Ferrari celebrates 250 GT 50th Birthday

The Ferrari marque has produced a plethora of stunning vehicles over its glorious history. Arguably none more so than the legendary 250 GT short wheelbase, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year.

In commemoration of the event, Ferrari exhibited stunning examples of the car prepared by the company's 'Classiche' division, at the world's largest classic auto show, Techno-Classica in Germany.

Held in Essen from 1-5 April, the show boasted more than 2500 entrants spaced over 17 separate exhibition halls.

The Ferrari exhibition - one of the more anticipated aspects of the event - showcased two versions of the 250 GT Berlinetta passo corto, which was first revealed to the world at the 1959 Paris Show, as well as the Pininfarina-bodied 250 GT and the limited edition 2005 Superamerica.

Of the 166 250 GT Berlinettas produced from 1959, only 92 were built specifically for road use, while the remaining 74 were crafted from aluminium and marked as 'Competizione' versions.

One of each was on display in Germany, although the latter was subject to an extensive restoration process as Ferrari Classiche conduced much research in order to return the car to its previous glories.

The Classiche department was founded three years ago, aiming to provide a comprehensive support network to owners of classic Ferrari's.

With access to Ferrari's archives, detailing the construction of all cars the Maranello-based manufacturer has created since its inception 62 years ago, the division has also been in charge of providing documentation, attesting a vehicle's historic relevance.

Consequently, any work commenced on certified cars must stay faithful to the original intentions of Enzo Ferrari.