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www.QV500.com - 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Part 3: SWB of Special Interest |
 SWB Competizione 'Le Mans Speciale' 2643 GT |
In addition to the 21 SEFAC Hot Rod's, a handful of other particularly interesting SWB Berlinetta's were produced. Five were designed by Pininfarina and two by Bertone, a couple more having been re-bodied in period by Zagato and Nembo. The first car, chassis 2643 GT, is commonly referred to as the Berlinetta Le Mans Speciale and featured a three-litre, 290bhp Testa Rossa engine with a unique ultra-light Pininfarina Aerodinamico body. |
This experimental race car boasted perhaps the highest specification of its day, Pininfarina proposing the car to Ferrari as their recommended route for 1962's 250 GTO. 2643 GT's rear bodywork provided its most distinctive detail and ultimately proved to be the biggest difference between it and Bizzarrini's GTO. Employing a 400 Superamerica-style Aerodinamico tail that was ultimately derived from the Superfast II, it didn't provide the stability or downforce required at high speeds. Together with this very special prototype, four additional short-wheelbase 250 GT's received coachwork in the style of the aforementioned 400 Superamerica. Three of these Coupe Aerodinamico’s were constructed on Lusso-spec mechanicals while the first, chassis 2429 GT, was a Competizione running a hot 168 B/61 engine. This vehicle was in many ways like 2643 GT, a prototype 250 GTO, but surprisingly it never raced. Chassis 2613 GT meanwhile was constructed for Prince Bernhard of Holland and emerged in an eminently comparable style to 2821 GT and 3615 GT, the final pair of Pininfarina Coupe Aerodinamico's built on the short wheelbase chassis. |
 SWB Lusso Bertone 3269 GT |
Chassis 1739 GT, an original 1960 Competizione, was supplied as a rolling chassis to Bertone, the Turin firm fabricating alloy bodywork of a quite exceptional standard for its show debut at the Geneva Salon in March 1960. Clean, crisp and elegant, prominent features were the meshed front grille, slim pillared cabin and innovative use of stainless steel for the roof and rocker panels. This was only the second Ferrari to have been clothed by Bertone, wonderful exterior detailing belying its competition underpinnings. The next Bertone body was completed on SWB Lusso chassis 3269 GT. |
| Debuting during March 1962 at the Geneva Salon, this stunning car was immediately a little more luxurious than 1739 GT, the interior featuring electric windows, better sound insulation plus the finest burgundy leather and diamond quilting. 3269 GT's unique coachwork was fashioned from steel save for its alloy bonnet and boot lid and ranks as one of the finest illustrations of the coachbuilders art. Super elegant yet with an abundance of scoops, ducts and vents, many of which were stylised, the prominent features of this vehicle were its ‘Chiti’ sharknose, bulbous flowing wings and teardrop cabin. Finally, a pair of 250 GT SWB's were later re-bodied, the first of which was completed in 1966 by Neri & Bonacini who had been commissioned by Californian Tom Meade. Meade was also having a 250 LM converted for street use and a couple of hot rod Berlinetta’s built on 250 GT PF Coupe’s and got a stunningly beautiful Spyder on 3771 GT. In much the same vein as an open-topped 1964-spec GTO, 3771 GT has subsequently been often imitated, much to it's credit. Several years later, Zagato removed the steel Pininfarina coachwork from chassis 2491 GT and fabricated a Spyder body of questionable beauty for 1971's Turin Salon. |
 SWB Lusso Zagato '3Z' Spyder 2491 GT |
Apparanetly carried out at the request of North American distributor Luigi Chinetti, were it not for some clumsy detailing, particularly around the tail, the 3Z might have appeared a little more acceptable. However, despite some nice touches like the slatted headlight covers, it was a mismatch of sixties componentry and early 70’s fads. Certainly not one of the Milanese firm's most successful designs then, it and the seven scratch-built vehicles constructed on 250 GT SWB chassis, (five by Pininfarina and two by Zagato) along with Tom Meade's Nembo Spyder, are indexed below. |
| 250 GT SWB of Special Interest | |
| 1739 GT | 250 GT SWB Bertone Berlinetta Competizione Speciale |
| 2429 GT | 250 GT SWB Pininfarina Berlinetta Competizione 'Coupe Aerodinamico' |
| 2613 GT | 250 GT SWB Pininfarina Lusso 'Coupe Aerodinamico' |
| 2643 GT | 250 GT SWB Pininfarina Berlinetta Competizione 'Le Mans Speciale' |
| 2821 GT | 250 GT SWB Pininfarina Lusso 'Coupe Aerodinamico' |
| 3269 GT | 250 GT SWB Bertone Lusso |
| 3615 GT | 250 GT SWB Pininfarina Lusso 'Coupe Aerodinamico' |
| 2491 GT | 250 GT SWB Zagato '3Z' Lusso Spyder |
| 3771 GT | 250 GT SWB Nembo Lusso Spyder |
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 SWB Lusso Nembo Spyder 3771 GT |