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Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Ferrari |
Production | 1957–1963 (106 produced) |
Assembly | Carrozzeria Scaglietti, Modena (Italy) |
Designer | Carrozzeria Pinin Farina |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Sports car |
Body style | 2-door roadster |
Layout | Longitudinally-mounted, front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
Related | Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 3.0 L (2953.21 cc) Colombo Tipo 128 and 168 V12 |
Transmission | 4-speed manual |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,600 mm (102.4 in) (LWB) 2,400 mm (94.5 in) (SWB) |
Curb weight | 1,100 kg (2,425 lb) (dry) |
Chronology | |
Successor | Ferrari 365 GTS/4 |
The Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder is a prestige sports car developed by the Italian car manufacturer Ferrari. It is presented by the brand as Ferrari 250 Gran Turismo Spyder California or simply Ferrari 250 California. [1] Its name is sometimes incorrectly written Spider instead of 'Spyder' which indicates it is similar to a convertible. It was designed by Pinin Farina [Note 1] and bodied by Carrozzeria Scaglietti. Starring in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off , it became one of the most popular Ferraris. [2]
The 250 GT California Spyder is a convertible version of the contemporary berlinetta. [3] Powered by the traditional Ferrari V12 engine, it was produced in a hundred copies, divided almost equally between a long wheel-bases (LWB) from 1957 to 1960 and a short wheel-bases (SWB) from 1960 to 1964.
On May 18, 2008, a midnight blue Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder SWB sold at the "Ferrari Leggenda e Passione" auction, organized by Sotheby's, for a record price of EUR 7 million, becoming one of the most expensive retro/classic cars in history. A Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder that belonged to French actor Alain Delon in the 1960s, was purchased on February 5, 2015 for nearly EUR 16.3 million, during an auction in Paris at Artcurial creating a world record for this model at auction.
American interest in European auto racing and the appeal of smaller sports cars led to a significant portion of European sports car manufacturers' output being sold in the United States. This trend prompted Ferrari, among other European car manufacturers, to consider creating models specifically for the American market. [4]
The success of convertible sports cars, particularly on the West Coast, influenced key American dealers such as Jon von Neumann in California and Luigi Chinetti in New York to persuade Ferrari to produce a sporty convertible designed exclusively for American consumers. They believed there was demand for a more aggressive convertible, a gap not adequately filled by the luxurious 250 GT Cabriolet Pinin Farina. [2] [5] [6] In an interview, Chinetti explains "that in Italy it was difficult for the company to seriously consider a convertible as a sports car". [7] [Note 2]
Originally, Enzo Ferrari did not want to produce the California since the 250 GT Cabriolet Pinin Farina, popular in Europe, was already available in the company's catalog. Nevertheless, if he had not accepted Chinetti and Neumann's proposal, it is very likely that they would have acquired 250 GT Berlinettas "Tour de France" or SWB, and entrusted their transformation into a spider to Scaglietti. This is indeed what they did in 1967 to some Ferrari 275 GTB/4 while Ferrari was opposed to it. [7]
The 250 GT California Spyder was created to appeal to American consumers, particularly those in California, a nod reflected in its name. This model combined race car performance with bespoke specifications, attributes that have continued to fuel interest in the car even today. Initially introduced as a prototype in 1957, the 250 GT California Spyder began series production in the second quarter of 1958. [5] [8] [9]
At the 1960 Geneva International Motor Show, the 250 GT California Spyder - until then produced on the long chassis of the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta "Tour de France", which had a wheelbase of 2.60 m - was replaced by a short chassis version with a wheelbase reduced to 2.40 m, similar to the treatment recently received by the berlinetta on which it was based. This reduction reflects Ferrari's desire to improve the car's performance, especially its cornering speed. [10]
The design of the California, considered one of the most successful in the history of the automobile, [9] is signed by the hand of Pinin Farina. It is very close aesthetically to the luxurious Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Pinin Farina Series I, convertible appeared and produced the same year, the California is nevertheless more "slender"; [2] to a line of fluid body stretching from the front lights to the curve of the wings is associated the aggressiveness of the grille in "shark mouth". [8]
Built on the basis of the berlinette, it takes up most of its aesthetic aspects, and in particular the "hip recess" [11] in front of the rear wheels. The windshield slope is more pronounced since it is a convertible. [11]
The adoption in 1960 of the short chassis of the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB "gives it [moreover] more compact proportions which muscularize the silhouette of the California." [12] The two versions of the California (SWB and LWB) are also distinguished from each other by the design of the air intake on the hood, which feeds air to the carburetors; on the SWB version, this is half recessed.
