Contents
Overview
Ferrari 250 GTO is one of the most precious, expensive classic collector car which continues to climb in value. As every car enthusiast knows, Ferrari has a long history of producing outstanding vehicles marking the history of sports cars and supercars category. The cars like 288 GTO, 250 Testa Rossa, Ferrari F40, and the 2014 LaFerrari made the greatest impact on the development of high-performance cars. But the 250 GTO was the most influential among them all.
Each Model Was Unique
Ferrari produced only 36 units between 1962 and 1964, and no two were alike. Sports car development chiefs at Ferrari, Giotto Bizzarrini and Sergio Scaglietti, are known for creating exquisite bodywork on Ferrari automobiles using a hammer instead of blueprints. Scaglietti’s artisans built the body of each 250 GTO by hand-beating aluminum over wooden bucks, resulting in cars with differences. Variations included the rear wing, made as a separate piece on the first 18 cars and bolted to the body, number, and placement of ducts, radiator size, etc.
The 250 GTO coupe version featured a long, bulged hood occupying more than a third of the car’s total length to hide the V12 engine. The rear massive fenders swooped to an abrupt halt where they met the trunk and spoiler creating a cut-off rear fascia. A trademark of the 250 GTO, the shaved-off rear-end would later appear on many 1960s sports cars.
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Every Unit was Powered by a V12
As every unit was built differently, Ferrari equipped all the 250 GTO models with the same 3.0-liter V12 engine. The naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V12 featured twin overhead camshafts and six twin-choke Weber carburetors mounted on magnesium-alloy inlet manifolds. Craftsman machined both the crank and connecting rods from single steel billets. The engine generated 302 horsepower at 8,000 RPM and 333 Nm of torque at 5,500 RPM, coupled with five-speed manual transmission.
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Race Car Performance on Road
The V12 and a favorable power to weight ratio of 305 bhp/ton helped accelerate the 250 GTO to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, the quarter-mile in 13.1 seconds, and a top speed of 174 mph. Most of the 250 GTOs had two front wing cooling air intakes, others had three, and all the units had a roll hoop. These features contributed to Ferrari’s excellent road handling.
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Old School Interior
The cockpit lacked electronic aids or convenience features which makes a long trip comfortable for the driver or passenger. Luxuries like leather upholstery, carpeting, or even a roof headliner were absent, instead, there were cloth-wrapped seats, stripped-out door panels, and an exposed tubular space frame. Ferrari was so focused on the racing mentality, they installed an instrument panel in the 250 GTO without a speedometer.
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The High-Balling 250 GTO
The initial listing price for 250 GTO with an MSRP of $18,500 was in 1962. But today, the price skyrocketed just as 1 Bitcoin from 2012 skyrocketed today. In 1986, the first sale was for $1 million. By 1990, two units were sold for $10 Million, and a unit with chassis number 3943GT for a mad $26 Million. The chassis number 5111GT set a new world record in 2013 when the car sold for $52 million. And recently, David MacNeil, WeatherTech founder, and CEO purchased a Tour de France-winning 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO, making it the most expensive car in the world.
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