The Factory was just hitting its puberty in 1962 and Ferraris of the company’s dawning still were a few handcrafted units. Time when Ferraris did have the same type designation but more or less always a different shape had already passed, but the production numbers still showed the touch of exclusivity that sure was stronger than today – only 33 units of the “birthday boy” have been produced.
Originally designed as a competition car, the number of drivers - in most cases private drivers – tripled the numbers of cars being built. Michael Salmon called the car a “ballerina on four wheels” when he described the GTO’s driving characteristics. Naturally this leads to having children and grandchildren as well: in 1984 the so called supercar 288 was simply called GTO and in 2010 a sub model of the 599 GTB was assigned the magical three letters again. One of the designs to chose from on the 599 GTO was the Argento Nürburgring livera Historic Racing what was in fact a copy of the livery of 250 GTO #4153 that was first raced by Frenchman Pierre Dumay and then changed hands to the Belgium Ferrari importer Jaques Swaters who’s Ecurie Francorchamps is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The biggest success for #4153 was the victory in 1964’s edition of the Tour de France. When the car was entering Belgium it was losing it French Tricolore stripe to receive the horizontal “livera Historic Racing” Stripe held in the yellow Belgium racing colour. In the meantime the car was receiving again the French Tricolore stripe during the ownership of Henri Chambon from 1986 to 1997. The car participated in the Ferrari 50th Anniversary in this livery before it was once again refitted with the yellow stripe again in 1997.
Being associated with the always assumed “Rosso Corsa” livery the GTOs have really been a colourful bunch. Quite contrary to today’s addiction to originality the owners tended to any kind of resprays and – unfortunately – to the opposite as well. Many GTOs are held in Rosso Corsa today despite having a quite fascinating colour when new, such like dark blue, green, pale green, yellow and black. Even a brown GTO with white roof did exist.
250 GT Speciale #2643GT is said to be the “test laboratory” of the GTO. The typical rear spoiler was missing on the first production car, #3223 and the early cars received riveted spoilers before the spoiler become part of the car’s body. The shape was designed by Carrozzeria Scaglietti who later should also become responsible for the development of the famous Daytona. Another player within the GTO-history was Giotto Bizzarrini who joined the Factory in 1957 and who was in charge for the GTO before founding his own manufactory in 1962.
Some examples have been fitted with the Series II-bodies later, the so called GTO 64. Three of those have been produced as new cars. The GTO-production was stopped in 1964 and the no less famous 250 LM became the GTO’s successor.
Is there a market for GTOs today? The answer must clearly be: yes and no. GTOs are changing hands, but the level of prices is between 20 and 30 million US$ what reflects limited availability. The high but fair prices are leading to high awareness of any transaction in a 250 GTO.
Technical details:
GTO were usually fitted with 3 litre engines of Tipo 168/62, a 12 cylinder Colombo-engine. The Factory indicated a Vmax of 300 km/h. The cars offered a five gear transmission with six Weber twin carburetors. Chassis tipo is #539/62. GTO are having a wheel base of 2.400 mm, a height of 1.245 m and a length of 4.400 m. The dry weight is 880 kg and the fuel tank has a capacity of 133 litres.
