Lot 207: 1954 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe

In the early 1950s Ferrari was far more concerned with the manufacture of competition cars for itself and selected customers than with building road cars, but nevertheless took the first steps towards series, if limited, production with the 250 Europa. Introduced alongside the larger-engined 375GT America at the Paris Salon in October 1953, the Europa shared the America�s long-wheelbase (280cm) chassis and Aurelio Lampredi-designed, 60-degree V12 engine. In �250� form, the sohc Lampredi unit featured �square� bore/stroke dimensions of 68x68mm and produced around 220bhp. Lampredi�s race-proven �long block� V12 endowed the Europa with phenomenal performance among contemporary GT cars - the speedometer reads to 300km/h (186mph) - and was the chosen engine for Ferrari�s early sports-racing cars. It was the 250 Sport that Bracco drove to his famous victory in the 1952 Mille Miglia that demonstrated the engine�s capability and prompted its selection by Ferrari for use in their first production luxury sports car - the Europa.
Chassis and suspension followed established Ferrari practice, the former being a tubular steel framework with oval main tubes; the latter independent at the front by means of �A� arms and transverse leaf spring, and by a live axle at the rear. Along with its generous wheelbase, the Europa�s four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox indicated that this Ferrari, rather than being a mildly civilised racecar, was indeed intended for the road not the track.
There was no �standard� bodywork as such, as every Europa was a bespoke creation to individual customer order. Production however, was destined to be short-lived, ending late in 1954 after just 21 cars had been produced. Pinin Farina was responsible for bodying the majority of Europas, completing 16 as coup�s and one as a cabriolet, while Vignale was responsible for the other four, all of which were coup�s. Pinin Farina�s influential, high waisted, shallow-windowed coup� body that featured on the Europa, and which this car has, is widely regarded as one of the famed carrozzeria�s most successful designs.
The 12th of the 21 units built, 250 Europa chassis number �0331EU� entered the Pinin Farina plant on 5th February 1954 for bodying as a closed coup� with body number �12541�. The car was painted in grey over shell grey and sold to its first owner, Count Fritz Herbert Somsky, resident at the Automobile Club of Modena, Italy on 29th May 1954 and registered �MO 32863�. Some two years later, on 1st June 1956, Count Somsky sold his Europa (taking delivery of a new Ferrari 410 Superamerica) to second owner Filippo Montanari (son of Camillo Montanari) a resident of Bologna. The car was reregistered in Bologna plates �BO 82208�.
In February 1957, �0331� was sold by Montanari to another Bolgonese, racing driver Cesare Perdisa (son of Luigi Perdisa). Perdisa kept the car until September 1958 when it was sold via official Ferrari dealer Inico Bernabei, in Rome, to Edwin K Niles, an attorney resident in Los Angeles, California, and reregistered on Italian license plates for Niles during his stay in Europe. Late in 1959 Niles exported the car to the USA where the original engine �0331� was removed (it is now in 250 Europa Vignale Coup� �0313EU�). The car�s subsequent history in the USA is not fully documented, although it was advertised for sale at least once before being sold in 1987 to Nicola Cutrera, the then editor of Ferrari World. It is currently fitted with engine number �1657GT�.
Representing the Europa marque, �0331� is featured in Cutrera�s book Ferrari 250 Grand Touring Cars (pages 10-17) and is described by none other than Edwin K Niles, who recalled the circumstances of its purchase: �In the waning hours of the last day of my holiday, I located 0331EU in an underground storage garage of a Rome dealer and former racer, Inico Bernabei. My �test ride� in this car was my first experience �with sale by terror�, a technique which I have successfully employed many times since. Bernabei took me on a screaming ride through the narrow streets of Rome, passing applauding pedestrians wherever we turned. I heard shouts of �Ferrari!� and �Forza!� I didn�t even negotiate the price.�
The Europa was driven in the 1992 Mille Miglia by Cutrera and co-driver Alessandro Giudice (race number �330�) and later sold to Erich von Baumbach in Germany, who likewise contested the Mille Miglia, in 1995 and 1996. Later in �96 the car was sold to the current owner, a resident of Milan, and although it was duty paid in Italy (in 1987) has only ever been registered with temporary number plates.
�0331EU� is offered with assorted correspondence, Ferrari Certificate of Origin, current Automotoclub Storico Italiano papers and FIVA Passport. In addition, a substantial quantity of valuable engine spare parts comes with the car, to include cylinder heads (x2), cam covers (x2), pistons (x12), connecting rods (x12), valves (x24), valve springs and collets, and an inlet manifold.
A landmark car - the beginning of the 250 line � the Europa introduced a new level of refinement and elegance to Ferrari. Eligible for a wide variety of the most prestigious historic motor sports events, �0331EU� represents a rare opportunity to acquire an important early Ferrari road car with inspired Pinin Farina coachwork.