1959 24 Hours of Le Mans: two Ferrari 250 GTs with a new, sublime Berlinetta bodywork by Pinin Farina took the start. The design was beautiful but remained a bit clumsy as they were bodied by Scaglietti on the standard wheelbase chassis (2.60 m). It was not until October 1959 that the final version, on a shortened chassis (2.41 m) was unveiled in the nave of the Grand Palais at the occasion of the long-awaited Salon de l'Automobile. Here it was, the 250 GT Passo Corto (short chassis in Italian) or Short Wheel Base (SWB) was officially born. PininFarina, which has since changed its name to a single word, has just signed its absolute masterpiece. This famous short wheelbase transformed not only the car's streamlined bodywork, but also the handling of the iconic Ferrari 250 with improved roadholding, especially in curves where the car was more agile. In 1960 and 1961, the newcomer showed its arrogant performance on European circuits (three successive class victories at Le Mans!), where its 3.0-litre Colombo V12 engine, boosted to almost 300 bhp, was a real showpiece. To slow down the car (1,100 kg on the scale), the newcomer also inaugurated a new Dunlop disc brake system on all four wheels, replacing the ageing drums...

The iconic Ferrari holds a special place in the history of the Cavallino Rampante, as it was designed for both racing and road use, achieving the perfect alchemy of performance and sculptural beauty. Between 1959 (three cars produced that year) and 1962, between 160 and 168 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWBs left the Maranello workshops, including 75 cars with aluminum bodies for racing.

The car we present is a recreation of one of these 75 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB Competizione. It was built by one of the brand's greatest experts nine years ago with the sole aim of creating the most beautiful and most accurate recreation in existence. The best Italian workshops worked from a Ferrari 250 GTE delivered new in Rome in 1962, as the chassis, engine, axle and running gear of these two models are very similar. Over a period of three years between 2013 and 2016, the chassis was brought up to racing standards (wheelbase 2.41m) by the renowned specialist Reggiani near Modena, the bodywork was carried out by the Bacchelli & Villa workshop, also known as Carrozzeria Autosport in Bastiglia, and the engine passed into the expert hands of Toni Auto, a workshop based in Maranello. The gearbox was rebuilt in England by GTO Engineering and now has five gears, like the 250 GTO. All this work is meticulously documented in a very important photo file, which shows step by step the construction of the chassis and the different elements of the aluminum bodywork. The proportions, the creases, the alignments... the result is amazing. The quality of the paint is also to be underlined as the Avorio beige color is perfectly taut. The inside does not disappoint either! The controls are simple and where you would expect them to be: the long gear lever, the pedals, all the controls on the dashboard, the orange-brown upholstery, redone in Maranello by the famous Luppi company... The Ferrari atmosphere is there and the workmanship is perfect! Only the initiated will have noticed a steering wheel with reduced dimensions to facilitate the access to the bigger built men and the cigar lighter plug on the left of the steering wheel to connect a semblance of ambient modernity.

During our test drive, which we preferred to carry out on the Circuit des Ecuyers, far from the Parisian traffic, we discovered all that makes the magic of such a car. There is the before, during and after... a whole ceremony announcing the magic to come. To tell you about the engine would be to repeat what so many others have written. The most surprising thing about this 250 GT Berlinetta SWB is the way it handles. It turns flat, crashing very lightly on its outer suspension to give you a good feel for its cornering speed. It brakes hard and for long if you know how to preserve the discs by using the engine brake. What about the gearbox? Both up and down, the gears engage with precision, firmness and exhilaration of the senses... let's not be afraid of words! Coming out of a bend, accelerating as you exit, then plunging into another one and so on, crossing the 5,000 rpm mark and starting again... You can't get enough of it!

This car is in every respect a genuine Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB aluminum, right down to the smallest details, such as the magnesium carburetors or the drive of the fuel pump by the left camshaft. Carefully maintained by its current owner, it has just come out of Ferrari Pozzi in Levallois-Perret for a fabulous engine rebuild, totaling just over 22,000 €. Beautiful, powerful, easy to handle, iconic... more than any other Ferrari, it is the quintessence of the genius of Enzo Ferrari and his men.

Here we offer you the opportunity to acquire one of the very rare recreations of an "aluminum" competizione version. You will be able to drive this Grand Touring car in the most important international rallies, or in historic races; we have been confirmed that the car will be retained by the Peter Auto selection committee to drive in the Tour Auto or in the Greatest Trophy series...