In the aftermath of several racing disasters like Le Mans in 1955 and the Mille Miglia in 1957, it was apparent sports car racing rules needed to be tightened and the cars slowed.
A direct result was the limiting of sports racing car engines in the highest international class to 3.0 liters displacement in 1958. This change created a generation of sports racers that were somewhat smaller and nimbler than their predecessors.
Unlike some automakers, Ferrari was prepared. It already had its famed Gioacchino Colombo-designed 3.0-liter V-12 and even during the 1957 season was running a prototype of its 1958 racecar, the 250 Testa Rossa. The 250 signified that this was a 3.0-liter engine (250 cc per cylinder x 12 cylinders = 3.0 liters). The Testa Rossa is Italian for "red head," referring to the red crackle paint camshaft covers on the engine.
The "250 TR" in the Ralph Lauren collection bears chassis number 0734 and is the 14th of the 34 250 Testa Rossas built. What separates these Testa Rossas from other race cars is the sublime exterior design, which was created by Sergio Scaglietti. A modest man of humble beginnings, Scaglietti created many famous Ferrari designs just using his eye to get an amazing mix of efficiency and beauty. He eventually sold his business to Ferrari and the name Scaglietti is still seen on the factory where many Ferrari bodies are assembled.
Slim and graceful, the first 250 TR shape is best remembered for the cutouts behind the front wheels. In fact, Ferrari's factory race cars used this body configuration only for the first few races of 1958, then changed to a more conventional style. Still, Scaglietti continued to use the shape seen here for the TRs sold to the customers.
There were many privateers ready to step up, because the 250 Testa Rossa offered a blend of speed and reliability that made them successful most everywhere they raced. In fact, other than Aston Martin's success in 1959, Ferrari Testa Rossas, regardless of body style, dominated sports car racing through to the beginning of the mid-engine sports car era in the early 1960s.
by John Lamm
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