One of Ferrari's most famous cars has to be the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. In 2018, this beauty auctioned at a whopping $48.4 million, making it the most highly-priced Ferrari's ever. It was a very limited car at the time, which makes it pretty much impossible to get your hands on now.
Ferrari's 250 GTO was a true performance sports car. From the track to the roads, it didn't disappoint. Plus, both its look and performance could turn anyone's head. There is so much to love about the 1962 edition of the Ferrari 250 GTO. So much so that you want to know everything about it.
Let's take a closer look at the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and everything there is to fall in love with.
Offered An Impressive Performance
The Ferrari could perform as impressively as it looked. The two-door sports racing car was a showstopper when it came down to track records. Ferrari kitted the 250 GTO out with a 300 hp 3-liter V12 engine, which was probably the loudest on the track. It was so powerful that it would stick the driver and a passenger to their seats and offer an incredible thrill.
Ferrari adjusted the engine that can be found in their 250 Testa Rossa to turn the 250 GTO into a true Prancing Horse, as the manufacturers likely hoped for. Its logo truly stood for something once the 250 GTO was born.
Ferrari's new engine could not only create a showstopping 300 hp, but it could also hit 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, which made it the fastest Ferrari ever made at the time. Now, the fastest Ferrari award goes to Ferrari Enzo ZXX Evolution Edo, which can cross the 60 mph line in an incredible 3.1 seconds.
Those that were lucky enough to own a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO would have likely tweaked and upgraded theirs throughout the years to perform better at races. Hence, there are various models on the market with tangible differences. Ferrari asked Mauro Forghieri and Mike Parks to redesign the 250 GTO body in 1964, which resulted in the Series II 250 GTO. This was not the same as the original and in fact, did not perform anywhere near as well as the 1962 model.
Its Aerodynamics Were Tweaked To Perfection
Its simple and classic look isn't the most eye-catching, but it looks that way for a reason. Ferrari tweaked the 250 GTO so that its aerodynamics were close to perfect, which they achieved. The frame was lighter due to the team using a slightly different frame structure than ever before and fewer exterior components. Its materials and geometry reduced its weight, increased its rigidity, and lowered the chassis, which made it an extremely smooth drive.
Equally, the Ferrari team worked as hard tweaking its aerodynamics to make it faster too. They worked incredibly hard to enhance the 250 GTO's speed. Bizzarrini put everything into the design of the car to make it fast and beautiful. The team fitted the ride with a new 5-speed synchronizer gearbox from Porsche, which maximized the potential of the incredible engine.
Ferrari ensured to make the 250 GTO perfect during its wind tunnel testing so that it would perform as expected out on the tracks. After hours and hours of endless tweaking, the aerodynamics were made perfect. Hence, it won multiple races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Tour de France Automobile, and multiple Grand Prix' making it an icon.
When it comes down to its interior, the Ferrari was pretty simple and straightforward too. Although close rivals, such as Porsche, were kitting out their racing cars with knobs and fancy features, Ferrari took no notice. The unnecessary editions would have only made the car slower, which wasn't its aim.
Its purpose was to race around the tracks and win first place positions, which it did. Hence, the simple and stripped-back design of the Ferrari 250 GTO had a purpose.
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Is Super Exclusive
The reason for the auction price of the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO being so extortionate is due to its exclusivity, which we adore. Ferrari only produced 36 of these cars between 1962 and 1964, and at the time, the car would cost you around $18,500. They were designed to be raced around the tracks, although some likely took to the streets.
Seeing as the Ferrari was so exclusive, it would be pretty impossible to get your hands on one today. If you were lucky enough and had more than $50 million to splash out on a car, you might just get lucky.
Nonetheless, the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO remains an icon its the automotive world, thanks to its exclusivity, track history, and showstopping performance. It is fair to say it is the greatest Ferrari in history.