In the 1960s, Ferrari made strides towards making customer-oriented cars in all forms, race cars and GT cars, and in 1959, they started making prototypes for the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2, also known as the Ferrari GTE 2+2. It was the second four-seater after the Ferrari 166 Inter, the Ferrari's first ever two-door four-seater road-going car. However, since Ferrari made a minimal number of four-seater Ferrari 166 Inters, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 became the first mass-produced four-seater Ferrari. Picture this: the year is 1960, and you've just walked out of Ferrari's dealership with a 240-horsepower Ferrari 250 GT 2+2, and when the missus asks you why you bought it, you show her the rear leather seats, which she validates. The rear seats would serve as the perfect placement area for a grape basket or, even better, kids for owners who had them and wanted to take them to races or drive around vineyards. The concept of a four-seater sports car was uncommon in that era, and the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 changed the game for Ferrari and other manufacturers who felt the competition heat. But having four seats didn't mean the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 was a slouch. It combined thrilling speed with practicality, delivering exceptional performance from its powerful engine and sports car engineering that Ferrari didn't abandon. Amidst a growing appreciation for automotive heritage, Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 prices average around $500,000. Still, knowing how quickly Ferrari 250 GTs appreciate, it won't be long before we start seeing some sell at auctions for million-dollar prices. Still, for a car that inspired Ferrari four-seaters, such as the 612 Scaglietti and the Ferrari FF, there's no price too large for the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2.
Marking a pivotal shift in Ferrari's lineup, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 debuted as the 24 Hours of Le Mans course car in June 1960. During that time, Ferrari had already made and started delivering customer units. Prototypes had been sighted as early as 1959 with rear seats, which Ferrari had done only once before. But debuting as a course car should tell enough that the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 is not your ordinary practical GT car. It was built again on Ferrari's tubular chassis, but to accommodate the rear seats, the chassis was lengthened, making the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 a long wheelbase 250GT. The wheelbase was 2,600 mm long, 200 mm longer than the Ferrari 250 GT SWB (short wheelbase), and unveiled around the same time as the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2. One thing that both cars had in common was the engine, which made roughly 240 horsepower in the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 and more or less in the Ferrari 250 GT SWB, depending on the specs. However, the last five units to roll out of production got a 300-horsepower 4.0-liter V12. Like most Ferraris made in the late 50s and early 60s, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 was built at Ferrari's plant in Maranello, Italy, with Ferrari making 952 of them between 1960 and the end of 1963. The production number makes it one of Ferrari's most prolifically produced models at that time and one of the factors contributing to its relatively lower value in today's market.
Still using Ferrari's traditional design, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2's 230-horsepower 3.0-liter V12 engine is placed at the front almost halfway behind the front subframe, thus balancing the car's weight. This helped the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 handle better despite the extra weight from the lengthened wheelbase. The engine sends all its 240 horsepower to the rear wheels via Ferrari's old 4-speed manual transmission, but this time, an overdrive gear was added, which came in handy when highway driving, which is one thing that the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 was built to excel at. An overdrive gear enables the car to travel at high cruising speeds while keeping the engine running at lower RPMs. The engine running at lower RPMs has advantages, including lower fuel consumption and reduced engine stress and wear. Despite the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2's long wheelbase and heavier body, it's estimated that it can go from 0 to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds, which could be less if it didn't weigh 2,815 pounds. But it can still do 140 mph flat-out, shaming many modern cars today and showing how good Ferrari's engineering was in the 1960s.
Ferrari says that the rear seats in the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 are only suitable for small children or adults for very short journeys due to limited legroom. Still, it doesn't change that the car is more practical than most of its predecessors and successors. The rear seats allowed buyers to enjoy the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2's driving experience with more than one person and was probably used as an excuse to buy the car. This is a thing that still happens today; for example, when asked why you bought a Porsche 911 GT3 instead of a Panamera. Back to Ferrari, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 front seats were designed to be comfortable for comfort and not for grip. One notable difference that the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 seats have compared to seats in other models is that they have longer backrests reaching the neck. The rear seats have a bulge running across the top, which can be used as a headrest for shorter adults and children. Additionally, the center console running from the dashboard to the rear seats acts as an armrest for the occupants and houses an ashtray. Harnessing the power of innovation, Ferrari used modern comfort features such as air conditioning and a radio in the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2. It might seem like not much, but air conditioning and a radio in 1960 had the same effect on the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2's buyers as a premium sound system and air conditioning with climate control would have on you today.
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The 1950s became a pivotal era when Pininfarina established an exclusive partnership with Ferrari, becoming the primary coachbuilder behind the design of several iconic models, such as the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2. Its elegant design displays a harmonious blend of performance and luxury. The body's low stance resulting from its low ride height decreased by 50mm, and sweeping lines and curves give the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 an aesthetically appealing appearance, exemplifying a design Ferrari adopted in the 1960s. The front bumper was Pininfarina's most prominent change in the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2, giving it fog lights mounted on the square box mesh with Ferrari's badge sitting in the middle. A chrome bumper bar sits beautifully on the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2's front bumper, complementing the grille surrounds on the headlights and fog lights, but that's not where the chrome ends. Symbolic to most classic cars, Pininfarina used chrome on the wheels, window surrounds, door handles, taillight surrounds, and rear bumper bar, exemplifying luxury and elegance.
The Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 didn't process the technological features in later models and modern cars. Still, for its time, it boasted some of its most advanced engineering designs, especially in the weight-saving and aerodynamic departments. Pininfarina designed the body to be as aerodynamic as possible to counter the long wheelbase and the extra weight the chassis and body added, thus enhancing the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2's performance. Additionally, the body is constructed from steel with aluminum opening panels: the doors, hood, and trunk lid to minimize weight. The Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 tubular chassis had enhancements that further helped reduce the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2's weight. With the aluminum/steel body on top, rear seats, and other additions, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 only weighs about 200 pounds more than other Ferrari 250 GTs, including those with a short wheelbase.
The Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 holds a special spot in Ferrari's history, representing the company's shift to making four-seater GT sports cars. It started a lineage of Ferrari four-seaters such as the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4, Ferrari 456 GT, Ferrari California, and Ferrari GTC4Lusso. We even think that the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 played a part in the design of the recently unveiled Ferrari Purosangue despite it being a four-door and Ferrari's first, for that matter. Luckily, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 is relatively cheaper than most 250 GT's due to its large production numbers. Also, some sources state that its value started appreciating in the 80s, unlike several Ferraris that had already skyrocketed in price years before, with some even selling for extremely high prices immediately after production. Today, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 is valued at $500,000, but some sell for more, especially original ones with no replacement or restoration works. If you're in the market for a Ferrari 250 GT 2+2, you might find one listed on Exotic Car Trader, so ensure you watch out for our Ferrari listings. Also, we list all sorts of classic cars, so give us a call if any of Exotic Car Trader's classic car listings entice you.
Marking a departure from the traditional two-seater sports cars, the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 stands as a pivotal piece in Ferrari's evolution during the 1960s, emblematic of the company's shift towards customer-oriented grand tourers. Today, its allure lies in its exquisite design and historical importance for Ferrari, making it highly sought after by collectors who know it won't be long before prices start skyrocketing.
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