![]() The engine was a new version of the familiar Lampredi V-12 design, developed for Ferrari's grand prix cars in 1951 and used in the sports racers through 1954. ![]() Also, the car was big, taking its 110.2-inch wheelbase from the 250 Europa and 375 America, both of which had just been phased out. ![]() To see how these discussions resulted in changes for the 1956 Ferrari, continue to the next page.Ī closer examination of the chassis, however, revealed that the frame went over the rear axle instead of under, as had been the practice previously. Chinetti argued forcibly that while an MG owner might brag about handling, an easy-shifting four-speed manual transmission, and good brakes, someone who had just paid the far side of $12,000 for his sleek Italian steed couldn't use that sort of rationalization after an American "barge" had just left him standing at a stop light. In those days, drivers of Chrysler hemis and Oldsmobile 88 Rockets reigned as kings of the American road, at least in standing start acceleration and in speed (over a straight road). The majority of Ferrari's cars in the early 1950s were competition machines, but Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari distributor for the United States, had been trying to convince Enzo Ferrari to build a road car with a bigger engine - one that would appeal to American buyers. Concurrently, Lampredi-designed engines could be found in the 500 (2.0-liter four), the 625 (2.5-liter four), the 750 (3.0-liter four), the 860 (3.5-liter four), the 118 (3.75-liter six), and the 121 (4.4-liter six). This 1954 Ferrari 375 America is powered by the 60-degree Lampredi V-12 mated with a four-speed manual transmission.Īurelio Lampredi-designed V-12s powered the 250, the 4.0 Miter 340, the 4.1-liter 342 (25 cc more displacement than the 340), and the 4.5-liter 375. It offered a number of cars with Gioacchino Colombo-designed V-12 engines - the 2.0-liter 166, the 2.3-liter 195, the 2.6-liter 212, and the 3.0-liter 250. Consider the fairly wide views of Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz compared to the narrower approaches of Aston Martin and Lamborghini.Ĭonsidering its size, Ferrari built an amazing variety of model types in the early 1950s, with engines that ranged in size and configuration from a 4.5-liter V-12 to a 2.0-liter four. Different philosophies emerge, with some companies seeming to think in broader terms than others. Most car companies - even the builders of limited-production high-performance cars - broaden their model bases when possible to cover as much of the market as considered desirable by management. These large and luxurious (at least by Ferrari standards) Ferraris became legendary in their own time, but it's doubtful that Enzo Ferrari would have built them had certain circumstances not come together, among them a perceived need for a Ferrari for American driving conditions and a desire to expand the line.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |