Beschreibung:

Capitalising on the success of his V12-engined competition cars, Enzo Ferrari began to develop exclusive road-going models for sale to private customers as a means of financing Scuderia Ferrari’s racing programme. One of the first of these, the 212 Inter of 1951/’52, was directly descended from the very first Ferrari that had appeared just four years previously. Enzo Ferrari had begun planning his new car during the war and in 1946 commissioned Gioacchino Colombo to design a small-capacity V12 engine for it. The 1.5-litre Tipo 125 unit took its designation from the capacity of an individual cylinder (125cc) thus instigating a system of nomenclature that would characterise Ferraris for many years to some. Ferrari’s Tipo 125 sports-racer made its competition debut in 1947 and by mid season had been re-designated Tipo 159, its engine having been enlarged to 1.9 litres. Later in the year the first Tipo 166 (2.0-litre) unit appeared. In race tune up to 150bhp was available (the Inter road car with its single twin-choke Weber carburettor produced 100bhp) which was transmitted via a five-speed gearbox, an unusual feature in those days, even on a competition car. In typical Ferrari fashion the twin-tube chassis employed transverse leaf and double wishbone front suspension, and a semi-elliptically sprung live rear axle located by torsional stabilising bars. Houdaille hydraulic shock absorbers were fitted all round. The 166 Inter chassis was produced in two different wheelbase lengths - 2,420mm and 2,500mm - this latter dimension being the one adopted for the succeeding Tipo 195 Inter. As its type numbering reveals, the 195 Inter’s V12 engine displaced 2,341cc, but in most other respects the car remained the same as the 166. For the final car of the series, the Tipo 212 Inter, built during 1951/52, Colombo’s versatile V12 was enlarged yet again, this time to 2,562cc, by means of another increase in bore size. There was a commensurate increase in maximum power, which now stood at 150bhp in road trim. Three different suffixes were employed after the 212 Inter’s chassis numbers – ‘E’, ‘EL’ and ‘EU’ - the majority of cars being erected on a lengthened 2,600mm frame. With between 150 and 170bhp on tap, a top speed of around 120mph and race bred handling, the Tipo 212 was among the quickest road cars of its day in real driving conditions. As one would expect from a car developed directly from Ferrari’s competition models, the 212 series was also superb on the racetrack and the direct ancestor of the famous 250GT. Significant race results achieved by the 212 include wins in the Tour of Sicily, Coppa Inter Europa at Monza, Tourist Trophy, Tour de France and Mexico’s Carrera PanAmericana. A car possessing such impeccable credentials not unnaturally attracted the attention of Italy’s finest carrozzeria, Ghia, Vignale, Pinin Farina and Touring among them. Right-hand drive chassis number ‘0189EL’ is one of only 80 Ferrari 212s made and the 25th of 35 Ferraris bodied by Carrozzeria Ghia. Carrozzeria Ghia was founded by Giacinto Ghia in Turin in 1919, soon establishing a reputation not just for luxury coachwork but also for bodying competition cars. After WW2, the company provided the training ground for many of Italy’s rising-star designers - Michelotti, Boano and Frua all making a contribution to its continuing success - and collaborated with many of the world’s leading car manufacturers. Originally finished in grey metallic with blue/grey cloth interior, ‘0189EL’ was completed in December 1951 and sold new to Karl Forster, of Zurich, Switzerland the following year. In 1953 the car was sold to Adolf Schumann, a clothing manufacturer resident in San Francisco, California, USA and is reputed to have belonged subsequently to King Farouk of Egypt who was living in exile in Rome, Italy, although this has not been confirmed. ‘0189EL’ was then exported again to the USA where, repainted red, it was shown at a race meeting and Concours d’Elegance at Buchana