250
During the early 1950s, Ferrari
manufactured one of their most
popular vehicle lines: the 250 series.
First introduced at the 1953 Paris
Motor Show, the Europa was one
of the earlier 250 series to be seen
by the public. Heralded as the
vehicle that had taken over from its
predecessor, the 212 Inter, the 250
Europa was built around the chassis
of a 375 America and bore some
similarities in aesthetics. The front-
engined Europa was generously
powered by a 3L Lampredi V12,
kicking out a surprising 200 bhp
and a top speed of 135 mph, 11 mph
faster than the 212 Inter. Initial lines
Produced
1953-1964
Engine Size
2963 cc
Cylinders
12
0-60 mph
5.9 secs
Top Speed
135 mph
Power Output
200 bhp
Transmission
Manual
Gears
4 Speed
Length
110.2 in (2800 mm)
Width
52.2 in (1325 mm)
Height
51.9 in (1320 mm)
Weight
2359 lb (1070 kg)
Wheelbase
110.2 in (2800 mm)
(Specifications refer to the 250 Europa)
to produce a two-seater cabriolet
version alongside the original
model. Within a year of its debut,
the Europa was swiftly replaced
with the 250 Europa GT that
featured some modifications and
was designed to entirely replace the
original model. For a short while
the GT was still referred to purely
as the 250 Europa, but the Europa
suffix was to be dropped entirely
further down the line, leaving the
car to be known henceforth as
simply the 250 GT.
The latter form of the Europa
(250 GT) had its engine replaced
with a Colombo short block
V12, allowing for a variety
of modifications to be made,
enhancing the performance of
the car. Among the changes were
of the Europa, bodied by Vignale,
had visual similarities to the 340
Mexico until production was taken
over by Pininfarina, who went on
12