Though a handful of 2+2 configurations had been specially built in the past, the 250 GTE was Ferrari’s first true production 2+2 and would bring, for the first time in the marque’s history, wide-scale mass production with 954 examples ultimately constructed across three series. Starting with the same chassis as their hallowed 250 GT LWB Tour de France, Ferrari engineers slid the car’s new, “outside plug” 3.0-liter Colombo V-12 forward, increased both its front and rear tracks, and raised the stern section of the roof to better accommodate rear-seat passengers.

Their modifications paid off as the 250 GTE 2+2 became the company’s top-selling model of its day and represented a paradigm shift in Ferrari’s business moving forward—transitioning them from a small, competition-based manufacturer to a titan in the global luxury car market.

Completed 12 December 1962, the 250 GTE 2+2 on offer here, chassis 4043, is a desirable Series II example. Per an accompanying history report from Marcel Massini, the car was factory-finished in Rosso (20200 Sintetico Italver) over Nero Connolly leather trim (VM 8500). A United States-market example, the car was equipped with black-faced Borletti instruments in miles and destined for sale through Ferrari’s pivotal North American importer, Luigi Chinetti. Taking delivery in January 1963, Chinetti resold the car to famed sports car dealer to the stars, Otto Zipper Motors of Los Angeles, California, who would introduce the car to its first owner later that year.

Chassis 4043’s history picks up again in early 1980s Georgia, where it spent several decades, including passing through Ferrari of Atlanta. It was then reportedly treated to a comprehensive, two-year restoration started in 2014 by Hexagon Classics of London, United Kingdom. The work saw 4043 refinished in a handsome livery of Rosso over tan Connolly leather trim. Subsequent certification by Ferrari Classiche, as documented in the accompanying Red Book, confirms the presence of the car's numbers-matching engine, gearbox, and differential.

Sporting an alluring blend of competition mechanical components and luxurious saloon amenities, these elegant Pininfarina designs are rightly coveted by sagacious collectors. Chassis 4043, wearing a comprehensive restoration in an ultimate specification, offers the chance to acquire a pivotal entry in Maranello’s storied history.