Though these days, constructors are happy to develop just one model to attempt to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, that wasn't always the case. For example, in the 1960s, Ferrari and Ford entered several versions, in other words different models of their cars. In 1962, the Italian manufacturer monopolized the podium with an official 330 TR1/LM and two private 250 GTOs, a prototype and two GTs.

That victory marked the end of the reign of front-engine cars. In the wake of Cooper and Lotus, in 1960 Ferrari began to incorporate a rear engine into certain cars, including the 268 SP (0798 chassis), created as the 248 in 1962, which will be up at auction by RM Auctions Sotheby’s in California. The previous year, Ferrari presented the 246 SP (24 for the 2.4-liter engine and 6 for V6), which immediately won at Targa Florio. The results were promising, despite a lack of reliability (retirement at the 12 Hours of Sebring), which compelled Ferrari to move ahead.

Against tradition, Ferrari decided to equip the car, the body of which was designed by Medardo Fantuzzi, with a V8 engine and rename it the 248 SP. However, the engine was not powerful enough and the 248 SP finished in a disappointing 13th place at the 12 Hours of Sebring with the second chassis, 0806. Ferrari then switched to a 2.6-liter V8 engine, hence the name 268 SP.

At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Scuderia Ferrari (SpA Ferrari SEFAC) entered an "old" 246 SP for brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez and a 268 SP, the 0798 chassis, for the duo Ludovico Scarfiotti-Giancarlo Baghetti. Unfortunately, neither crossed the finish line: retirement in the 13th hour for the first and in the 18th hour (230 laps) for the second as a result of gearbox problems.

The 0798 chassis was sold the same year to Luigi Chinetti, owner of the famous outfit NART (North American Racing Team). After a few races in the Bahamas and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1963 (34th overall), the chassis would change hands several times before returning to the workshops of Chinetti, who sold it to well-known French collector Pierre Bardinon in 1969. Bardinon had it restored it to its original state by Medardo Fantuzzi's company before relinquishing it to its current owner in 1996, who then entered it in several events dedicated to vintage cars like the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The Ferrari 268 SP (technical characteristics), the estimated selling price of which has not been revealed, could reach new heights like other recent Ferrari sales…

Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

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Photo (copyright: Ferrari SpA): the 1962 Ferrari 268 SP