1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta

FerrariOn Display

Apr 19

Quick Specs

3.0-Liter Ferrari V12, TIPO 128 DF
260 hp.
167 mph (est.)
7 total “interims”: one built by Pinin Farina, six built by Scaglietti using the Pinin Farina design.

“Interim” — The 250GT that sported a prototype Pininfarina body

From the years of 1955 to 1959, about 100 examples of the Ferrari 250 GT competition models were produced. The final 7 cars were dubbed the “Interim” because they showcased a brand new Pininfarina bodied that would go on to be used on the new SWB (short wheelbase) models (despite the 7 interim models being LWB (long wheelbase)) that were launched at the 1959 Paris Auto Salon. The chassis for the car had a large-diameter oval tube frame with smaller diameter tubing around the engine as well as the rear spring pick-up points. The suspension was double wishbones and coil springs at the front and a live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. While this example had its body designed and constructed by Pininfarina in Turin, the other six examples were constructed by Scaglietti in Modena (using the Pininfarina design). The first two examples of the car were raced at Le Mans with one of the cars finishing fourth overall.

This car, chassis number 1519, was the fifth of seven rare long wheelbase, 250 GT Berlinetta coupes built by Ferrari in the summer and early fall of 1959. The long wheelbase 250 GT, later unofficially dubbed “interim,” as it represented a transition between Ferrari’s Tour de France and Berlinetta SWB models, was built to preview the performance of new Pininfarina bodywork design on the track. Evidence that Pininfarina’s design was successful, this 250 GT LWB garnered multiple race victories including first overall at the October 1959 Coupes du Salon race.

Courtesy of A&A Premier Classics LLC

This Vehicle featured in ‘The Vault’.