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Ferrari
250 GTO

IN 1962, THE FRONT-ENGINE ERA WAS DYING.
ENZO FERRARI NEEDED ONE LAST WEAPON.

To race in the FIA GT World Championship, rules stated a manufacturer had to build
100 road-legal versions.

He only built 36.
When inspectors arrived, Enzo treated them to a notoriously long, wine-soaked Italian lunch.

While they drank, his mechanics secretly drove the cars to a second lot to be counted again.
The FIA bought the illusion.

The trick worked. The GTO became the ultimate 'dual-purpose' machine—the last era you could drive to Le Mans, win, and drive home.

Chassis Layergto-chassis.webp

Engine Layergto-engine.webp

Body Layergto-body.webp

3.0 LITERS. 300 HORSEPOWER.
ZERO COMPUTERS.

The heart of the monster is the Colombo V12.
Six massive twin-choke Weber carburetors sit naked on top, gulping air.

Ferrari utilized a dry-sump lubrication system.
Dropping the engine incredibly low in the chassis for a flawless center of gravity.

The cockpit was a weapon, not a lounge.
No sound deadening. No luxury. And famously, no speedometer.

Every gear change on the exposed-metal gated shifter was a
violent, satisfying clack.

Archival Photo

BORN FROM CHAOS AND MUTINY.

Chief engineer Giotto Bizzarrini built the original prototype.
It was raw, unpainted, and nicknamed Il Formichiere (The Anteater).

In late 1961, Enzo’s wife began heavily interfering in factory affairs.
Bizzarrini and the executives handed Enzo an ultimatum: Keep her out, or we walk.

Enzo, notoriously stubborn,
fired them all on the spot in what became known as the Great Palace Revolt.

With his engineering department gutted, Enzo handed the unfinished Anteater to a 26-year-old junior engineer named Mauro Forghieri.
Working day and night, the kid miraculously birthed the Mona Lisa of automobiles.

FROM AN OBSOLETE USED CAR
TO $70 MILLION.

The GTO won the World Championship three years in a row. By 1969, mid-engine cars had taken over.
The front-engine era was dead.

The GTO was suddenly viewed as a loud, hot, useless retired race car.
One allegedly sold for a record-low of just $2,500.

In 1977, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason bought his for £35,000.
People told him he was an idiot who wildly overpaid.
He still uses it to drive his kids to school today.

Today, miraculously, all 36 original chassis survive. Owning one is the ultimate billionaire's club.
In 2018, one sold privately for $70,000,000.

Ferrari 250 GTO

IN 1962, THE FRONT-ENGINE ERA WAS DYING.ENZO FERRARI NEEDED ONE LAST WEAPON.

To race in the FIA GT World Championship, rules stated a manufacturer had to build100 road-legal versions.

He only built 36.When inspectors arrived, Enzo treated them to a notoriously long, wine-soaked Italian lunch.

While they drank, his mechanics secretly drove the cars to a second lot to be counted again.The FIA bought the illusion.

The trick worked. The GTO became the ultimate 'dual-purpose' machine—the last era you could drive to Le Mans, win, and drive home.

3.0 LITERS. 300 HORSEPOWER.ZERO COMPUTERS.

The heart of the monster is the Colombo V12.Six massive twin-choke Weber carburetors sit naked on top, gulping air.

Ferrari utilized a dry-sump lubrication system.Dropping the engine incredibly low in the chassis for a flawless center of gravity.

The cockpit was a weapon, not a lounge.No sound deadening. No luxury. And famously, no speedometer.

Every gear change on the exposed-metal gated shifter was aviolent, satisfying clack.

BORN FROM CHAOS AND MUTINY.

Chief engineer Giotto Bizzarrini built the original prototype.It was raw, unpainted, and nicknamed Il Formichiere (The Anteater).

In late 1961, Enzo’s wife began heavily interfering in factory affairs.Bizzarrini and the executives handed Enzo an ultimatum: Keep her out, or we walk.

Enzo, notoriously stubborn,fired them all on the spot in what became known as the Great Palace Revolt.

With his engineering department gutted, Enzo handed the unfinished Anteater to a 26-year-old junior engineer named Mauro Forghieri.Working day and night, the kid miraculously birthed the Mona Lisa of automobiles.

FROM AN OBSOLETE USED CARTO $70 MILLION.

The GTO won the World Championship three years in a row. By 1969, mid-engine cars had taken over.The front-engine era was dead.

The GTO was suddenly viewed as a loud, hot, useless retired race car.One allegedly sold for a record-low of just $2,500.

In 1977, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason bought his for £35,000.People told him he was an idiot who wildly overpaid.He still uses it to drive his kids to school today.

Today, miraculously, all 36 original chassis survive. Owning one is the ultimate billionaire's club.In 2018, one sold privately for $70,000,000.

Ferrari
250 GTO

IN 1962, THE FRONT-ENGINE ERA WAS DYING.
ENZO FERRARI NEEDED ONE LAST WEAPON.

To race in the FIA GT World Championship, rules stated a manufacturer had to build
100 road-legal versions.

He only built 36.
When inspectors arrived, Enzo treated them to a notoriously long, wine-soaked Italian lunch.

While they drank, his mechanics secretly drove the cars to a second lot to be counted again.
The FIA bought the illusion.

3.0 LITERS. 300 HORSEPOWER.
ZERO COMPUTERS.

The heart of the monster is the Colombo V12.
Six massive twin-choke Weber carburetors sit naked on top, gulping air.

Ferrari utilized a dry-sump lubrication system.
Dropping the engine incredibly low in the chassis for a flawless center of gravity.

The cockpit was a weapon, not a lounge.
No sound deadening. No luxury. And famously, no speedometer.

Every gear change on the exposed-metal gated shifter was a
violent, satisfying clack.

Chief engineer Giotto Bizzarrini built the original prototype.
It was raw, unpainted, and nicknamed Il Formichiere (The Anteater).

In late 1961, Enzo’s wife began heavily interfering in factory affairs.
Bizzarrini and the executives handed Enzo an ultimatum: Keep her out, or we walk.

Enzo, notoriously stubborn,
fired them all on the spot in what became known as the Great Palace Revolt.

With his engineering department gutted, Enzo handed the unfinished Anteater to a 26-year-old junior engineer named Mauro Forghieri.
Working day and night, the kid miraculously birthed the Mona Lisa of automobiles.

FROM AN OBSOLETE USED CAR
TO $70 MILLION.

The GTO won the World Championship three years in a row. By 1969, mid-engine cars had taken over.
The front-engine era was dead.

The GTO was suddenly viewed as a loud, hot, useless retired race car.
One allegedly sold for a record-low of just $2,500.

In 1977, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason bought his for £35,000.
People told him he was an idiot who wildly overpaid.
He still uses it to drive his kids to school today.

Today, miraculously, all 36 original chassis survive. Owning one is the ultimate billionaire's club.
In 2018, one sold privately for $70,000,000.