"1962 Ferrari 250 GTO : The Most Valued and Most Valuable Ferrari"

1962 Ferrari 250 GT0

With little doubt, Ferrari 250GTO is the most desirable post-war collection today. In 1990, it set a world record auction price at US$10.7 million. Today this record is still yet to be matched by any other cars. Why is the GTO so desirable? Because it combines beautiful style, exotic performance, great racing history and rarity. Only 39 GTOs were made between 1962 and 64, and even fewer of them remain alive today after hundreds of great battles on race tracks.

1962 Ferrari 250 GT0 Black

No other Ferraris road-race cars could match the success of 250GTO on race tracks. Named “Gran Turismo Omologata”, or Grand Tourer Homologated in English, its target couldn’t be any clearer. While the 250 SWB Berlinetta was designed to be a road and race dual-purpose machine, the GTO set its sight firmly on race tracks – although it was still reasonably comfortable on regular roads. Based on the 250GT SWB Berlinetta, Ferrari kept the short wheelbase but changed much of the tubular steel frames bracing and suspension mounting joints to create extra stiffness. Suspension also was stiffened. As a result, it provided exceptional poise and balance on race tracks, although with some tradeoffs in ride comfort on public roads.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Frame

To compensate the extra weight due to the reinforcement, the GTO employed thinner steel tubes for its chassis frame, racing Plexiglass for side and rear windows and an almost stripped-out cockpit. However, the driving environment remained a masterpiece, thanks to a good-looking Nardi wooden steering wheel, chromed gauges and classic aluminum gated shifter. GTO was probably the last racing car with a desirable interior.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Engine

For power, GTO adopted the 3-litre Colombo V12 used in the racing 250TR but made some modifications, such as bigger valves, 9.5:1 compression and dry sump lubrication so that it would fit the lower bonnet. The high-revving V12 produced 300 horsepower at 7500 rpm, or 100 hp per litre ! If any engines did not develop between 296 and 302hp on dynamometers, they would be rebuilt. The V12 was not only powerful but also surprisingly tractable and linear in its power delivery. It mated with a new 5-speed gearbox, versus the SWB Berlinetta’s 4-speeder.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Front Right View

Considering the GTO weighed just over 1 ton, such power should translate into astonishing performance – people talked about 160 mph top speed and 0-60 mph in the low 5-seconds. In fact, the performance depended on the choice of final drive ratios (there were 8 of them to choose from). Choose the lowest ratio as the Le Mans-spec GTO and it could top 176 mph at the Mulsanne straight. Choose the highest ratio and top speed became only 129 mph, but acceleration from 0-60 mph could be done in an eye-poping 4.9 seconds. Unfortunately, it seems that no one was given the chance to verify the actual performance until 20 years later – in 1982, Motor magazine finally did a test, recorded 147 mph and 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds. That was remarkable for a 20-year-old vintage.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Rear Left View

Nevertheless, the most extraordinary part of GTO was aerodynamics. At that time, wind tunnel was not available to motor industry. However, Ferrari’s chief engineer Giotto Bizzarrini borrowed university’s wind tunnel and spent a lot of time examining penetration, drag, lift and adhesion. Step by step, the GTO’s body evolved into a slippery shape with a body-integrated rear spoiler, which was first ever used on a road car. Unlike other Ferraris, the GTO was not styled by Pininfarina or Scaglietti, but the engineers based on laws of physics !

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Interior

The work paid off on race tracks, as the car ran faster yet far more stable than the SWB Berlinetta. The GTO dominated nearly all events, most notably the 3 consecutive World GT Championships from 1962-64.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Dashboard

Some automotive historians regard 250 GTO as the world’s first supercar. Some see it as the last front-engined sports car to dominate the motorsport world. Some said it was, and still is, the greatest Ferrari ever built. However, most agree it was the definitive Ferrari built by Enzo Ferrari, as it had all the ingredients he loved: front-engine, V12 and countless of race victories.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Green

Specification :

Model	250GTO
Year of production	1962-64
No. produced	39 units
Layout, Gearbox	Front-engined, Rwd, 5M
Engine	V12, sohc, 2v/cyl
Engine capacity	2953 cc
Power	300 hp
Torque	216 lbft
Weight	1078 kg
Top speed	160 mph (est) / 147 mph
0-60 mph	5.9 sec / 5.8 sec
0-100 mph	12.7 sec