List of the cars:
3223GT 250 GTO Press conference car 6/61 med. Blue/White stripe then Red/Black LHD, new to the US
3387GT 250 GTO #2/33 3/62 Blue met. White stripe/Blue then Red then Blue met. White stripe/Black LHD, new to the US
3413GT 250 GTO 4/62 Rosso Cina/Black then Blue int. LHD, new to I, rebodied as GTO ’64
3445GT 250 GTO 4/62 Red then Blue Yellow stripe & nose/Blue LHD EU, new to I, rebodied by Drogo Red then rebodied as Series 1 GTO Blue Yellow stripe & nose/Blue, ex-Matsuda-Collection
3451GT 250 GTO 4/62 Marrone White roof then Rosso Corsa/Black LHD EU temp. eng. #3769, eng. temp. in #3451, eng. swapped later, new to I
3505GT 250 GTO 4/62 light pale Green/Black Blue seats RHD UK, new to GB, ex-Gunther Philipp, ex-Matsuda Collection
3527GT 250 GTO 5/62 Rosso Cina/Tan LHD EUI, new to A
3589GT 250 GTO 4/62 Blu Scuro/Rosso RHD UK, new to GB, exported to CH
3607GT 250 GTO 6/62 Rosso Cina/Black LHD EU, new to I
3647GT 250 GTO 6/62 Rosso Cina/Black RHD UK, new to GB
3673SA 400 Superamerica GT SWB #24/25 10/62 Red/Tan LHD EU, new to I
3705GT 250 GTO 6/62 Rosso Cina French tricolore Stripe/Black LHD EU, new to F, ex-David Piper
3729GT 250 GTO 7/62 White then Red/Black RHD UK temp. eng. #2735, new to GB
3757GT 250 GTO 6/62 Red/Black LHD EU, new to B, Nick Mason
3673SA 400 Superamerica GT SWB #24/25 10/62 Red/Tan LHD EU, new to I, GTO-body, damaged in tests, repaired with 400 SWB body (today on a 250 GTE), remains rebodied by DK as 330 GTO
3765LM 330 GTO 5/62 Rosso Corsa/Black LHD eng. #0796, new to I, 4 ltr. eng. exchanged with a 3 ltr. eng.
3767GT 250 GTO 7/62 Green Yellow nose then Yellow then Red then Green Yellow nose/Black RHD UK, new to GB, ex-David Piper
3769GT 250 GTO 6/62 Blue then Red then Silver Blue stripe/Black EU LHD temp. eng. #3451, later swapped, new to F
3809GT 250 GTO 7/62 Rosso Cina/Black then blu int. LHD EU eng. #3257, new to CH
3851GT 250 GTO 9/62 Grigio met. then Red/Black LHD EU, new to F
3869GT 250 GTO London Show Car 10/62 Red Blue nose RHD UK, new to GB, ex-Albert Obrist
3909GT 250 GTO 9/62 Grigio met. then Red White stripe then Silver/Blue LHD EU, new to CH
3943GT 250 GTO 10/62 Red/Blue LHD EU, new to F
3987GT 250 GTO 10/62 Red/Blue LHD US eng. #6045, new to the US
4091GT 250 GTO 11/62 Red then Grigio met. LHD, new to I, rebuilt in 64-Style dark Red/Black LHD EU
4115GT 250 GTO 12/62 Grigio met./Black then Red/Black & Blue LHD EU, new to D, ex-Hermann Cordes
4153GT 250 GTO 6/63 Silver French tricolore then Yellow horizontal stripe then French tricolore then Yellow horizontal stripe/Black LHD EU, new to F
4219GT 250 GTO 2/63 Rosso Cina then dark Blue/Blue LHD US, new to the US, Brandon Wang-Collection
4293GT 250 GTO 4/63 Rosso Cina/Black LHD EU, new to I
4399GT 250 GTO 5/63 Rosso Cina & Cambridge Blue Maranello Conc. livery/Black RHD UK, new to GB, GTO ’64 conversion by Scaglietti
4491GT 250 GTO 6/63 Green/Black RHD UK, new to GB, ex-David Piper
4561SA 330 GTO 9/63 Red/Black & Blue RHD EU eng. #4561SA, 4 ltr. eng., new to F
4675GT 250 GTO 5/63 Rosso Cina/Black LHD EU, new to I, rebodied in 64 body style, ex-David Piper, Matsuda Collection
4713GT 250 GTO/LM 6/63 Red/Black LHD US, new to the US, LMB-body
4757GT 250 GTO 6/63 Rosso Cina/Black LHD EU eng. # 3725 (356/62E), new to I, ex-Kroymans-Collection
5095GT 250 GTO 9/63 Rosso Cina/Nero LHD EU, new to I
5111GT 250 GTO 9/63 Rosso Cina/Black LHD EU, new to F
5571GT 250 GTO 64 #1/3 2/64 Rosso Cina/Blue then Nero int. LHD EU chassis # BC34, new to the US, ex-Albert Obrist, ex-Bernie Ecclestone
5573GT 250 GTO 64 #2/3 6/64 Rosso Cina/Black LHD US chassis # BC35, new to the US
5575GT 250 GTO 64 #3/3 5/64 Rosso Cina/Blue LHD US chassis # BC36, new B, feat. in Ferrari (The Story of Ferrari), Documentary
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