250 GTO (Italy, 1962)

Ferrari’s sports and race car 250 GTO debuted in 1962, purposely built to enter the GT class in racing competitions.
In fact, this model benefits from the 250 Testa Rossa’s V12 engine, as well as from the 250 GT SWB’s chassis, in order to achieve such racing intentions. As a result, the 250 GTO has ruled the World Sports Car championship for quite a long time.

The ‘GTO’ letters on its nameplate stand for ‘Gran Turismo Omologato’, which is Italian for ‘Grand Touring Homologated’. The numbers ‘250’ are a reference to the displacement of each of the engine’s cylinders, measured in cubic centimeters.
With this car, Ferrari remained faithful to its characteristic technology system at that time.

Stopping production in 1964, with no more than 39 units built (33 in standard body), making the 250 GTO one of the world’s most expensive, yet wanted, automobiles.

Its naturally aspirated V12 engine is front-mounted and has a 3.0L displacement capacity. Reaching a top speed of 173 mi/h (279 km/h), this GTO model comes with an output power of nearly 300 hp, through a 5-speed manual Porsche transmission.

Hand-welded tube frame.   Platform GTO platform   Suspension The A-arm front suspension consists of double wishbones with coil springs, Koni adjustable shock absorbers and an Anti-Roll Bar. The rear suspension is composed by a live axle with semi-elliptic springs, Koni shock absorbers and a dual watts linkage   Steering ZF Wom & Peg.   Brakes All-round Dunlop disc brakes with hydraulic assist.

The 250 GTO comes only in the Berlinetta shape, which is Ferrari’s way of labeling their coupés.
Its aluminum body and steel frame have originally been developed by Ferrari’s chief engineer in the 1950’s, Giotto Bizzarrini, in cooperation with designer Sergio Scaglietti. Some time later, when Bizzarrini departed from the company, work on the GTO’s body development was carried on by Scaglietti and new engineer Mauro Forghieri.