1960-1968 Ferrari 250/330 GT 2+2

Carrozzerie Touring, Ghia, and Vignale all built 2 + 2 Ferrari bodies in the early fifties, but they were one-off cars with unacceptable rear-seat accommodation for anything longer than a trip around the block. Thus, Maranelio fielded nothing but two-seaters until June 1960, when it supplied a 2+2 as the course marshal's car for the Le Mans 24 Hours. It was, in fact, a sneak preview of a new model, which was formally announced at the Paris show in October as the 250 GTE.

Ferrari's first production 2+2 shared its 102.3-inch wheelbase with contemporary long-chassis 250 GTs, but with an engine moved eight inches forward to open up room for a back seat. Other than this and associated modifications, the GTE chassis followed then-current Ferrari specs: double-A-arm front suspension, leaf-sprung live rear axle, all-round telescopic shock absorbers and disc brakes, all-synchro 4-speed gearbox with Laycock de Normanville overdrive.

Also shared with other roadgoing 250s was the 2953-cc V-12 (bore and stroke: 73 x 58.8 mm), with three twin-choke Weber carburetors, 8.8:1 compression, and a rated 240 horsepower at 7000 rpm. Cylinder heads were the now-standard Ferrari design with outboard spark plugs, individual intake ports, and coil valve springs. Body design and construction were by Pininfarina and all-new. Neither changed much through the end of the model run, though 1962 brought minor appearance revisions inside and out, plus a new name: 250 GT 2+2.

Though that model was phased out in late 1963, it was followed by some 50 "interim" examples powered by Ferrari's new Type 209 4.0-ltere engine, several inches longer than the familiar 250 unit. The main visual tipoff to this swap was an "America" nameplate at the rear, though not all the cars were so labelled. This and the new engine's individual cylinder displacement account for this model's being known today as the 330 America. One of Enzo Ferrari's longtime practices was to hold an annual press conference at his Maranello factory to show off his latest cars, showroom and competition models alike. His January 1964 meeting featured a GTE/America replacement, but it met with decidedly mixed reviews. Designated 330 GT 2+2, it combined the 4.0-litre engine with a new body, again designed and built by Pininfarina. Most of the criticism cantered on the styling: bulbous and heavy-looking. It even had quad headlights, American-style. We don't have 1964 sales figures, but it's significant that the 330 2 + 2 lost two of those headlights for 1965 and beyond. Other than suitably narrowed front fenders with revamped side vents, it would continue in this form through 1968. Total production was about 1000 units over four years. The 330 GT 2 + 2 chassis was all-Ferrari in style and substance, though it spanned a longer (104.2-inch) wheelbase than the GTE/America. The drivetrain was strengthened to handle the 4.0-litre engine's extra power, rated at 300 bhp at 6000 rpm. Koni adjustable shock absorbers teamed with concentric coil springs to augment the rear semi-elliptics, and separate front and rear brake systems eliminated the possibility of total braking loss.

Typical of Ferrari, this 330 saw several running changes. Alloy wheels were standardised in 1965, and Borrani wires (both centre-lock and knock-off) were offered at extra cost. The following year, a new 5-speed gearbox replaced the old 4-speed-plus-overdrive, in line with other Ferraris. The 330 2 + 2s weren't as attractive as the GTE/America, but what they lost visually, they gained mechanically. All-out performance wasn't much better, but the bigger engine's added torque and greater flexibility made driving easier and more enjoyable, while the longer wheelbase and spruced-up interior made the going more comfortable. In short, this was the "commuter's" Ferrari, a car that could stand the daily stop-and-go grind yet provide a lot of excitement on the right kind of road. No mean feat when you stop to think about it. But then, even "cooking" Ferraris are anything but ordinary.

The 4.0-litre 330 GT 2 + 2 was much like the original 3.0-litre 250 models, but arrived with a four-lamp front that proved quite controversial. it was used only in 1964. Moving engine forward opened up additional seating space in the 250 LWB chassis.