The 250 GT California Spyder was hand-built by Carrozzeria Scaglietti in its Modena workshop, as were most Ferrari competition models of the time. Although it would have been easier if Pinin Farina had also bodied the new convertible, the latter is too busy to ensure the production. [5]
Unlike the Pinin Farina Cabriolet, Scaglietti opted for Marchal headlights, which were enclosed in plexiglas, and housed the fog lights in the grille. The purchaser of a California can nevertheless opt for projecting headlights; [9] in Italy, on the other hand, the legislation imposed non fairing headlights. [3] Scaglietti did not provide a place to attach the license plate, so owners had to improvise to comply with the regulations of their country. [13]
If the finish is close to the one realized on the 250 GT Cabriolet Pinin Farina I, the California's interior is nevertheless "spartan" [14] and much less luxurious. [6]
On the dashboard, seven circular dials, including the tachometer and the rev counter, inform the driver of the engine operation. [15] These are all located behind the three-spoke Nardi steering wheel, made of wood and aluminum, on the LWB version, while they line up on the dashboard for the SWB version.
Sharing its chassis and drivetrain with the 250 GT "Tour of France", the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder was equipped with an independent suspension with superimposed triangles and coil springs at the front, and a rigid axle at the rear, suspended by leaf springs and guided by four push struts [12] and link shocks. [4] Telescopic shock absorbers replaced the Houdaille torsion bars at the front in 1960. [15]
Its chassis evolved in detail with that of the "Tour of France" berlinetta, before undergoing in May 1960 the radical wheelbase change introduced on the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB. [16] The change to a 2,400 mm wheelbase was also an opportunity to widen the tracks and reduce the ground clearance. [15]
The tubular chassis, on which the bodywork is made of steel except for the doors, which are made of aluminum, is about 100 kilograms heavier than that of the Berlinetta. [9] This weight difference is explained by the need to reinforce the architecture of the convertible, due to the absence of a hardtop. Although the car weighs a little more than a ton, sources differ on the precise weight of the car.
Braking was provided by drum brakes until October 1959, when the 250 GT California Spyder was equipped with Dunlop disc brakes. [8]
The Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder is powered by the traditional Ferrari "Colombo" 12-cylinder V-engine (Type 168) in light alloy with two overhead camshafts and two valves per cylinder. This engine, named in honor of its designer Gioacchino Colombo, has equipped the entire 250 series since 1952.
Open at 60°, with a displacement of 2,953 cm3 (bore/stroke of 73 mm × 58.8 mm) and fed by three Weber double-barrel carburetors of 36 millimeters (DCL), then 42 millimeters (DCL/6) from 1960 onwards, the engine initially developed 240 hp at 7,000 rpm for the LWB version before being increased to 280 hp when the short SWB [8] chassis was introduced, thanks to its new cylinder heads and larger valves. [12] Combined with a 4-speed gearbox, the engine showed "docility, availability and resistance" [17] for its time.
In 1960, the spark plugs were placed outside the V, as in the 250 Testa Rossa, to facilitate maintenance, [15] while an overdrive was associated with the gearbox. [14] The front air intake was usually supplemented by two side vents with three polished aluminum slots, located behind the front wheels, to ventilate the engine. [9] [13]
Although not intended for competition, many California Spyders competed in endurance races and won some of them, such as the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1959 (with Richie Ginther and Howard Hively) and 1960 (with Giorgio Scarlatti, Fabrizio Serena and Carlo Abate). Driven by Bob Grossman and Fernand Tavano, the California Spyder of the North American Racing Team also finished fifth in the 1959 24 hours of Le Mans. [10] [6] Some of the Californias were also equipped with the engine of the "Competizione" berlinettes, the sportiest versions.
