Asset Nr 03/50 in our SF50_index is the legendary Ferrari 250 LM which proudly holds the highest rating category #SF_AAA.

Selected as one of the six most significant cars & investments from the 1960s and a bold member of the SF50_index, representing and monitoring the 50 most significant cars & investments from the last 60 years.

The Ferrari 250 LM, which debuted at the Paris Motor Show in October 1963, was the Berlinetta version of the 250 P prototype, maintaining the very same chassis and running gear with just minor modifications. The FIA’s rejection to homologate it as a GT vehicle hampered its market potential, and the decision forced the car to race against real prototypes, lowering its prospects of success. On the other side, it did help to prolong the life of the 250 GTO on racetracks.

At the 1965 LeMans, Ferrari’s 250LM sports car achieved its goal by winning the race event after which it was named. Drivers Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory had a lot of optimism since it was the 250LM’s biggest moment as well as their own. They were driving Ferrari’s perfect sports-racing car, which featured all the successful features of mid-1960s design, including a mid-mounted V12 engine in a low-drag body. Even before the 1965 success, the factory sales brochure referred to the vehicle as a ‘Berlinetta 250/Le Mans,’ and the car was internally referred to as a 250/LM.

The years immediately prior to the triumph of the 250LM have been exhilarating for Ferrari. During this time, Mario Forghieri and other designers worked tirelessly to put the Ferrari V12 behind the driver while keeping balance and dependability. They accomplished this feat in 1963 with the 250P, the first rear-engine vehicle to win Le Mans.

Following the success of the 250P, Ferrari sought to take the rear engine concept a step further by developing a road-going version that would compete in the sports car class. In order to do this, he needed to make the 250P seem like a road vehicle and persuade the regulating FIA of this. According to Ferrari, the vehicle “embodies all of the expertise and attributes that have proven most effective in the previous world long-distance contests.” “The dependability and power of its 12 cylinder engine have become legendary, and the rigidity and robustness of the chassis have been fully established,” they said of the design. Pininfarina’s rigorous aerodynamic analysis resulted in the body work. All of these elements have been incorporated in the 250 Le Mans Berlinetta to provide the Customer with the greatest possible chance of victory in contests.

The 1965 North American Racing Team Ferrari 250 LM that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a popular sight at vintage car exhibitions and was recently on display at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Sotheby’s auctioned off a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM in 2013 for $14.3 million to an unidentified telephone bidder. The previous price record for this model was shattered by this bidder.

Only 32 cars were produced, largely for privateers and teams participating in anything from hill climbs to endurance races on confined circuits. The 3.3-liter V12 engine powered the middle-engined automobile, albeit the nomenclature did not change with the displacement increase. The number “250” in the name of Ferrari automobiles with original 3.0-liter V12 engines represents the displacement in cubic centimeters of each of its cylinders, as we all know. The automobile should have been designated the 275 LM, but the 250 was utilized for commercial and homologation reasons.

Although the 250 LM was not as successful as its predecessors, it is highly regarded by owners, historians, and racing enthusiasts as one of, or maybe even THE best Ferrari of all time.

We currently have no 250 LM off-market unit verified available, but you can hire us with a search order and we are more than happy to discuss your preferences and budget and would be able to qualify, identify and source a 250 LM for you. Email us at kontakt@fsc24.ch for more.