were built, of which a number were sold for GT races from 1956 through 1959.

The 250 GT represents the longest running road and race series in Ferrari history. Introduction of this legendary model came when Alfonso de Portago drove one the very first examples, 0415GT, to victory at the 1955 Bahamas Speed Weeks in Nassau. Their achievement marked the beginning of Ferrari’s domination in GT racing with “a very long line of legendary and unbeatable 3 litre berlinettas” known as the 250 GT.¹

Not long after being introduced, the 250 GT was winning races for Ferrari’s best customers. Opposition in the 3-liter class “was obliterated until the Cobras arrived and won in 1964; nevertheless, this was no easy task for them and they had to use a much larger motor.” 

From 1954 through to 1959, Ferrari manufactured roughly one hundred purpose-built coupes for endurance sports car racing on the long wheel-base chassis. While winning the Tour de France (TDF) and other important events, these cars proved their versatility and became the racer of choice amongst top drivers.

Scaglietti displayed their own 250 GT prototype, which became known as the limited-production, Series I, “no-louvre” 250 GT Berlinetta. The first customer car was built in May 1956, with production now the responsibility of Scaglietti in Modena. Fourteen “no-louvre” and nine “14-louvre” Series I and II Berliettas were made. There were four series of 250 GT Berlinettas. In mid-1957 the Series III cars were introduced, with three louvres and covered headlights. Eighteen were produced. The 36 Series IV cars; retained the covered headlights and had a single vent louvre. Zagato also made five “no-louvre” superlight cars to Ugo Zagato’s design.

After Ferraris took the top three places at the 1957 TDF, the race organizers lent their event’s name to the victorious design. Starting in Nice and ending five days and 3345 miles (5383 km) later in Paris, the Tour de France was a highlight event in its day. It tested both durability and versatility through several road rally, circuit and hill climb stages. Since this test was grueling, most competitors, sometimes up to 70 percent, didn’t finish. After the 250 GT won the event in 1957, it continued the trend for the next eight years and won a record nine times in a row.

The common link between all 250 GTs was their surefire three-liter engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo. This engine was the smaller of the two developed by Ferrari and was needed due to new restrictions on engine size. After the serious 1955 LeMans incident, a three liter limit was imposed in an attempt to curb high speed accidents. Ferrari’s three liter engine was still good for 230 to 250 horsepower and kept up regularly with the prototype entrants.

The entire car was similar to the 250 Europa GT of 1954 with upgraded front suspension, fully synchromesh gearbox and shorter engine. The chassis took advantage of this engine to ahve a 2600mm wheelbase. Called the Tipo 508, the 250 GT kept this chassis with only slight revisions until a shorter 2400mm unit replaced it in 1959.

Each chassis received a hand-crafted body, and most were bodied by Scaglietti & C. based on four Pinin Farina showcars. Zagato, a Milanese design house known for their lightweight construction, bodied some particularly potent examples and Camillo Luglio became an Italian Champion in his.

Progressive development and hand crafted bodies meant that no two 250 GT Berlinettas were the same. Differences were incorporated into the body from year to year, with subtle details such as sliding or wind-up windows, cowled or covered or plain headlights and varied hood louvers distinguishing each car. The first TDFs were modeled after the 250 MM, both having the same general proportions and wrap-around rear windscreen. Later changes to body included a smaller rear windscreen, the addition louvers on the C pillar for cockpit cooling and more pronounced rear fenders. By 1959, a new front end included open headlights to comply with Italian law as well as provide more light.

While dominating the Tour de France, the 250 TdF went on to class victories at the Mille Migla and many other Italian events. In its day this car was the racer of choice until replaced by the 250 GT SWB, its disc-brake successor.

Author and owner Jess G. Pourret describes the car very safe with “a very clean road-holding and handling, a sturdiness of motor and chassis, and a seriousness of mechanical construction.” He notes that “out of so many races over that 10 year period it is amazing to note the rarity of fatal results.” As for complaints he lists “interior ventilation marginal on hot days or during racing time, waterproofing also marginal, noise level quite high, […] mechanical worries for the careless or brutal driver, gearbox synchronization a little weak on racing use, clutch very good for the light footer but short for the heavy ones, brakes bordering on real discretion above 150 kmh (93 mph).”

Pictures

See full 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Gallery here

Specs & Performance

type	Racing Car
built at	Maranello, Italy
body stylist	Pinin Farina
coachbuilder	Scaglietti & C.
predecessor	1953 Ferrari 250 MM
engine	Tipo 128C 60º V12
position	Front Longitudinal
aspiration	Natural
block material	Silicon Aluminum Alloy
valvetrain	SOHC, 2 Valves per Cyl
fuel feed	Triple Weber 36DCL3
displacement	2953 cc / 180.2 in³
bore	73 mm / 2.87 in
stroke	58.8 mm / 2.31 in
compression	9.2:1
engine designer	Gioacchino Colombo
power	186.4 kw / 240 bhp @ 7000 rpm
specific output	81.27 bhp per litre
bhp/weight	224.3 bhp per tonne
redline	7500
body / frame	Aluminum Body over Tipo 508 Tubular Frame
driven wheels	RWD w/LSD
wheel type	Borrani RW3077 Wires
front tires	6.00×16
rear tires	6.00×16
front brakes	Aluminum Drums w/ Hydraulic Assist
rear brakes	Unassisted Aluminum Drums
front wheels	F 40.6 x 12.7 cm / 16 x 5 in
rear wheels	R 40.6 x 12.7 cm / 16 x 5 in
f suspension	Double Wishbones w/Coil Springs
r suspension	Live Axle w/Longitudinal Half-Elliptic Springs, Lower Rods
curb weight	1070 kg / 2359 lbs
wheelbase	2600 mm / 102.36 in
front track	1354 mm / 53.3 in
rear track	1349 mm / 53.1 in
transmission	4-Speed Manual
tran clutch	Multi-Disc
gear ratios	2.48:1, 1.64:1, 1.231:1, 1.000:1
top speed	~241.4 kph / 150.0 mph
0 – 60 mph	~5.2 seconds

Auction Sales History

1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta 0557GT – sold for $13,200,000. Placed 1st overall at the 1956 Tour de France Auto. The actual car that instituted the “Tour de France/TdF”. Nomenclature. Raced and owned by the legendary Marquis Alfonso de Portago. The fifth of only seven Scaglietti-bodied first-series competition berlinettas. Awarded First in Class at Pebble Beach and Meadow Brook and the Prix Blancpain Award at the Louis Vuitton Concours d’Elegance. Cavallino Classic Platinum award winner. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of the most historically significant competition Ferraris of all time. Auction Source: RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2015