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1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Berlinetta 'Tuboscocca' by Vignale $1,237,500 SOLD!

3,290 views · Published 15 March 2013 · 5:28 · Indexed 8 November 2026

Channel: Cars & Travels ! - REMROB · 2013 · Autos & Vehicles

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1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Berlinetta 'Tuboscocca' by Vignale
SOLD! $1,237,500 With Commission
4th Highest Sale RM Auction Amelia Island 2013
Chassis no. 0168ED
210 bhp, 2,715 cc SOHC V-12 engine with triple Weber 36 DCF downdraft carburetors, five-speed manual gearbox, independent double wishbones with a transverse leaf spring front suspension, rigid axle with semi-elliptic leaf spring rear suspension, and hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 88.6 in.
•One of six 225S competition berlinettas
•Second in Class, 8th place overall at the 1953 12 Hours of Sebring
•Overall winner at the 1955 Cuban Sports Car Grand Prix
•Understood to be one of two berlinettas constructed on the famed "Tuboscocca' chassis
•Offered from 38 continuous years of recent ownership
•Fresh mechanical and cosmetic refurbishment
•Superb entry for top historic races and rally events
The lifeblood of Ferrari, particularly in the early years, was competition. It is a widely held belief that the creation of road-going versions of the competition sports cars existed almost solely to support Il Commendatore's racing effort. In many instances, engineering advances developed for battle can be traced directly to the road cars, such as the pioneering, weight-balancing use of the transaxle from the 275 series GTs.
 
Ferrari's competition teeth were cut along with their continuous progress of the small-displacement V-12 engineered by Gioachino Colombo, the first of which was deployed in 1947 as the 125S. At 1500 cubic centimeters, the power produced was considered extraordinary for its day and size, and it quickly cemented Ferrari's reputation for technical sophistication. A progression of yet larger engines was developed based on this original design, with many types attaining impressive racing victories, notably the 166MM and the 212 Export.
 
A larger-displacement, more powerful version of the venerable 212 Export competition model was introduced in 1952, christened the 225 'Sport,' following the long-time Ferrari practice of naming their models consistent with the displacement of a single cylinder. In the case of the 225S with its 12 cylinders, that translated to 2.7 liters overall. Inspired by the concurrently-produced, Lampredi-designed "big block" Ferrari engines, use was made of the roller-type cam followers introduced by Lampredi. The 225S is regarded as something of an interim link between the "early years" of Ferrari and the introduction of the long-lived and legendary 250 series of cars, and the many iterations thereof. The 225S performed with distinction during its prime, with podium and notable finishes in numerous events, such as the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, and outright firsts in the Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti, the Portuguese Grand Prix, and Buenos Aires, as well as a notorious 1-2-3 achievement at the 1952 Monaco Grand Prix. The 225S drivers, such as Taruffi, Marzotto, Villoresi, Castelotti, and the illustrious "Pagnibon," serve as a veritable who's who of sports and GP racers of the early '50s.
 
The most advanced iterations of the 225S are those constructed on the innovative tuboscocca frame, a special chassis with double outer-tubes joined together with a truss-like arrangement. Not only did this serve to strengthen the platform, the chassis helped form a skeleton of the body shape on which body panels could be mounted. This saved weight with no compromise to structural rigidity and contributed greatly to the now-legendary racing success of the model.
 
Nearly all Ferraris of the early era were coachbuilt by various Italian design houses (carrozzeria), and none were more distinctive and delicately executed than those styled by Carrozzeria Vignale. Virtually no two Vignale-bodied Ferraris are precisely alike, and the six 225S Berlinettas were no exception.
 
Enzo Ferrari and Alfredo Vignale shared a consuming passion for their work, each insisting upon final approval of even the most seemingly insignificant details. Among the individual designers working at Carrozzeria Vignale was the rising young "star" stylist Giovanni Michelotti. Michelotti was to enjoy a brilliant career and is regarded today as the father of the trademark ovoid egg crate-type Ferrari grille that has signified "Ferrari DNA" for years to come, including up to the present day for a number of models. 

RM Auctions is proud to present this iconic 225S, chassis 0168ED. As one of the six competition berlinettas built (indicated as such by the even numbered chassis, reserved by Ferrari for the racing variants), it features the aforementioned and unmistakable ovoid egg crate grille (in the unusual yet attractive "convex" formation) and the desirable triple oval, chrome-ringed "portholes" on the front fenders, as well as other eye-catching signature Vignale touches.

Robert Myrick Photography

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