1952 Ferrari 212 Inter

The Ferrari 212 was introduced in 1951 as an evolution of the earlier 195, featuring an increased engine capacity and an updated chassis. It was produced in two variants: the racing 212 Export and the 212 Inter, a road-going grand tourer. The 212 series also marked a significant milestone as the first Ferrari not entirely designed by engineer Gioachino Colombo, who left Ferrari in January 1951 due to internal conflicts with Aurelio Lampredi. However, development of Colombo’s V12 engine continued, in this case by only increasing the bore, which resulted in a total displacement of 2562.51 cc (with a unitary displacement slightly above 213 cc, hence the "212" name). This configuration produced approximately 150 hp at 6500 rpm with a single Weber 36DCF carburetor and 165 hp in the version equipped with triple carburetors. In 1952, further improvements to the cylinder heads increased the power output by an additional 5 hp. Beyond engine advancements, the 212 also introduced refinements to its tubular chassis, an evolution of the 125, with front double wishbone suspension and a rear live axle, derived from the 166 MM. Over time, the model experimented with new technical solutions, including the innovative "Tuboscocca" system, which combined a tubular frame with load-bearing bodywork elements, increasing structural rigidity without significantly increasing weight. This was an interesting transitional experiment, but despite its potential, it was soon abandoned in favor of more advanced space frame designs and, later, monocoques, which became the standard in the following decade. The British magazine Autocar tested a Ferrari 212 in 1950 and reported that it outperformed any car they had previously reviewed. However, the magazine also noted that they had limited the engine’s revving out of respect for the car’s newness and low mileage, suggesting that even greater performance could be achieved once fully run-in.

The Ferrari 212 Inter was intended to replace the previous 195 Inter, introduced in 1950 as a more refined grand tourer aimed at affluent customers. While the 195 Inter was an evolution of the 166 Inter, featuring a larger engine and an extended wheelbase for greater cabin space, the 212 Inter took performance further. Just as had happened with the 195, first introduced as a sports car (195 S) before being developed into a grand turismo (195 Inter), Ferrari followed the same strategy with the 212 series: the racing-oriented 212 Export debuted at the Salon de l’Automobile de Bruxelles in January 1951 and, at the Salon de l’Automobile de Paris, in October, the company unveiled the less competition-oriented 212 Inter with an example bodied by Carrozzeria Vignale, which designed an elegant and understated coupé. The 212 Inter shared the mechanics with the Export, so it initially used a chassis derived from the 166 MM, further evolved. In this variant, the chassis had a wheelbase extended 350 mm from the 2,250 mm of the Export to 2,600 mm, giving a less agile but more predictable behaviour. As in the Export, in later versions, the "Tuboscocca" chassis was introduced in some specimens, but there is no specific code in the chassis number to identify them. The chassis of the 212 Inter, except for a few exceptions, had an odd-numbered designation which distinguished it from the Export, with even numbers, initially followed by the suffix E and then EL, later replaced by the suffix EU, which introduced an important novelty. Ferrari's standard construction practice provided for right-hand drive, as per the typical tradition of race cars, but around mid-1952, the 212 Inter series, with chassis marked EU, began to be produced in series with left-hand drive, a choice preferred by most sales markets. As for the engine, the Inter remained largely unchanged from the Export version, retaining Colombo's V12 unit with a displacement of 2.5 litres, initially fitted with a single Weber 36 DCF carburetor, later replaced by a setup of three Weber carburetors. Different coachbuilders worked on the 212 Inter with a great variety of types and styles. The first specimen, according to chassis numbers (0107 ES), was also the last car to be bodied by Stabilimenti Farina. Vignale, already playing a major role in Ferrari’s designs, produced multiple body styles for a total of 36 cars. Ghia also contributed by designing a 2+2 coupé and even a four-seater sedan among 11 bodies built. Touring built 6 examples, replicating familiar designs of previous Ferrari models. Ghia-Aigle and the English Abbott each created a single specimen. The 212 Inter holds particular historical significance as it marked the beginning of Ferrari’s partnership with Pinin Farina. This was an important move, as the coachbuilder’s styling skills would be a boost for Maranello. Both Battista (Pinin) Farina and Enzo Ferrari had strong personalities and, according to a well-known anecdote, neither was willing to visit the other's headquarters, but they agreed to convene at a neutral location—a restaurant in Tortona, approximately halfway between Modena and Turin, laying the foundation for a long and successful collaboration that would significantly influence automotive design. The first Ferrari to be bodied by Pinin Farina was right a 212 Inter (chassis no. 0177E). Pinin Farina produced 52 cars, including two cabriolets—one finished in black for Jorge Filippinetti and another in metallic silver, showcased at the Salon de l’Automobile de Paris. The earliest 212 Inter models designed by Pinin Farina had a sober line compared to the more flamboyant creations by Vignale, but they gave birth to a homogeneous aesthetic identity in Ferrari design. The commercial success of the 212 Inter, particularly in the American market, was further cemented by its stunning result at the 1951 Carrera Panamericana: Piero Taruffi and Luigi Chiti secured first place, ahead of Alberto Ascari and Gigi Villoresi in second place, both on 212 Inter Vignale coupé. The widespread publicity campaign launched by Ferrari in the wake of this triumph ensured lasting recognition for the model. The Ferrari 212 Inter was produced from 1951 to 1953 in a total number of units that varies depending on sources but should be 79 units. As for the versions bodied by Vignale, it is estimated that 36 were built, including 28 coupés.

