Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’
1959 · Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ — Competition, V12, designed by Pininfarina.
The Story
In 1959 Ferrari faced a transition. The long-wheelbase 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ had dominated GT racing for years, but a new short-wheelbase car was coming. Rather than wait, Enzo Ferrari commissioned Pinin Farina and Scaglietti to clothe the existing 2,600mm LWB chassis in an early development of the forthcoming SWB’s bodywork, readying a competitive entry for Le Mans in June 1959. The result was a small batch of berlinettas history would name the ‘Interim’: old chassis, new skin, built April–September 1959. Only seven were made.
These seven cars are a literal bridge between two of Ferrari’s most revered models. They wear the rounded fastback Pinin Farina silhouette that previewed the immortal SWB, but ride on the older Tour de France underpinnings — and a tell-tale extra rear quarter window distinguishes them from the production SWB. The very first, chassis 1377 GT, was uniquely bodied by Pinin Farina in Turin; the other six were built by Scaglietti in Modena.
For a footnote model, the racing record is remarkable. At Le Mans 1959, 1461 GT finished 4th overall (2nd in the 3.0L GT class) and 1377 GT finished 6th (4th in class). In September 1959 the final car, 1523 GT, driven by Olivier Gendebien and Lucien Bianchi, won the Tour de France Automobile outright — a fitting close for the LWB lineage, in the very race that gave the breed its name. Swiftly outdated once the SWB arrived, the Interims became fast road cars for a handful of wealthy owners and are today among the most sought-after and valuable Ferraris ever built.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Competition class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Pininfarina
Italy’s most storied carrozzeria and Ferrari’s principal design house 1952–~2012. Used as the credit where no individual stylist is documented (esp. 1950s GTs designed collectively in-house).
Studio Motors POV
The Interim is the connoisseur’s 250 GT — neither as famous as the Tour de France nor as celebrated as the SWB, but the only car that is literally both, and rarer than either. Seven cars, one Tour de France win, and a body that predicted the 1960s: a footnote that quietly outranks the headlines.
The Engine
Ferrari Colombo V12
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’
Worth Knowing About the 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- • Only seven 250 GT 'Interim' Berlinettas were ever built, all between April and September 1959.
- • They ride on the old LWB Tour de France chassis (2,600mm) but wear the new Pinin Farina bodywork that previewed the SWB — and carry an extra rear quarter window the production SWB lacks.
- • The very first Interim, chassis 1377 GT, was uniquely bodied by Pinin Farina itself in Turin, while the other six were built by Scaglietti in Modena.
5 Fast Facts
- • Only 7 examples built, in 1959.
- • Powered by the Colombo 3.0L V12.
- • Long-wheelbase (2,600mm) chassis with early SWB-style Pinin Farina aluminium bodywork.
- • Known chassis: 1377, 1461, 1465, 1509, 1519, 1521, 1523 GT.
- • 1523 GT won the 1959 Tour de France Automobile outright (Gendebien / Bianchi).
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Lino Fayen (Caracas, Venezuela) — first owner of 1377 GT (May 1959); co-drove it with Gino Munaron to 6th overall at Le Mans 1959. Luigi Chinetti / N.A.R.T. — Ferrari’s North American importer took 1461 GT in 1959 (raced at Le Mans 1959 to 4th overall). Jo Schlesser — French racing driver associated with 1509 GT (Sep 1959). Olivier Gendebien & Lucien Bianchi — drove 1523 GT to outright victory in the 1959 Tour de France (racing provenance). Full title-chains beyond these are not individually verified.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Extreme rarity is the headline: with only seven cars in existence, any Interim is a blue-chip, museum-grade Ferrari. Race provenance is the single biggest value lever — the Le Mans 1959 cars (1377, 1461) and the Tour de France-winning 1523 GT sit at the very top. A documented, matching-numbers Colombo V12 and Ferrari Classiche certification are essential at this level; verify chassis history against established registries (barchetta.cc) and look for the signature extra rear quarter window confirming a true Interim. Values are firmly multi-million: chassis 1519 GT sold at Bonhams Quail Lodge (2015) for ~$8.5M; the rarest race cars would command well into $10M–$15M+ territory.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’
- Class
- Competition
- Production years
- 1959
- Units built
- 7 (chassis 1377/1461/1465/1509/1519/1521/1523 GT)
- Variants
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V12
- Engine family
- Ferrari Colombo V12
- Displacement
- 2953 cc (3.0 L)
- Power
- 250 hp
- Torque
- lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- s
- Top speed
- 150 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 238 hp/tonne · 9.3 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 4-speed manual (LSD)
- Drivetrain
- RWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 2315 lb
Questions
250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ FAQ
What are the key facts about the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’?
The 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ describes a small group of approximately seven transitional cars produced in 1959 between the end of Tour de France production and the start of full SWB production. These cars retained the older 2,600 mm long-wheelbase chassis but carried bodywork that previewed the definitive SWB design.
What was the role of the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ in Ferrari’s development?
The Interim berlinetta served as a body and design bridge between the Tour de France / LWB cars and the definitive 2,400 mm SWB Berlinetta — retaining the long-wheelbase chassis while previewing the fully revised SWB body. It did not test the SWB platform itself; the chassis change came later.
How does the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ differ from the TdF and the SWB?
The Interim used the 2,600 mm long-wheelbase chassis of the Tour de France, but carried bodywork that previewed the SWB Berlinetta’s cleaner, lower profile. So it sits between the TdF (LWB chassis + TdF body) and the definitive SWB (2,400 mm short chassis + fully revised body) as an LWB-plus-SWB-preview-body hybrid — its rarity comes from that unique combination.
What is a Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ worth at auction?
The 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ was built in approximately seven examples in 1959 on the older 2,600 mm long-wheelbase chassis, carrying bodywork that previewed the definitive SWB design. Its rarity and unique LWB-chassis-with-SWB-preview-body construction can push individual examples beyond ordinary TdF/LWB Berlinetta averages.
Can you source a Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ through Studio Motors?
The 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Interim’ was built in approximately seven examples in 1959 on the older 2,600 mm LWB chassis with bodywork previewing the SWB design. Given rarity and unique transitional status, sourcing is through private-treaty and major-auction channels.
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