The Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 made its debut in 1960 at the 48th Salon de L’Automobile in Paris. This new model represented Ferrari’s commitment to the manufacture and sale of road cars for the discerning driver. The 250 GTE 2+2 was the Italian marque’s first four-seater, and shared its wheelbase with the legendary 250 GT LWB Tour de France. With coachwork by Pininfarina, the 250 GTE 2+2’s styling was not only that of stately elegance, but instantly recognisable as a Ferrari.

The 250 GTE 2+2 was powered by a 3.0-litre Colombo V-12 engine, with a top speed in excess of 150 mph. Capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in less than eight seconds, it demonstrated to Ferrari’s traditional clientele that performance would not be compromised in any car built at the Maranello factory. The 250 GTE 2+2 was supplied with four-wheel power disc brakes, front double wishbone suspension, and rear semi-elliptic leaf springs. Series III examples featured minor styling updates, along with coil springs in the rear suspension.

This car, chassis 4397, left the Maranello factory on 1 April 1963, delivered new to the Swiss dealer J. H. Keller AG in Zurich. The Ferrari was finished in Azzurro over a Beige Connolly leather interior and featured Borrani RW3690 wheels wrapped in Pirelli Cinturato tyres. The early history of chassis 4397 is not well-documented, but it is believed the car remained in Switzerland for the majority of its life. This 250 GTE 2+2 became available as lot 41, on 15 May 1976, at the Galerie Koller Auction of Zurich. In 1983, the original engine was discovered to be in Maryland, United States. At some point prior to this, the car is likely to have had a replacement engine. Following the auction in 1976, it is believed that this 250 GTE 2+2 was owned by a Swiss dentist. Between 2001 to 2005, chassis number 4397 was offered fully restored and for sale at Tiziano Carugati Automobiles of Geneva, Switzerland. On 10 May 2008, the current owner acquired this car.

Today, the Ferrari is presented in period-correct colours of Azzurro with a Beige Connolly leather interior. The odometer shows just 37,910 km at the time of cataloguing and this car is offered with a report by renowned Ferrari expert, Marcel Massini, issued in September 2021.