The 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter, chassis no. 0237EU, was coachbuilt as a Coupé by Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale & C. It is the first chassis to feature the EU suffix and, as such, the first road-going Left-Hand Drive Ferrari. It is the 52nd of 79 cars built, the 25th of 36 bodied by Vignale, and the 18th of 26 Vignale Coupés. The documents indicate that the car's certificate of origin dates back to September 15, 1952. On that date, Enzo Ferrari himself, who is therefore listed as the first owner, sold the car to the well-known driver Franco Cornacchia, who then resold it on March 31, 1953. The declaration of sale of the bodywork by Srl Alfredo Vignale & C also dates back to March 31, suggesting that in September 1952, Ferrari sold Cornacchia the rolling chassis with its mechanical components, and the latter subsequently arranged for the car to be bodied before selling it in March 1953 to Achille Stazzi in Milan. On April 2, 1953, the car received its first registration plate, MI 211300. In June of that year, it made its racing debut with Guerino Gerini at the wheel in the Trieste-Opicina hill climb, where it secured second place overall and in class. The following month, at the 10 Ore di Messina, the Pinzero-Gerini team, or possibly Achille Stazzi according to some sources, achieved an excellent fifth place overall. In August, Franco Cornacchia himself took the wheel, competing in the Trullo d'Oro and finishing third overall and in class. Still racing under the Scuderia Guastalla banner, Cornacchia secured the most significant result for chassis no. 0237EU and one of the most famous victories in the history of the 212 Inter: an overall win at the Coppa Intereuropa in September 1953. Two weeks later, Guerino Gerini placed eighth overall and first in class at the Bologna-Passo della Raticosa race. In October, the car changed ownership, passing into the hands of Ambrogio Arosio, and in March 1954, it was acquired by Bruno Moroni; they were both racing drivers. According to the document inspection related to the license plate MI-211300, in April 1954, an increase in fiscal horsepower was approved, rising from 34 HP to 36 HP, corresponding to a displacement increase to approximately 2.7 liters. Since no other modifications were recorded and the documents still listed the original engine number, it is presumed that the work was carried out on the same original engine block 0237EU. Moroni continued to race with the car in 1955, entering the Coppa della Lombardia and the Gran Premio Supercortemaggiore at Monza. The car's journey then took it to South America, where it remained in competition. In August 1956, in Venezuela, it achieved an overall victory at the Premio Nacional Ciudad de Maracay and, in 1959, went north in the hands of well-known racing driver and NART founder Luigi Chinetti. Owner Joseph Zazzaro recalled that in 1959, he purchased the car from Chinetti in Manhattan and then spent the next two years investing his free time and twice the purchase price in restoring the car, ultimately selling it at a loss. Between 1959 and 1986, the car changed hands multiple times but remained in the United States; there is no further evidence of racing use in the US. In 1986, chassis no. 0237EU returned to Italy, purchased by collector Andrea Bonomi, who the following year entered it in the first of its many Mille Miglia reenactments. In 2005, the car was sold at auction by Bonhams Ferrari in Geneva and continued to participate in major historic car events. It was displayed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, competed at the Goodwood Revival, the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, and the Silverstone Classic, and was exhibited at the Retromobile Salon in Paris. The car passed between English collectors, returned to the Mille Miglia, and took part in prestigious concourses such as Pebble Beach and many others. In 2020, the car arrived in the Netherlands, where its new owner, David Hart, located and acquired the original engine from Anthony Herzberger, which had been installed in chassis no. 0225EL. In 2021, chassis no. 0237EU went to Belgium in the collection of Jan De Reu, and since 2023, it has been part of a private collection while remaining a fixture at major international events. The car has been featured in numerous publications.