Now considered "one of the most beautiful Ferraris and cabriolets in the history of the automobile", [9] the 250 GT California Spyder is also one of the most expensive cars; on May 18, 2008, television host Chris Evans acquired a copy of the car, which had been owned by American actor James Coburn, at the "Ferrari Legends and Passions" auction organized by Sotheby's, for a record price of 7,040,000 euros. [18]
On February 6, 2015, during Artcurial's auction at the Retromobile show, the Ferrari 250GT California short chassis (SWB, 37 Exemplars) found a few months earlier in Roger Baillon's property in Echiré, broke records by being sold for €14,200,000 (excluding auction fees). [19] This Ferrari has a particular history having belonged to several French movie stars, such as Alain Delon, but above all, it was lost from sight for almost 30 years by all the specialists of the brand, to reappear in one of the greatest car collections ever found, the Baillon collection. The 250GT was found under a pile of newspapers, next to a Maserati A6G GranSport. [20]
As with the 250 GTE and the "2+2" bodies, the sporty convertibles are a permanent feature of the Ferrari range. In 2008, the Ferrari California was unveiled, a convertible coupe with styling elements reminiscent of the 250 GT California Spyder. [21] [22]
Giovanni Michelotti was one of the most prolific designers of sports cars in the 20th century. His notable contributions were for Ferrari, Lancia, Maserati and Triumph marques. He was also associated with truck designs for Leyland Motors, and with designs for British Leyland after the merger of Leyland and BMC.
A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving due to a combination of performance and luxury attributes. The most common format is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement. Grand tourers are most often the coupé derivative of luxury saloons or sedans. Many iconic car models, such as the Ferrari 250 GT, Jaguar E-Type, and Aston Martin DB5, are considered classic examples of gran turismo cars.
Carrozzeria Scaglietti was an Italian automobile design and coachbuilding company active in the 1950s. It was founded by Sergio Scaglietti in 1951 as an automobile repair concern, but was located across the road from Ferrari in Maranello outside Modena, Italy.
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The Ferrari 250 is a series of sports cars and grand tourers built by Ferrari from 1952 to 1964. The company's most successful early line, the 250 series includes many variants designed for road use or sports car racing. 250 series cars are characterized by their use of a 3.0 L (2,953 cc) Colombo V12 engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo. They were replaced by the 275 and 330 series cars.
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Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder, with headquarters in Cambiano, Turin, Italy. The company was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930. On 14 December 2015, the Indian multinational giant Mahindra Group acquired 76.06% of Pininfarina S.p.A. for about €168 million.
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The Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Pinin Farina, occasionally referred to as the 250 GTC, is a prestige sports car developed by the Italian carmaker Ferrari. A "cabriolet" version of the 250 GT sedan, it was designed by Pinin Farina of Turin; it was also bodied by him - an exception for Ferrari, since another coachbuilder, Scaglietti, usually did the work.
The Ferrari 410 S was a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1955–1956. After the racing successes of 375 Plus, mainly in 1954 Carrera Panamericana, Ferrari decided to prepare another model for this marathon. The 410 S was intended as a long-distance race car originally designed for the 1955 Carrera Panamericana and was the final model of the Lampredi V12 sports car lineage. The next generation of sports racing cars that replaced the 410 S were powered by the new Jano V12 engines.
The Ferrari 250 MM was a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1953. After the initial racing successes of the 3.0-litre Colombo V12 engine, introduced in the 250 S one-off, Ferrari produced a serial racing model. It is best recognisable for the distinctive closed berlinetta bodywork by Pinin Farina. The "MM" in its name stood for the Mille Miglia race.
The Ferrari 250 GT Coupé represented a series of road-going, grand touring cars produced by Ferrari between 1954 and 1960. Presented at the 1954 Paris Motor Show, the 250 Europa GT was the first in the GT-lineage. The design by Pinin Farina was seen as a more civilised version of their sporty Berlinetta 250 MM. Series built cars were an answer to the wealthy clientele demands of a sporty and luxurious Ferrari Gran Turismo, that is also easier to use daily.