With the lockdown and the new rule about social distancing, RM Sotheby's, the famous auction house specializing in sports and luxury cars, has adapted by offering online sales like Online Only: Driving into Summer in place of large gatherings presenting cars outdoors before sales.

During this sale which ends on May 28, you have a few hours left if you have some HBD to spend on this stunning 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe by Ellena. This morning, the current bid is $US 400,000 (estimate price between $US 625,000 and $US 725,000).

Too few HBDs to bid 😀, but it's an opportunity to learn more about a coachbuilder I didn't know too much Ellena. And with good reason because this company has only built 50 Ferrari 250 GT.

History of Ferrari 250 GT

The Ferrari 250 GT was presented during the Geneva Salon in March 1956. Enzo Ferrari wanted a new coachwork and asked to Pininfarina instead of Vignale, the most popular carrozzeria among Ferrari's customers.

Just for your viewing pleasure, the version of the Ferrari 250 GT by Pininfarina, classic and beautiful :

250 GT Pinin.jpg

1960 Ferrari 250 GT Series II by Pininfarina, sold for € 989,000 last year (source Bonhams)

Huge success, but Pinin Farina coudn't meet the demand and had to ask help. The contract for the Coupe version has been awarded to Boano Carrozeria founded by Mario Felice Boano, automobile designer working for Pininfarina and Ghia. But after building only 82 examples, the designer was hired by Fiat to run their styling center. The business was transferred to his son in law, Ezio Ellena that renammed it Ellena (Ah the Ego !) that produced 50 more Coupe with an adjustment, the roof was raised by 5 cm for the taller drivers.

With only this small production, in 1966, Carrozzeria Ellena closed its doors. It's for this reason that this coachbuilder remains still unknown and especially that it's only the last branch of Boano Carrozeria. If you want know more about Boano & Ellena, there is a interesting article on Coachbuild.com.

And for see the difference between Boano and Ellena version of Ferrari 250 GT :

1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe by Boano (source RM Sotheby's), you can see the smaller roof on this version.

Specification

The Ferrari 250 GT Coupe is equipped with a 3 litre tipo 128C Colombo V-12 engine with four speed gearbox, drum brakes and ZF steering system. This example is the 40th of the 50 produced with a coachwork by Ellena.

The car was completely restored in 2012 and finished in black with green leather interior. Just beautiful...

I think this is what I miss most in modern cars, it's the dashboard with all the gauges : benzina, acqua, olio... and obviously km/h :

Sale


Model :	1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe
Where :	Online Only: Driving into Summer through RM Sotheby's
When :	Until May 28 th
Price :	Estimate price between $US 625,000 and $US 725,000