The world's automotive enthusiasts should be known about the Ferrari 250 GTO. Off course, it is not only the most sought after, desirable and very valuable classic sports car figure now, besides that it is also a rare and one of the most successful racing cars in its era.
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| 1962 Ferrari 330 GTO is could be said to be the last incarnation of the Ferrari 250 GTO. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3qMRc26) |
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| 1962 Ferrari 330 GTO is uses the Le Mans winning 330LM's 4.0 liter V12 engine and built based on the chassis of the Ferrari 250 GTO. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/37ccjmP) |
As we already know that the Ferrari 250 GTO is basically a Testa Rossa with a closed cockpit specially made to meet the requirements of the world's GT racing championship. The 250 GTO retained to use the Le Mans-winning Tipo 168/62 V12 3.0 liter engine from the Testa Rossa, which is capable of producing around 296bhp of power. Amazingly, the car was an unqualified success, but progress marches on.
At that time, it seemed that Ferrari was not satisfied with all the achievements made by its 250 GTO variants. The Maranello-based premium car manufacturer then began to develop a 4.0 liter GTO based on the chassis of those 250 GTO. The new car's appearance looked almost identical, except for the hood ridges that were needed to accommodate the new, larger engine.
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| 1962 Ferrari 330 GTO is uses the Le Mans winning 330LM's 4.0 liter V12 engine and built based on the chassis of the Ferrari 250 GTO. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/37ccjmP) |
By given that the 4.0 liter unit installed on the car was the same engine unit used in the Ferrari 330LM racing cars that has proven to make the Italian prancing horse logoed auto manufacturer as the nine-times consecutive winner of the 24-Hours of Le Mans racing at that time. And no wonder then high expectations are also pinned on the new Ferrari 330 GTO which now has an engine capable of producing nearly 400bhp of power.
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| 1962 Ferrari 330 GTO is qualified in seventh place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans of 1962. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3qMRc26) |
The Ferrari 330 GTO's first appearance was race in the prototype class at the 1000 km Nürburgring in the 1962, where it managed to finish in a respectable second place. Hereafter the 330 GTO does not have a brilliant career like its sibling 250 GTO, there are so many obstacles like a moment before reaching the Le Mans, the car damaged, and later it was replaced with a regular 3.0 liter engine. And the chassis 3673SA was replaced with a 330 GTO built on chassis 3765LM, but the car eventually should be out of the race earlier due to overheating during the 24 Hour of Le Mans of 1962 race.
There is much debate about how many 330 GTOs were ever produced. The answer is three, but now only two Ferrari 330 GTOs are left. As previously mentioned, the original was damaged and a replacement unit was built to race in its place.
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| 1962 Ferrari 330 GTO should be out of the race earlier due to overheating during the 24 Hours of Le Mans of 1962. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3qMRc26) |
The third and final unit of the Ferrari 330 GTO is a special custom car on chassis 4561SA and commissioned by Michael Paul-Cavalier. At his request, the Maranello-based auto-manufacturer modified it for road legal use, by increasing the wheelbase, stronger brakes and closed headlights, but it retains its 4.0 liter V12 racing engine.
Today, some of the 250 GTOs have been converted into 4.0 liter engines so that their appearance is similar to that of the 330 GTO, but the two original cars are very rarely seen in public. Possibly, this is what makes its prestige fade a bit and gradually becomes a kind of myth.
Lastly someone brought a Ferrari 330 GTO to attend the 2018 Goodwood Revival in a grid worth over £200 million. Look how gorgeous she is! What do You think? *** [EKA | FROM VARIOSU SOURCES | YAHOO | CONCEPTCARZ.COM | SUPERCARS.NET | SPORTSCARDIGEST.COM | AUTOCLASSICS.COM ]
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