Rarer than a GTO

Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1963, the 250 LM was a berlinetta version of the 250 P, which already boasted several victories in competition, before going on to win at Le Mans in 1964. Designed under the direction of the chief engineer Carlo Chiti, it was the first competition Ferrari with a centrally-mounted V12 engine.

For the 250 LM, Scaglietti created a masterpiece of design, the streamlined front a striking contrast to the car's long, muscular rear, which revealed the presence of a powerful engine. The small central arch brought a lightness of touch to the roof, while one of the car's most spectacular features was its huge bonnet which opened to expose the inner workings of this radical machine.

With the 250 LM, Enzo Ferrari wanted to follow on from the 250 GTO and homologate the car as a GT. But while the FIA's officials had turned a blind eye to the Commendatore's tendentious arguments which had enabled him to homologate the 250 GTO (which he had presented simply as an evolution of the 250 GT), this time they were having none of it and insisted that the 100 cars required were built. But Ferrari only produced 32, so the 250 LM had to remain in the 'Prototype' category and compete with much more powerful cars, the most formidable of which was Ford's GT40. A brilliant protagonist in the duel opposing Ford and Ferrari, the 250 LM defended the cause of the Italian manufacturer, making up for its lack of power with its roadholding and handling, which some of the other, more powerful cars could not match. Chiti had been right when he succeeded in convincing a reluctant Enzo Ferrari to adopt the rear-engined layout.

As they both belong to the famous 250 family, the 250 LM is often compared to the 250 GTO, that other legendary Ferrari. But the layout of the GTO, of which 36 examples were built, is completely different, with its engine mounted at the front.

The Ferrari 250 LM is in a different league altogether: for the first time in the history of the marque, the engine was mid-rear mounted, using the chassis of the 250 P with its 3.3-litre V12 engine producing 320 bhp. The 250 LM's design by Pininfarina drew on the styling of the 250 P, with the addition of a roof extending over the rear section of the car, as if sculpted by aerodynamics. The air intakes mark the start of the curved lines of its wings and bonnet. It is simply exquisite.

This glorious 1964 Ferrari 250 LM Berlinetta is one of only two cars from the 32 examples built which has not raced and has thus been protected from the rigours of competition. It’s set to take centre stage as part of Artcurial’s Salon Rétromobile sale on the 3rd February 2023 in Paris. Photos © Kevin Van Campenhout / Artcurial