1953 Ferrari 250MM Vignale Spyder Series II for sale

Overview of this 1953 Ferrari 250MM Vignale Spyder Series II used for sale

This particular model, built in 1953, is an Ex-Mike Hawthorn Mille Miglia racer.

What makes this Ferrari 250MM Vignale Spyder Series II even more special is that it is one of only twelve Vignale Spyders ever built on the 250MM chassis.

The car is finished in a classic red color with a tan leather interior, perfectly complementing its sleek design. Under the hood, the Ferrari 250MM Vignale Spyder Series II is powered by a 3.0-liter V12 engine, delivering 240 horsepower.

But it's not just the performance and rarity that make this Ferrari 250MM Vignale Spyder Series II a valuable addition to any collection. Its racing heritage, as an Ex-Mike Hawthorn Mille Miglia racer, adds an extra layer of history and prestige to the vehicle.

In 1953, at the Paris Salon, Ferrari introduced a new sports-racing model called the 250 Mille Miglia. Riding a shorter 2,400 mm chassis, the 250-based privateer car was assigned even-numbered racing chassis numbers and produced in a smattering quantity of 31 examples through mid-1953. Eighteen of the cars wore influential new fastback coachwork by Pinin Farina that was clearly a precursor to the carrozzeria’s designs for the upcoming 250 GT berlinettas, while the other 13 examples were bodied by Vignale (all but one of them as spyders). Of these 12 Vignale Spyders built for the 250 MM chassis, 10 were fashioned in an updated “Series II” style.

Although Ferrari was experimenting with Lampredi engines during this period, the 250 MM was powered by a 3.0L V-12 designed by Gioacchino Colombo. Essentially a Colombo block with Lampredi-style heads, the 250 MM engine featured individual porting, hairpin valve springs, and four-choke Weber carburettors. It produced approximately 240 bhp at 7,200 rpm, with the benefit of being smaller, lighter, and easier to maintain than a Lampredi engine.

It was produced in 1953 and was used in several races that year as a Scuderia Ferrari works racer, most notably the Mille Miglia where driver Mike Hawthorn and Azelio Cappi campaigned the car under race number #625.