Ferrari 250 Europa GT Pininfarina

The Ferrari 250 Europa GT Pininfarina Speciale, chassis 0305EU, was built in November 1953 as a unique one-off coupe. It featured a Rosso Marrone body with a beige chiaro roof and sills, complemented by a Marrone leather interior. White-wall tires added to its distinguished appearance. The car was assigned Pininfarina job number 12531 and powered by an engine with interno number 076. The first recorded owner, Magnolfi Latino from Carmignano (Firenze), Italy, registered the car as “FI 70161” on March 15, 1954. The Ferrari made several notable appearances in prestigious automotive events, including the Primo Raduno Mondiale della Carrozzeria at Villa Ormond in San Remo and the Rallye du Cinéma in San Remo. It continued to be displayed at the Concorso Sartorie Romana at Villa Borghese in Rome, wearing the number 69, and later at the Concorso di Eleganza di Stresa. In November 1955, the car was exported to the United States, where its history took a dramatic turn. At some point, the original engine was removed and replaced with a Chevrolet V8, significantly altering its originality. The original Ferrari engine was separated from the car and ended up with Basil Shadlun in Howell, New Jersey. The engine was later discovered to have been restamped as 0337AL. The car passed through several hands in the United States, including a period in Kansas before being acquired as a parts car by Randy Simon in Boston. Mike Sheehan in Costa Mesa, California, later obtained the chassis, body, and suspension, though it lacked an engine or transmission. The Ferrari eventually returned to Europe in the late 1990s, when it was acquired by Giampietro Todesco of GT Cars in Italy. In 2001, it was offered for sale by VSOC’s Alex von Mozer in the Netherlands and then purchased by Dik Lievaart in 2002. By 2006, Jan De Reu of Belgium acquired the car, though it still lacked key mechanical components. In 2007, the missing original engine, still restamped 0337AL, was traced and passed through several collectors, including Tom Shaughnessy and Heinrich Kaempfer, before being reunited with chassis 0305EU under Jan De Reu’s ownership. The car underwent a full restoration at Ferrari Classiche, where it was confirmed that the engine’s internal number 076 matched that of the original 0305EU powerplant. Following its restoration, the car made an appearance at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the Cartier Style et Luxe Concours. It was also displayed at the Zoute Concours d’Élégance in Knokke-le-Zoute later that year. In May 2014, it achieved first in class at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Class D. On August 16, 2014, 0305EU was auctioned at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale, estimated between $1.9 million and $2.4 million. It ultimately sold for $2.75 million, including the buyer’s premium. The car was acquired by Nick Schorsch, who continued to showcase it, including an appearance at Salon Privé in late August 2022.