Ferrari won not only wealthy customers, but with the ability to lead their cars to victory in competitions. Between 1951 and 1953, the 212 Export achieved more than winning major races, consolidating the status of Ferrari in the high-level competition. An important achievement on the tracks was the third place in the standings in the 1951 “Mille Miglia”.
The chassis used in the Ferrari 212 Export and 212 Inter were optimizations derived from the same chassis as the 166 Inter . They were built with steel tubes now reinforced to assimilate the demands of a V12 engine far more powerful than the initial one. Since the 212 Export was designed for competition, its 2,250 mm wheelbase was lower than that of the 212 Inter. Even the total length of the 212 Export was 350 mm shorter.
Almost all Ferrari 212 Export were sold to equipment for competitive use. This led Ferrari to decide to increase the engine capacity of its V12 to 2,562 cm3 and equip the thrusters with 3 Weber 32 DCF carburetors in order to obtain maximum performance. The 212 Export developed a power of 175 hp and a top speed of 225 km/h.
As was the custom of that time, customers who bought high-performance cars bought the chassis and mechanics package. Then they went to the renowned bodybuilders to take care of the body and interior of the car. The famous Vignale was recognized for the quality of his work and that earned him the construction of 13 212 Export cars.
Of the Ferrari 212 Export manufactured by Vignale 8 bodies were Berlinetta type, 3 Spyder and 2 convertible. Those cars are considered the most important legacy of Vignale to Ferrari.
Another important builder of the time such as Touring was in charge of manufacturing 10 212 Export units. Touring designed 6 Spyder cars, 3 Berlinetta and a Barchetta, all with their traditional style. It is currently considered that Touring was the one who laid the foundations for what would be the next Ferrari racing cars . The two reasons for asserting these are, apart from the obvious quality of work and the grace of their silhouettes, the fans that aroused cars in the public and their success in racing.
Other companies such as Motto and Fontana also built bodies for the 212 Export. Motto manufactured a 212 spyder and another Berlinetta, both for use on the racetracks. The spyder model stood out in the races. Its minimalist and ultra-light design was impeccable. Fontana's designs were not so graceful, however one of the two cars built by this manufacturer was as rare as it was colorful, they dubbed it “egg”.
Production of the Ferrari 212 Export began in 1951 and quickly became a success. It is believed that the number of manufactured units of this car reached 28. Although 4 would have been modified by Ferrari to develop a new car.
Power: 175 hp at 6,500 rpm
Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h: 7 s
Top speed: 225 km/h
Rims: 15 inches
© Adrián Blanco 2006 — Prohibited the total or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —
Ferrari 212 Inter
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