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| 250 LM | |
|---|---|
| Name | 250 LM |
| Type | Racing car |
| Manufacturer | Ferrari |
| Production | 1963 |
| Designer | Giotto Bizzarrini, Carlo Chiti |
| Body style | Spider |
| Layout | Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Engine | 3.0 L V12 |
| Predecessor | Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa |
| Successor | Ferrari 330 P |
250 LM
The 250 LM was a single-seat sports-racing Ferrari prototype introduced in 1963 that contested endurance events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 12 Hours of Sebring, and Targa Florio. Combining the work of designers from Scuderia Ferrari and independent firms, it featured a mid-mounted Colombo V12 derived engine and a lightweight chassis used by teams including NART and privateers like Ecurie Filipinetti. The 250 LM bridged the gap between closed-cockpit GT racers and purpose-built prototypes driven by figures such as John Surtees, Mike Parkes, Graham Hill, and Peter Collins.
The 250 LM emerged as Ferrari's response to rules and rivals from Automobile Club de l'Ouest, ACM-aligned organizers, and manufacturers including Ford Motor Company, Shelby American, Jaguar Cars, Porsche AG, and Aston Martin. Conceived amid competition with the Ferrari 250 GTO and the rise of mid-engined prototypes like the Lola Mk6, it aimed to exploit homologation ambiguities to enter Le Mans-class events. Early chassis were campaigned by factory-supported teams and private entrants such as Scuderia Filipinetti, North American Racing Team, and Ecurie Ecosse.
The 250 LM combined a tubular spaceframe chassis by Scaglietti and a lightweight aluminum body styled by Pininfarina and Scaglietti carrozzeria influences, while some coachwork traced to Bertone concepts. The mid-mounted 3.0 L V12—a development of the Colombo V12 used in models like the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa—produced around 320 bhp depending on carburation and camshaft profiles by engineers including Carlo Chiti and Giotto Bizzarrini. Suspension components echoed solutions from Maserati competition cars with double wishbones and coil springs, adopting disc brakes similar to those on Cooper and BRM racing machines. Transmissions were five-speed manuals as supplied by ZF Friedrichshafen or in some examples bespoke Ferrari gearboxes.
Development began amid internal debates at Ferrari S.p.A. between Enzo Ferrari and engineers advocating mid-engine layouts after experiences in Formula One with teams like Cooper Car Company. Initial prototypes were built in 1962–1963 with production overseen by chassis builder Scaglietti and engine tuning by Ferrari's workshop, while some chassis were completed by independent firms such as Neri and Bonacini. Only a small series—fewer than two dozen units—was completed, many supplied to private teams including NART, Ecurie Nationale Belge, and privateers in the World Sportscar Championship.
The 250 LM contested major endurance races from 1963 to 1966 with mixed success; notable entries included the factory-supported appearance at the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans where a 250 LM entered by NART secured an overall victory credited to Ferrari's marque after disputes over homologation, with drivers like Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory associated in period accounts. The car also appeared at 12 Hours of Sebring, Monza 1000km, and national events run by organizations such as the Sports Car Club of America and Royal Automobile Club of Belgium. Privateers campaigned 250 LMs into historic racing eras, fielded by teams like Ecurie Ecosse and collectors from Hessisches Landesmuseum-era auctions; drivers included Lucien Bianchi and Pedro Rodríguez.
Variants included early prototype coupes, open-top spiders, and chassis adapted for customer specifications; later derivatives influenced the development of the Ferrari 330 P series and the Ferrari Dino 206 S through lessons in mid-engine packaging. Some chassis were rebodied by coachbuilders such as Pininfarina and Scaglietti, while modified engine tunings by firms like Autodelta and private workshops produced higher output versions. A number of replicas and continuation cars were created by firms including Atlas and various small ateliers rooted in the Italian coachbuilding tradition.
With outputs near 320 bhp and kerb weights competitive for the period, the 250 LM achieved top speeds in excess of 300 km/h on long straights like those at Circuit de la Sarthe. Lap performances at circuits such as Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, and Nürburgring Nordschleife placed it among top prototypes of its era, though it sometimes suffered reliability issues compared to rivals like the Ford GT40 and Porsche 904/906. Individual chassis logged class wins and podiums in World Sportscar Championship rounds and national endurance events.
The 250 LM influenced Ferrari's shift to mid-engined prototypes that culminated in models like the Ferrari 330 P4 and informed design principles later seen in Ferrari 312P and Ferrari 512S. Its scarcity and race pedigree made surviving examples highly prized by collectors at auctions held by houses such as Gooding & Company, Bonhams, and Christie’s, and it remains a staple in historic events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Museums including the Museo Ferrari and private collections preserve several chassis, ensuring the 250 LM's continued presence in motorsport heritage.
Category:Ferrari vehicles