The Ferrari 125 S was the first car that Enzo Ferrari ever built together with Gioachino Colombo, Luigi Bazzi, and Giuseppe Busso that had the Ferrari logo on it. This all-new Ferrari came out with two body styles - the sport version and the competition version. Of the two body styles the chassis 01C was the most common which can be distinguished from the race model with its sportier design. Underneath though, they pretty much had the same chassis and while this first model developed an issue with the fuel pump causing it to drop out of races, the consecutive models won six of them. Only two of these cars were ever built. Let’s find out more about this pioneer car, the 1947 Ferrari 125 S value, and even delve a little into the Ferrari 125 S price.
During the time of the Second World War, the Ferrari plant grew to up to 160 workers. The factory produced war components such as induction gears. When the war was finally over, the factory was left with enough workforce that was experienced enough for Ferrari to build his car manufacturing plant. Two years later Ferrari's first car drawing on a sheet of paper became a reality. This new Ferrari would come with a V12 engine which had a Ferrari 125 horsepower of 118. The number 125 was inspired by the displacement of a single cylinder of 125 cc. The car went ahead to provide a base from which lake other Ferraris would be made. It had a tubular oval frame and with that V12 engine, was ready to make its mark in Voiturette racing. In the Piacenza in May of 1947, the Ferrari 125 S debuted. It was to spend its career as a race car seeing both chassis of the 1947 Ferrari 125 S enter 13 competitions which resulted in 6 wins and a couple of podiums. This car was often called the Piacenza Roadster and came out in 6th place after being driven by Franco Cortese. Let’s dive a little deeper into our Ferrari 125 review. More on the Ferrari 125 price later on.
You’re probably wondering where the Ferrari 125 was made. Well, it was called the Piacenza Roadster for good reason as it was built in Piacenza. And how many Ferrari 125s were produced? Only two as we will find out as we move along with our Ferrari 125 review. Of the two body styles, the chassis 01C won two of the races which included the Vercelli and Grand Prix. The chassis 02C saw even more success winning a total of 4 races. The competition at these races included cars such as the BMW 328. There were also many other cars such as the Fiat ke30 and the Maserati ke51, and sure the 328 BMW would be later discontinued but would remain a car to be reckoned with even after World War II and was responsible for over 20 wins. It won the Mille Miglia twice. All this while having a smaller 2.0-liter V6 which produced just 79hp but was improved by privateers. Another car that would pose a challenge was the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 which has often been referred to as the 125 S predecessor. This is because the car was also built by Enzo Ferrari in 1940. It had a 1.5-liter Fiat-sourced engine that was an inline 8. And sure, it may not have won any races but the car did well to hold its own against what at the time was more modern designs. With such a history, the 1947 Ferrari 125 S for sale as a collectible will cost millions of dollars.
The man in that V12 was Gioachino Colombo. Before joining Enzo Ferrari, he had worked under Alfa Romeo. It is why the Ferrari 125 S engine was also referred to as the Colombo engine. The engine was a 1.5-liter twin 6 V12 and featured three carburetors with a Ferrari 125 top speed of 131 mph. Not only that, the Ferrari 125 0-60 according to modern tests was 10.3 seconds. This engine was mated to a 5-speed gearbox. As for the Ferrari 125 horsepower and torque, it produced 118hp, 92 lb-ft of torque, and resulted in a Ferrari 125 S top speed of 131 mph. That said the company would then use this engine as a basis for the subsequent generations of the sports GT racing. It was what would later lead to the 365 GTB/4 and the 250 GTO. Overall the Ferrari 125 weight sits at 1433 pounds.
Inside the cockpit, the driver remained exposed as was expected with many a car of the day including a rather tight cockpit. The fuel tank which had a circular shape sat directly being the driver. As for the Ferrari 125 design for the dashboard, this had a simple build including a panel that featured a rather large rev counter, a few switches as well as a few other small gauges. The steering wheel was large and featured a wooden wheel with chrome spokes. There were no safety belts or headrests for the seats and both the driver and the passenger only had a small glass screen ahead of them for protection against the wind and rain. Simply put the interior of the car was unsafe and a lot less fancy. That said the Ferrari 125 interior matches the standards of the race cars of the time.
