1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta

When Lepeltier arrived home in his new F40, he was confronted by two young men who were waiting to steal the car. When he resisted, they shot him dead

Ferrari’s 250 GT reached a level of true dual-purpose perfection with the Short Wheelbase Berlinetta. It coalesced three parallel and mutually supporting paths of Ferrari development. Ferrari’s continuing focus upon both Grand Prix and endurance sports car racing emphasized power and reliability. Production of high quality gran tursimo automobiles delivered comfort and exclusivity to demanding clientele. And Pininfarina had refined a distinctive Ferrari design that visually captured and expressed the marque’s attributes.

Complementing the 250 GT SWB’s landmark design were a number of innovations. This was the first production Ferrari delivered with disc brakes and the first time telescopic shocks were used for a complete model run. Under the hood, the Ferrari 3-liter V12 took on new life with revised block, distributors relocated to the back of the camshafts, 12-port heads, and coil valve springs. Capable of over 280 hp in...