1964-1965 Ferrari 250/275 LM

Ferrari experimented with mid-engine racing cars as early as 1960, but didn't have one ready until March 1963, when Enzo Ferrari presented the 250P at his annual press conference. Basically, it was an amalgam of the "standard" 3.0-litre dry-sump racing V-12 from the front-engine Testa Rossa (with six DCN Weber cartes) and the chassis from the V-6 and V-8 Dino mid-engine competition cars, albeit with a longer 94.5-inch wheelbase (versus 91.4) to accommodate the longer engine. Soon after its debut, the 250P broke the lap record at Monza in the hands of John Surtees, a recent Team Ferrari recruit. That November, a closed version called 250 LM (for "Le Mans") was shown at the Paris Salon. Like the 250P, it had all-independent suspension via fabricated tubular A-arms, coil springs, and telescopic shock absorbers, plus four-wheel disc brakes with inboard units at the rear. The engine, again based on the Testa Rossa unit, employed a multi-disc clutch mounted on the flywheel between the engine and transaxle (later versions had the clutch "outboard" behind the transaxle assembly). The non-synchro 5-speed transmission had all-indirect gears, which allowed a low engine position that lowered the center of gravity and reduced frontal area.

Pininfarina supplied shapely berlinetta bodywork whose windshield and side windows would appear on the Series II 250 GTO. In fact, the roof design on both cars was similar, a "flying buttress" style with sloped "sail panels" flanking a vertical rear window. Water radiator, an oil cooler, and the reservoir for the dry-sump lubrication system nestled in the nose. This first 250 LM came to the U.S. in late 1963 (after the autumn European show season) and was campaigned by NART (the North American Racing Team of Luigi Chinetti, Ferraris stateside distributor). After a DNF at Daytona and an undistinguished eighth place finish at Augusta, Georgia, the car caught fire at Sebring and was totally destroyed. The LM's next outing was the Le Mans trials in April 1964. By then, the engine had been bored from 73 to 77 mm, which made it a "275," with displacement of 3287.5 cc. On higher, 9.7:1 compression, it packed 330 horsepower at 7700 rpm. Though all subsequent LMs were so equipped, Ferrari didn't change the 250 designation for fear of jeopardising homologation proceedings. He might just as well have called them 275s, as the FIA took two years to certify the model. Despite the extra power, the LM's fortunes didn't immediately improve, but the car would acquit itself well over the next two years. In 1964 alone, LMs placed 1-2 at the 12 Hours of Reims, second in the Tourist Trophy, first at Elkhart Lake and Mont Tremblant, 1-2 in the Coppa Inter-Europa and Grand Prix of Angola, and 2-3-6 in the Nassau Trophy. In all, LMs won 10 major events, placed second in six and third in four. Only 10 out of the total 35 entries failed to finish. Ferrari didn't campaign the 250 LM in 1965 or '66, but privateers continued to race it successfully. In fact, one of its best displays of speed and endurance came at Le Mans 1966, when Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory finished first in a NART entry, followed by the LM of Pierre Dumay and Gustaf Gosselin. (Willy Mairesse and Jean Beurlys took third overall and first in GT class with their 275 GTB.)

As purpose-designed compedtion cars, all 250/275 LMs had right-hand drive and a minimal area for a passenger, as regulations specified. Full road equipment-lights, horn, spare wheel and tyre, etc was also mandatory, thus making the LM seem like a dual-purpose car. But it wasn't. In fact, even the racers ran with only the driver. The earlier 250 GT berlinettas had dominated the Tour de France, Tour of Sicily, and other long-distance events requiring two aboard, but the 250 LM would have been physical disaster for a copilot in one of those week-long contests.