The 125 S was designed as a 2-seater for the racetracks. When Enzo Ferrari first saw a photo of a V12 engine on a placard, it inspired him. Thirty years later in 1947 the 125 V12 came out. The Ferrari 125 exterior design featured a single door located on the side of the passenger even with the car built as a 2-seater. The metal panel partition on the driver’s side allowed him to jump in and out. Compared to the rest of the sports cars of the 1980s, the 125 also featured a different kind of grill design. This one was not the normal mesh grill of the time but a simple square with horizontal slats. There were also smaller vents on the sides and top of the main grille. The nose was wide with a slanted upside-down design with large air inlets designed to allow maximum air to the radiator to cool that big V12. With The first engine revision, behind the inlets for the radiator, there was the scoop that allowed the air to pass through and reach the supercharger. This supercharger boosted the horsepower from 118 to 230hp as well as increasing the initial Ferrari 125 S top speed of 131mph. On both sides of the chassis behind the front tires were two spaces that provided an exit for the six exhaust pipes. On the sides of the vehicle were the infamous shark grills that are reminiscent of many formulas one cars. But they served a purpose and helped rid the heat produced by the big V12. This was through creating a vacuum door from the rushing outside air which would then pull out the hot air in the engine bay. Towards the rear of the vehicle, the Ferrari 125 design changed gradually to a more triangular shape. This was also intentional and helped to counter the driver whose position sat up into the airflow. The rear of the 125 S was a simple boat-style design with integrated fender flares. The taillight was mounted at the center, a small lid for the trunk and the exhausts, there wasn’t much more with the rear fascia.
Adding to the Ferrari 125 technology, another talent that Gioachino Colombo had was the building of spirit tubes and after the war, he met up with Enzo Ferrari to discuss the chassis design. During its development, the motivating factor here was lightweight. This explains why Gioachino Colombo used sleeker tubes bringing the car’s overall weight just 1433 pounds. To add to the agility, the vehicle featured a double wishbone suspension as well as transverse leaf springs. As for the brakes, we are talking drum brakes which were hydraulically operated to bring the thrust of the V12 to a halt. And sure, you may say that 118 hp isn’t much especially when coming out of a V12 and compared to modern-day engines but remember this is 1947, and yet the Ferrari 125 was in the same power-to-weight ratio as a R33 Skyline GTR. Coupled with the naturally aspirated Ferrari 125 S engine that featured a single overhead camshaft the 1947 Ferrari 125 S also featured a rear-wheeled drive system and front-mounted motor.
So how much is a Ferrari 125 worth? What’s the 1947 Ferrari 125 S value? These are both highly valid questions that any classic car enthusiast would want to know. As only two of these came out, which you could think of as an earlier version of the Ferrari 125 trim levels, both used as a basis for the forthcoming race cars and the rather complex history of the 125, it is super hard to estimate the current value of the Ferrari 125 S. That said, some sources and estimates claim that if the Ferrari 125 S did go up for a public auction, the Ferrari 125 S price could go upwards of $90,000,000.
Granted the 1947 Ferrari 125 S isn’t as good looking as other Ferrari models of the time such as the 250 GTO. But as we’ve seen in our Ferrari 125 review, it is one of the most important pieces in the history of Ferrari and the automotive world in general. Coupled with being the very first Ferrari ever built, it also has an impressive racing career. And while the vehicle never got outside of Italy, it still impresses as the first in-house race car ever built by Ferrari. And it was this model that offered the base vehicle for the ones to come in the future. One thing’s for sure: the 1947 Ferrari 125 S for sale would cost a pretty penny. If you want to get your hands on the Ferrari of your dreams, let Exotic Car Trader help you. From finding the car online to handling the entire purchase process, Exotic Car Trader is your number-one partner whether you are looking to buy or even sell your car.
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