Category | GT coupe | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Designer(s) | Giotto Bizzarrini and Giovanni Volpi | ||||||||
Technical specifications [1] [2] | |||||||||
Chassis | Ferrari type 539 (250 GT SWB 1961) chassis | ||||||||
Wheelbase | 2,400 mm (94.5 in) | ||||||||
Engine | Ferrari 250 Tipo 168 Comp./61 3 litre V12 NA Front mid-mounted | ||||||||
Transmission | 250 SWB four-speed | ||||||||
Weight | 935 kg (2,061.3 lb) (at 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans) | ||||||||
Tyres | Dunlop Racing 600 L 15 & 650 L 15 | ||||||||
Competition history | |||||||||
Notable entrants | Scuderia Serenissima | ||||||||
Notable drivers | Olivier Gendebien Lucien Bianchi Maurice Trintignant Nino Vaccarella Carlo Maria Abate Colin Davis Ludovico Scarfiotti Edgardo Mungo | ||||||||
Debut | 1961 Tour de France Automobile with original berlinetta body | ||||||||
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The Ferrari 250 GT SWB Breadvan is a one-off Ferrari made in 1962 from a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, chassis number 2819 GT. It was built to compete against the new 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and other FIA World Sportscar Championship races.
In 1962, the engineer Giotto Bizzarrini was hired by Count Giovanni Volpi, owner of the Scuderia Serenissima racing team, to upgrade a Ferrari 250 GT SWB so it would be competitive with the then-new Ferrari 250 GTO. Enzo Ferrari had refused to sell any GTOs to Count Volpi, due to Volpi's hiring of former Ferrari employees at ATS. [3] [1]
The donor car for this project was a 250 GT SWB Competition, serial number 2819 GT. This car had previously competed in the 1961 Tour de France, where it took 2nd place overall driven by Olivier Gendebien and Lucien Bianchi. [4] The car was sold by Gendebien to Volpi shortly afterward for use with Scuderia Serenissima. As with other competition-spec SWBs, this car had a lightweight body and chassis, minimal trim, and a more powerful 286 bhp Tipo 168 engine with Testarossa-type heads. [2] [1]
Bizzarrini applied all the ideas he had developed working on the GTO and together with the car body specialist Piero Drogo developed an aerodynamically advanced body, even lower than the GTO's, with the roof line dramatically extended to the rear end following Kamm aerodynamic theory. The resulting shooting-brake appearance led to the French press nicknaming it "La Camionnette" (little truck), while the English-speaking journalists called it the "Breadvan." [3] [1]
Bizzarrini moved the engine and radiator further back to the center of the chassis than the GTO, and lowered it by fitting a dry sump system. The original three 46 DCN Weber carburetors were replaced with six twin choke 38 DCN Webers. The original 4-speed gearbox was retained. Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini of Modena were contracted to perform all the mechanical modifications and race preparation. The resulting car was significantly lighter than the GTO, at 935 kg (2,061.3 lb) compared to the typical GTO weight of 1,000 kg (2,204.6 lb). [1]
The rebodied Breadvan made its competition debut at the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans. It quickly passed all Ferrari GTOs and was 7th overall during the 4th hour when a driveshaft failure caused its retirement. Results at other races proved the design's effectiveness, as the car won the GT class in two races during the 1962 season. The car's last race in period was at the Coppa Gallenga Hillclimb in 1965, however since 1973 it has appeared regularly at historic races worldwide, including events such as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Tour Auto. [1] [5]
Date | Race | Circuit | Team | Driver(s) | Result | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 14-23 1961 | Tour de France | Tour de France | Ecurie Francorchamps | Olivier Gendebien Lucien Bianchi | 2nd GT 2nd OA | with original 250 GT SWB body |
October 22 1961 | 1000 km de Paris | Montlhéry | Scuderia Serenissima | Maurice Trintignant Nino Vaccarella | 3rd GT 3rd OA | with original 250 GT SWB body |
June 23–24 1962 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Circuit de la Sarthe | Scuderia Serenissima | Carlo Maria Abate Colin Davis | DNF | First race as Breadvan, was running 7th overall when drive shaft failed in 4th hour |
