Golden Delicious

In the early 1960s, Ferrari shifted its focus from road car production as a secondary endeavor to making it a vital part of the company's future stability. The 250 model, which began with the 250 Europa in 1953-1954 (producing less than twenty cars), marked a crucial turning point. Before the Europa, Ferrari had made custom road coupés and convertibles in limited quantities, mainly for special customer requests, using sports-racing chassis as the foundation. These cars were bodied by Ghia and Vignale in Turin, as well as Touring in Milan, but there was no standardisation for mass production, and each car was unique.

The early development of the 250 series coincided with advancements in Ferrari's 3-litre V12 engine. Initially, the 250 Europa used a modified version of the Lampredi-designed 'long block' engine from the 340 America. However, in 1954, with the introduction of the 250 Europa GT, Ferrari switched to Colombo's more compact short-stroke engine. This all-aluminum engine had a single overhead camshaft and produced 220bhp.

The 250 Europa GT had a shorter wheelbase compared to the Europa, following Ferrari's traditional design with a multi-tubular frame connected by oval main tubes. The front suspension switched to coil springs from transverse leaf type. A Porsche-style four-speed gearbox with all-synchromesh transmission sent power to the live rear axle, which was semi-elliptically sprung. The car used hydraulic drum brakes all around.

The 250 GT Competizione 'Tour de France' evolved from the earlier 250 Europa GT and competition Mille Miglia models. It shared the same wheelbase and Colombo V12 engine but with up to 280bhp. The suspension was largely unchanged, except for the addition of a front anti-roll bar, a first for Ferrari.

Some prototypes of the 250 GT Competizione appeared using chassis from the 250 Europa GT series. Scaglietti's chassis number '0425GT,' displayed at the Geneva Salon in 1956, foreshadowed the upcoming 'Tour de France' models. Scaglietti went on to construct most of the 250 Competizione 'Tour de France' models between 1956 and 1959, based on a Pininfarina design. These cars are primarily distinguished by the number of vents in the rear-quarter 'sail panel,' rather than their production year, with varying opinions on the total number manufactured, estimated to be in the mid to high 70s.

One particular 'Tour de France' model, the example featured here, was the 77th one built and the last long-wheelbase TdF constructed by Scaglietti. It was originally red with a beige interior and sold to Luigi Taramazzo in Bordighera, Italy, in May 1959 for 5,500,000 Italian Lire. Taramazzo raced the car in various events in 1959 before selling it to Gérard Spinedi of Geneva, Switzerland, who had it repainted in gold metallic with red stripes. Spinedi continued to race the car in 1960 in several competitions across Europe. In August 1961, the car changed hands again, ultimately passing through various owners, undergoing paint changes and racing events, including the Nürburgring, Spa Ferrari Days, and more.

In the early 1970s, the car was painted red and went through several owners, including Plinio Haas, who owned it for 37 years. Haas extensively raced the Ferrari in prestigious events, showcasing both the car's durability and his driving skills.

This beautiful 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta 'Tour de France' will feature as part of Bonhams Zoute Sale on 8th October. It’s expected to fetch between €5-7m. Photos © Bonhams