Ferrari 225 S Berlinetta by Vignale

In the early years, Ferrari developed a new model almost every year in order to continue to be successful in racing. At that time, for company founder Enzo Ferrari, every racing success counted double, while road sports cars enjoyed low priority. At the beginning of 1952, the 225 S (Sport) therefore made its debut as a further development of the previous 212 Export, whose chassis also had a wheelbase of 2.25 meters. The V12 engine developed by Giacomo Colombo, whose displacement was increased to 2.7 liters, was used as the power source. This resulted in a displacement of 225 cc per cylinder, which explains the abbreviation of the new model series. Even chassis numbers and the steering wheel on the right-hand side of the vehicle indicate for all 225 S that Ferrari classified this model exclusively as a racing car, as road vehicles were given odd chassis numbers at that time. Over the course of the year, probably 21 units were built as closed Coupés and open Spyders, with almost all bodies being produced at Vignale. At the races, which were mostly held in Europe, drivers like Giovanni Bracco, Piero Taruffi, Eugenio Castellotti, Roy Salvadori and Jim Kimberly sat behind the wheel of the 225 S.

The car with chassis number 0164ED, offered by RM Sotheby’s at an auction of the Elkhart Collection in October, also took part in some races in 1952. It was one of 12 cars in total and one of four Berlinettas (Coupés) to receive the lighter Tuboscocca tubular frame chassis. Interestingly, Vignale omitted the usual round air outlets in the front fenders on this car. In return it was given additional air vents under the headlights, an external fuel filler cap on the right-hand C-pillar, as little chrome as possible, a red paintwork finish and beige leather upholstery. First owner was the private racing driver and former fighter pilot Franco Bordoni-Bisleri. He entered the Ferrari together with Alberto della Beffa, a bobsleigh Olympian, as early as April 1952 in the XII Giro di Sicilia, where they finished sixth overall and fourth in their class. One month later Franco Bordoni-Bisleri together with a Mr. Geronimo started in the Mille Miglia. There they achieved second place in their class and tenth position overall. He then sold the 225 S to the tyre company Kleber-Colombes in Paris, who had presented their first tubeless tyre shortly before. Once there, the car was repainted in the typical French blue to be ready for further races.

Among others, Jean Lucas and Jacques Peron drove the 225 S in the 12 Hours of Casablanca, the Grand Prix of Sports Cars in Monaco, the Grand Prix d’Orleans, the Grand Prix de Bressuire and Les Sables d’Olonne, winning the last four mentioned events. Towards the end of the year the car suffered a rollover and went back to Ferrari in Maranello for repairs. As part of this work it also received a new bonnet with additional air intake, which is still fitted today. After two more races in 1953 the European racing career of 0164ED ended. In the following year Luigi Chinetti Motors sold it to Robert Tappan from Ohio, who took part in a race of the SCCA championship at the Akron Airport with it, but failed to finish. In the late 1950s Alfred Momo from New York, who later became chief mechanic for Briggs Cunningham, bought the 225 S. Before the end of the decade, it passed through the hands of a Mr. Trooter and John Levitt, both also from New York, before Eugene Aucott from Philadelphia took possession of the car in 1959 together with a three-liter spare engine.

Little is known about the following 20 years or so. Mr. Aucott showed the Ferrari at the New Hope Auto Show in Pennsylvania in August 1963 and brand expert Edwin Niles described it in an article in ‘Cavallino’ magazine in September 1978. Five years later, the Ferrari collector Anthony Wang bought the car and kept it in his garage for about three decades. Since 2012, this rarity has been part of the current owner’s collection, who used the 225 S for the 2012, 2014 and 2016 Monaco Historic Grand Prix, the 2013 and 2014 Mille Miglia Storica and the 2015 Goodwood Revival, among other events. In 2017 he and the car were invited to the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach. He had a custom-made five-speed gearbox from Tremec installed and stored the original unit. In addition, the car was repainted back to its original shade of red. At the auction on 23 and 24 October, RM Sotheby’s offers this racing car without reserve. There is no information about the expected hammer price yet.

Images: RM Sotheby’s, Darin Schnabel