The Sport Wagon Enthusiast

Ferrari 250 GTO “Breadvan”

For our first installment of Shooting Brake Week, it would seem natural to begin with Ferrari’s new FF brake. As one of the few shooting brakes in production, the FF epitomizes the breed and brings enough power for Formula 1 fans. Yet beginning with the FF would reveal little about the shooting brakes deep history. To explore the roots of post-World War II shooting Brakes, we have to start with the FF’s spiritual grandfather: the 1961 250 GTO “Breadvan.”

The Breadvan is one of the most famous shooting brakes of all time—and rightly so. In 1962 Ferrari engineer Giotto Bizzarrino and several other employees quit the firm over a tiff with Enzo Ferrari’s wife. Bizzarrino and a fellow ex-Ferrari engineer—Carlo Chiti—were hired by Count Giovanni Volpi to assist with his “Scuderia SSS” race team. Yet when Enzo Ferrari learned of this defection, he canceled Scuderia’s order for a 250 GTO race car. The team was thus forced to use a 1961 250 SWB—which had been previously raced by Count Volpi—and upgrade it to GTO specs. While the chassis is a Ferrari, and ex-Ferrari engineers modified the car, Enzo did not allow “Ferrari” badges to be used. Bizzarrino and Chiti were instrumental in developing Ferrari’s GTO, so upgrading and refining the SWB only took two weeks.

Starting with chassis 2819GT, Bizzarrino and his team moved the engine 12 cm further back to the center of the chassis and positioned it slightly lower. Engine output was 292 bhp from the 3.0L V12. Although it lacked the GTO’s 5-speed gearbox, the Breadvan was 143 lbs lighter. Most importantly, Piero Drago designed the car’s aerodynamics with the principles Dr. Kamm—which gives the car its unique and enduring shooting brake shape. The car is often called "Drago" after its aerodynamic designer. The radical styling of the Breadvan—and lower ride height—helped the upstart stay ahead of Ferrari’s GTOs at Le Mans in 1962. It was reported the Breadvan was about 5 mph faster on the straightaways.

Although the Breadvan didn’t finish at Le Mans in ’62—due to a broken drive shaft—and only raced five times total, it is an automobile icon. In 2005, chassis 2819GT was auctioned for between $3.5 and $5 million dollars. A couple years later, it was purchased and completely refurbished by Klaus Werner, who still owns the iconic brake.

 January 28th, 2012