Ferrari 250

The Ferrari 250 is a sports car built by Ferrari from 1953 to 1964. The company's most successful early line, the 250 series included several variants. It was replaced by the 275 and the 330.
Most 250 road cars share the same two wheelbases, 2,400 mm for short wheelbase and 2,600 mm for long wheelbase. Most convertibles used the SWB type.

Nearly all 250s share the same engine: The Colombo Tipo 125 V12. At 2,953 cc, it is not a large engine even for the time, but its light weight and impressive output made a big difference. The Ferrari V12 weighed hundreds of pounds less than its chief competitors — for example, it was nearly half the weight of the Jaguar XK straight-6. As for naming convention Ferrari uses capacity of 1 cylinder as a name.

The light V12 propelled the small Ferrari 250 racing cars to numerous victories.

Typical of Ferrari, the Colombo V12 made its debut on the race track, with the racing 250s preceding the street cars by three years.

A predecessor to the 250 line was the 225 S introduced at the 1952 Giro di Sicilia. Two of the two-seat sports prototypes were built, an open barchetta and closed coupe both by Vignale. Seven 225 S cars were entered at the Mille Miglia, but these were overshadowed by their larger-engined 250 S brother. Although not as heralded as the 250 line, the 225 did play one unique historical role: A 225 S tested at Imola was the first Ferrari to drive on that course.

The first of the 250 line was the experimental 250 S berlinetta prototype entered in the 1952 Mille Miglia for Giovanni Bracco and Alfonso Rolfo. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL racers of Rudolf Caracciola, Hermann Lang, and Karl Kling were faster on the long staights but the 230 PS Ferrari made up ground in the hills and curves to achieve victory. The car was later entered at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana.

The 250 S used a 2,250 mm wheelbase with a "Tuboscocca" tubular trellis frame. Suspension was by double wishbones at the front, with double longitudinal semi-elliptic springs locating the live axle at the rear. The car had the drum brakes and worm-and-sector steering typical of the period. The dry-sump 3.0 L engine used three Weber 36DCF carburettors and was mated directly to a five-speed manual transmission.

Following the success of the 250 S in the Mille Miglia, Ferrari showed a more conventional chassis for the new 250 engine at the 1952 Paris Motor Show. Pinin Farina then created coupe bodywork which had a small grille, compact tail and panoramic rear window, and the new car was launched as the 250 MM at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show. Carrozzeria Vignale's open barchetta version was also an innovative design whose recessed headlights and side vents became a Ferrari staple for the 1950s.

The 250 MM's wheelbase was longer than the 250 S at 2,420 mm, with the coupe 50 kg  heavier than the 850 kg barchetta. The V12 engine's dry sump was omitted for the production car, and the transmission was reduced by one gear. Power was increased to 240 PS. The four-cylinder 625 TF and 735 S replaced the V12-powered 250 MM later in 1953.

The 250 MM's race debut was at the 1953 Giro di Sicilia with privateer Paulo Marzotto, and a Carrozzeria Morelli-bodied 250 MM barchetta driven by Clemente Biondetti came fourth in the 1954 Mille Miglia.

Tractor manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini owned at least three Ferrari 250s: a 250GT coupe by Pininfarina, one or two 250 SWB Berlinettas by Scaglietti, and a 250GT 2+2 by Pininfarina. Frustration with Enzo Ferrari's response to his complaints of frequent clutch problems was a key part of decision to make his own cars. Lamborghini later hired ex-Ferrari engineers to design and develop his Lamborghini cars.

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