Ferrari

250 GTO

Ferrari 250 GTO: The $70 Million Car

The Ferrari 250 GTO is not just a car. It is the Mona Lisa of the automotive world. “GTO” stands for Gran Turismo Omologato. It was built to homologate the 250 series for the FIA GT Championship. FIA rules required 100 examples. Ferrari built only 36 (plus 3 with 4.0L engines). Enzo Ferrari shuffled the chassis numbers to make it look like he built more, fooling the FIA inspectors.

The Engine: Colombo V12

The 3.0-liter Colombo V12 is a jewel.

  • Specs: 60-degree V12, 2 valves per cylinder.
  • Carburetors: Six massive Weber carburetors sit on top.
  • Power: 300 hp. In 1962, this was insane.
  • Sound: It is widely considered the best sounding engine ever made. It sings a mechanical opera from idle to its 8,500 rpm redline.

Design: Scaglietti

Designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and refined by Sergio Scaglietti, the body is hand-beaten aluminum.

  • Function: Every curve is for aerodynamics. The low nose, the covered headlights, and the “Kamm tail” rear end were designed in a wind tunnel (and on the Autostrada).
  • The Intakes: The three D-shaped intakes on the nose (which could be covered) are iconic.

Racing Dominance

The GTO won everything.

  • Championships: It won the International Championship for GT Manufacturers in 1962, 1963, and 1964.
  • Reliability: Unlike Jaguars or Astons that broke down, the GTO was bulletproof. You could drive it to the track, win the 24 Hours of Le Mans (class win), and drive it home.

Value

In 1962, it cost $18,000 (and you had to be approved by Enzo to buy one). Today, they trade privately for $70 - $80 million. It is the gold standard of car collecting.