Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa: Cool, Beautiful, Desirable and Iconic!
The 250 Testa Rossa (TR) was one of Ferrari’s most successful racecars on the track, and it also had unorthodox, but purposeful body by Scaglietti.
Developed for the 1958 season, the 250 Testa Rossa was designed for both Scuderia Ferrari and private entrants. It had a 0 – 60 mph of 6.0 seconds and a top speed of 161 mph, this was a very fast car for the time.
During the 1958 season, Ferrari entered factory works cars in the most important races. Most of the Testa Rossa’s success in 1958 can be attributed to the factory works effort and a lack of competition in the new 3.0 liter class. Factory drivers Luigi Musso, Mike Hawthorn, Peter Collins, Wolfgang Von Trips, Phil Hill, Oliver Gendebien and Wolfgang Seidel usually ran alongside several privateers which meant that Ferrari outnumbered the competition at every major race.
Ferrari easily won the opening rounds at Buenos Aires and the Sebring 12-Hour. Back in Europe there was more competition, but Luigi Musso and Oliver Gendebien still won the Targa Florio in their TR58.
At the Nürburgring 1000kms Ferrari was surprisingly beaten. In Germany the much more complicated and powerful Aston Martin DBR1 became the Testa Rossa’s main rival. With seven Ferrari’s present, Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham beat the factory works Ferrari’s. Ferrari blamed the inferior fuel, but this was just the tipping point of Aston Martin’s success.
After Nürburgring Ferrari had already clinched the Manufacturer’s Championship, but the all important 24 Hours of Le Mans was still on the calendar. Scuderia Ferrari won with Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill driving a TR58, but the third-placed Porsche 718 RSK was a sign of things to come from Porsche.
After winning Le Mans, Ferrari secured the Manufacturer’s Championship and eased off sports car racing to focus on F1. They also ceased delivery of the customer Testa Rossas in 1958, leaving a limited production of 19 cars plus the prototypes. However, they continued development of the factory-backed works cars which achieved so much success in the season. Ferrari knew they needed to improve the Testa Rossa if it was to keep pace with the increasing Aston Martin DBR1 threat. By 1959, Ferrari released a heavily refined TR59 with body work from Fantuzzi.
Well, what do you think? Is this the most beautiful of all Ferrari’s racing cars?
I hope you enjoyed this post. For more information on the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa and other supercars visit Supercars.net, which is an informative website for any supercar enthusiast.
