1961 Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet
It’s impossible to overstate the significance of the 250 GT series in Ferrari history. In international motorsport, the competition Berlinettas enjoyed huge success in events such as the Tour de France and Le Mans 24 Hours, and were eventually developed into the legendary Short Wheelbase and GTO. In terms of the marque’s road cars, it was the 250 GT that brought the concept of series production to Maranello and helped to put Ferrari on a more secure financial footing.
Key to that were the Pinin Farina-designed Coupé and Cabriolet, which further cemented the burgeoning relationship between the renowned coachbuilder and Ferrari. The Cabriolet was launched first, at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show, and this attractive new soft-top combined Ferrari’s Tipo 508 chassis with the 3-litre development of Gioachino Colombo’s classic V12 engine.
Those basic ingredients were carried over to the Series II when it was introduced in late 1959. The Pinin Farina styling was refreshed, with open headlamps introduced. Ferrari also fitted the 240bhp, ‘outside plug’ variant of its Tipo 128 engine, as well as disc brakes all round in place of the previous drums. The four-speed gearbox was updated with the addition of overdrive, too.
Production of the Series II continued until 1962, by which time a total of 200 had left Maranello. Its blend of performance, luxury and style appealed to Ferrari’s wealthy clientele, which ranged from industrialists to colourful playboys, but for many years the Pinin Farina Cabriolet remained curiously underrated until enthusiasts once again recognised its obvious appeal.
This particular example is chassis number 2867GT, which was dispatched from the Maranello factory in October 1961 and sold new via the Fontanella e C dealership in Turin. Its first owner was a Signor Pagliam, and the Ferrari has subsequently spent a number of years in French ownership.
Beautifully finished in its original colour scheme of Grigio Argento, it retains its original engine, which runs on triple Weber carburettors, as well as its original overdrive gearbox and 7/32 final-drive ratio.
In 2014, it was awarded Ferrari Classiche Certification, and this superb example of Pinin Farina’s elegantly understated 250 GT Cabriolet embodies all of the qualities for which the model is becoming increasingly coveted.
