Ferrari 212 Inter: the grand tourer that brought Pinin Farina to Maranello

The Ferrari 212 Inter replaced Ferrari’s successful 166 and 195 Inter grand tourers in 1951. Unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show, it was an evolution of the 166 — a road car that could still win international races — and the first Ferrari bodied by Pinin Farina.

Ferrari 212 Inter at a glance

based on one source (English Wikipedia).

History of the Ferrari 212 Inter

The 212 was an evolution of the 166 rather than a clean-sheet design: the chassis was similar to the 125’s, with double wishbones in front and a live axle at the back. The Colombo V12 was bored out to 68 mm for 2,563 cc, giving 150 PS with a single Weber 36DCF carburettor in the Inter and 165 PS with three Webers in the more sporting 212 Export. Improved cylinder heads added 5 PS in 1952. The Inter rode on a 2,600 mm wheelbase, 100 mm longer than the Export’s.

Coachwork and the Pinin Farina connection

The 212 Inter was produced in many body styles by a remarkable list of coachbuilders: Touring, Ghia, Ghia-Aigle, Vignale, Stabilimenti Farina and, for the first time on a Ferrari, Pinin Farina. That last partnership mattered: Farina was already well known, and adding his styling to Maranello’s chassis was a considerable boost for the company. Both Pinin Farina and Enzo Ferrari were proud men and neither would go to the other to ask for business, so the two met halfway between Maranello and Turin. The first Ferrari bodied by Pinin Farina was a 212 Inter Cabriolet, chassis 0177E. Vignale built 37 cars in all variants, Pinin Farina 17, Ghia 15 and Touring six, with single cars from Ghia-Aigle, Stabilimenti Farina and Abbott.

Racing and road tests

In 1951 two 212 Inter Vignale coupés, driven by Taruffi and Chinetti and by Ascari and Villoresi, scored a 1–2 victory at the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico. The British magazine Autocar tested what it called the first production 212 in 1950 and found it outperformed anything it had previously tested, recording over 116 mph and 0–60 mph in 10.5 seconds; the engine was held to 6,500 rpm out of respect for its newness, suggesting more was available. It was also the Autocar team’s first encounter with a five-speed gearbox.

One-offs

Two cars stood apart. Chassis 0223EU received the 2.7-litre Colombo V12 from the 225 S on a long-wheelbase Europa chassis with a Michelotti-designed Vignale coupé body, making it a 225 Inter or 225 Europa. Chassis 0253EU also took the 2.7-litre three-carburettor engine and was bodied as the last Touring Barchetta in Superleggera construction; Ford bought it for Henry Ford II to study while developing the Thunderbird, and it is now in the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Design and features

• 2.6-litre Colombo V12: a bored-out 68 mm version of the 166 engine, 150 PS in the Inter and 165 PS in the Export.
• First Pinin Farina Ferrari: the 212 Inter Cabriolet 0177E began the partnership that defined later Ferraris.
• Six coachbuilders: Vignale, Pinin Farina, Ghia, Touring, Ghia-Aigle and Stabilimenti Farina each built their own bodies.
• Long-wheelbase comfort: 2,600 mm between the axles, 100 mm more than the racing 212 Export.

Ferrari 212 Inter versions

• 212 Inter (1951–1952): the grand tourer, 150 PS with a single carburettor.
• 212 Export: shorter, more powerful sports racer with three carburettors.
• Vignale bodies: 37 cars, including 26 coupés and five berlinettas.
• Pinin Farina bodies: 17 cars, 15 of them coupés.
• 225 Inter / 225 Europa (1952): one-off with the 2.7-litre engine on a Europa chassis.

The 212 replaced the Ferrari 166 S line and was followed by the Ferrari 250. More cars are in the Ferrari collection.

Video: Ferrari 212 Inter Ghia 2+2 chassis number 199EL

Video by martinvonhagen on YouTube.

Sources

• Ferrari 212 Inter, English Wikipedia: engine, body styles, coachbuilders, Autocar test, one-offs