August 6 1962 | Guards Trophy | Brands Hatch | Scuderia Serenissima | Carlo Maria Abate Colin Davis | 1st GT 4th OA | |
August 26 1962 | Ollon-Villars Hillclimb | Ollon-Villars | Scuderia Serenissima | Carlo Maria Abate | 1st GT 4th OA | Set new GT course record of 4m 47.3s at 100.243 km/h |
October 21 1962 | 1000 km de Paris | Montlhéry | Scuderia Serenissima | Colin Davis Ludovico Scarfiotti | 3rd GT 3rd OA | |
November 11 1962 | Puerto Rican GP | Caguas, Puerto Rico | Scuderia Serenissima | Juan Manuel Bordeu | DNS | Entry withdrawn after death of Ricardo Rodríguez at the Mexican GP |
March 28 1965 | Coppa Gallenga Hillclimb | Castel Gandolfo | Unknown | Edgardo Mungo | 9th OA | Car painted silver |
The 250 GT SWB Breadvan's unusual but effective aerodynamics proved the Kamm tail design that would be used on many other racing cars, including the Ford J-car and the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ. [7]
Following the success of the Breadvan, two additional 250 GT SWB cars (S/N 2053 GT and 2735 GT) were modified for privateer drivers by Bizzarrini, Drogo, Neri and Bonacini, distinctively bodied with similar shapes. A third modified Ferrari was planned but not completed. [8] [9] [10] An Iso Rivolta, chassis number IR460368, was also rebodied by Drogo in a similar style to 2819 GT. [11]
Similar shooting brake designs were used on later Ferrari concept cars and production cars such as the 456 GT Venice and the Ferrari FF.
In 2018, Niels van Roij, car designer and coachbuilder, was commissioned to create an homage vehicle. A Ferrari 550 Maranello was the base vehicle. The design and realisation of the vehicle was documented and regularly released for public viewing by van Roij. [12] [13] [14]
A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving with performance and luxury. 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 often the coupé derivative of luxury saloons or sedans. Some models, such as the Ferrari 250 GT, Jaguar E-Type, and Aston Martin DB5, are considered classic examples of gran turismo cars.
ASA was an Italian automobile manufacturer active from 1961 to 1969, who is known for manufacturing the ASA 1000 GT. This car was developed by Ferrari engineers in the late 1950s as a less expensive, compact alternative to existing Ferrari GT cars. ASA used inline-four and straight-six engines derived from the "250" 3-litre V12 designed by Gioacchino Colombo. The chassis was developed by Giotto Bizzarrini and was derived from the tubular frame chassis of the 250 GTO.
The Ferrari 250 GTO is a grand tourer produced by Ferrari from 1962 to 1964 for homologation into the FIA's Group 3 Grand Touring Car category. It was powered by Ferrari's Tipo 168/62 Colombo V12 engine. The "250" in its name denotes the displacement in cubic centimeters of each of its cylinders; "GTO" stands for Gran Turismo Omologato, Italian for "Grand Touring Homologated".
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Bizzarrini S.p.A. was an Italian automotive manufacturer. In 1964, the company was founded by former Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Iso engineer Giotto Bizzarrini. The company built a small number of highly developed and advanced sports and racing automobiles before failing in 1969. In 2020, it was announced that the name had been acquired by Pegasus brands, together with plans to restart production.
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Carrozzeria Sports Cars was a small carrozzeria in Modena, Italy, which produced sports and racing car bodies from 1960 until 1971. The company was founded by one-time Formula One driver, Piero Drogo along with coachbuilders Lino Marchesini and Celso Cavalieri. As the public face of the company, Drogo's name became synonymous with the cars produced by C.S.C., which are often referred to as "Drogo" bodies or designs. The workshop constructed bodies for many companies, racing teams and individuals including Scuderia Ferrari, Scuderia Serenissima, Iso and Giotto Bizzarrini. Financial difficulties led to the closure of Carrozzeria Sports Cars in 1971.
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