In order to keep up with rival marques such as Aston Martin and Maserati, who by the 1960s were ramping up production of their best-selling grand tourer models, Ferrari’s answer was the 250 GTE 2+2. The new model was shown the for the first time at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans, serving as a course car. Building on Ferrari’s popular 250 platform, it was designed with an attractive coupé shape styled by Pininfarina that was similar to sister models but introduced several subtle tweaks to make it the first four-seater Prancing Horse to be built on a larger scale.

Sharing the same celebrated 3.0-litre V-12 Colombo engine as the 250 GT Berlinetta—rated at 237 horsepower, with a top speed of 225 kph—the powertrain was positioned slightly further forward and with a wider track, giving the car excellent handling. This altered configuration allowed for a light, spacious cabin with plenty of space for luggage, reinforcing the car’s reputation as a sought-after grand tourer. The 250 GTE also featured an independent front suspension, and all-round disc brakes could be found behind the Borrani wire wheels. Spanning three series, 954 examples of the GTE were produced between 1960 to 1963, including 299 units of the Series I, and Enzo Ferrari himself was said to have favoured the model for his own personal transport.

Leaving the factory in June 1961, this example was the 142nd 250 GTE to be built, according to the marque expert Marcel Massini. From the factory, the car was delivered new to Franco-Britannic Autos Ltd. of Levallois-Perret, near Paris, in July and was soon sold it its first private owner, Mr Albin Chalandon, a French politician who kept the Ferrari for three years until he took delivery of a 330 GT and sold chassis number 2619 to a friend. The 250 GTE passed through six more owners in and around Paris between then and 1971, when its ownership history becomes unclear. However, in 1994 it is noted as being in the ownership of Mr Philippe Laurent, who commissioned a restoration between 1994 and 1995.

In 2009, the Ferrari is understood to have been painted in silver metallic, then sold to the family of the consigning owner, also residing in France. After enjoying the 250 GTE during the earliest years of ownership, the engine was rebuilt and the car was repainted, as is documented by invoices totalling around €120,000 in this lot’s accompanying history file, with work shared between Garage Donati of Corseaux, Switzerland; Gipimotor of Evere, Belgium; Madou Compétition, near Lille; and L’Officina, near Brussels. There are also photos on file that chart this car’s recommissioning process. At this point, the Ferrari was returned to its resplendent factory-correct shade of Rosso Bordeaux that it is presented in today, excellently complemented in the classic Ferrari combination of a black leather interior, while its knock-off wire wheels add to its period charm.

In February 2020, the car was verified by Ferrari Classiche to feature matching-numbers chassis, differential, gearbox, and engine. The timeless Pininfarina styling with added grand tourer practicality of the 250 GTE 2+2 Series I will appeal to many, and this example is primed for enjoyment by its next owner.