The Ferrari 250GTO must be on nearly everybody's list of one of the great cars of all time. It has taken on near mythical status.
This one above was at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, in 2009.
The 250GTO was engineered by Giotto Bizzarrini with a body styled by committee and it is still one of the most beautiful designs ever. It achieved racing success for its brief race life, the last front engine Ferrari to do so. There were only 39 250GTOs produced between 1962 and 1964, so how did Enzo get the car homologated when 100 examples were necessary?
With so few cars produced and the value of these cars increasing from $18,000 when new to $20 to $26 million today (according to the Hagerty's Cars That Matter Price Guide) there are not many people who have driven one of these cars and even fewer who have owned one.
Stephen Mitchell has had the fortunate experience of driving and owning one of these great art works. His story is told well in the Drive Cult article. I highly recommend reading this article and watching the two videos - it will only take a few minutes but you will never forget it.
The Ferrari 250GTO will be featured at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Click on the images for a larger view.
Below is another shot from The Quail in 2009.
This silver GTO was at the Palo Alto Concours d"Elegance in 2007.
Love your blog, Mike. The GTO is a very special car and, like you, I am fascinated by the Bizzarrini as the image of what the GTO might have become had Giotto remained with Ferrari.
ReplyDeleteStephen,
ReplyDeleteYes, I admit that I am a Bizzarrini fan but I have never driven my Bizzarrini down Mulholand Drive like you did with your GTO!
Bring your Bizzarrini here and we'll do a reenactment of the Mulholland adventure--the camera awaits!
ReplyDeleteStephen,
ReplyDeleteDon't temp me, I have been thinking of a drive in the Bizzarrini from San Francisco to San Diego on Highway 1 (Mulholland would just be a brief but fun detour).
I made this drive many years ago in a Triumph, but not the Mulholland part.