Ferrari 360

The first sports car “340 America” ​​was built on the basis of race engine for Formula 1: The chief designer of the engines “Ferrari” Lampredi (Lampredi) increased center distance of 108 mm, making the engine dlinnoblochnym, and did not embed cylinder liners, and screwed them into the housing unit, he also changed the timing mechanism and channels for oil and water.Engine capacity of the new car initially was 4.1 liters, which formed the basis of marking Car (340 – roughly equivalent to the volume of a cylinder). Engine power, making the 6000 rev / min. As high as 230 hp On the oval section of pipe mounted 5-speed synchronous transmission. Sports car character support as hydraulic brakes, double wishbone front suspension with transverse springs and rear dependent – on longitudinal semi-elliptic leaf springs. Which went successfully start, “340 America” ​​began its triumphal march across America and Europe, and the first 24 cars, dressed in a body known Italians found their admirers. The next model, “342 America”, has already established itself as the car category GT, but these cars were produced only 6 pieces, and four months later she was taken out of production. The mechanics of the car was not materially different from the previous model was reduced to four the number of gears and up to 200 hp - Engine power. Major changes have been wheelbase – is increased to 2650 mm – and weight of the car – up to 1,200 kg. Despite the fact that the body of the six machines were manufactured by various companies, their united line “Ferrari” – heavy, but in its own elegant rounded shape, two air intakes on the hood and grille bulging elliptical form. In 1953 in Paris, was represented by “375 America”, which received a new engine capacity of 4.5 liters and 300 hp Wheelbase of the new machine has been increased to 2,800 mm, while making her body was preferred Pininfarina, built eight coupe and convertible. Appearance of the model resembles the design of the previous car and presented in the same year to the public “250 Europa” with a three-liter engine. 

All Body “Ferrari” in the fifties and sixties were produced manually, allowing designers to make each car in some originality, emphasizing her personality: changed the shape and size rear window, rear side windows were added. Unconventional solutions offered to the firm as body Vignale and Ghia. In general, all the cars in this series, produced under certain (American) consumer, different relevant attributes: leather interior, plenty of chrome, flashy paint, powerful dashboard. Isolated from the total mass of two cars, a standard yavivshie sports bodywork. Order to “Ferrari”, and it is with a body Pininfarina, was from the future president of the company “FIAT” Giovanni Agnelli: elegant coupe with a panoramic windshield, sunroof top and a vertical square grille was introduced in 1955 at the Turin Motor Show. A black sedan, for many years to become a role model, left-hand drive (which was quite rare) and a shorter wheelbase (2600 mm), was worked for Leopold, King of Belgium. Engine power “of the machine, which has no age,” has been increased to 340 hp, volume – up to 4.9 liters. It is on this unprecedented chassis “Ferrari” in 1954 again won the Le Mans 24 Hours and won the Carrera Pan Americana. By the early 1954 Enzo Ferrari (Enco Ferrari) has released 200 “Ferrari” for everyday use, and 250 copies of the racing models, obtaining thus the right to call the manufacturer of racing cars. His cars for tourism invariably the body from the top Italian companies, always different, it provides excellent quality products. However, starting with the “250 GT” 1954, “Ferrari” preferred firm Pininfarina, which supplies the body, “coupe” for these strong and fast cars with new chassis korotkobaznym, where the leading rear axle was suspended on springs, not lateral spring, which improves road holding, engine capacity of 2953 cu. cm led back from the 12-cylinder “Ferrari 125″, not the bulky models of “340″. Finally, a coupe “250 GT” coupe was added, and in 1959 – “250GT California”, pronounced open model sports type, produced to order.

In 1958, Pininfarina offered customers a novelty – angular shape of the body to the classic coupe and cabriolet models “250 GT”, put into mass production: cars, designed on the basis of twelve-engine captivates by its design, high sensitivity, organically linked with a huge capacity. For the most discerning customers seeking the best, the firm continued to produce robust, representative models: the 1956 “375 America” ​​has given way to “410 Super America”. Filling it was impressive – five-liter engine with 360 hp and independent front suspension, hit a royal splendor design – leather or velvet in the cabin, not unlike one another body from Pininfarina, emphasizing the individuality of the owner. It was the most expensive car, “pereplyunuvshaya” even chic “Rolls-Royce”, without a doubt belongs to the category of exclusive, but it was the fastest car and GT. The main difference between the first series of machines “410 SA” from the next two began a long wheelbase – 2,800 mm (compared with 2600 – the second and third series). High dynamic performance car overshadowed by his heavy-handedness (1,200 kg). They were confirmed, and testing machines: a three-year “410 SA” from the run 55000 km overclocked to 100 km / h in 6.6 seconds – at that time it was the highest rate. The novelty of this supercar attached and sculptural design Pininfarina, showed at the Paris Salon in 1956 an experimental body of Superfast I, delivered at the car korotkobaznuyu modification. Today he would be called concept-car, two fin at the rear and a very wide openings for the radiator grille, devoid of the roof pillars and the horizontal division of the body, emphasized by two-tone color. A year later, in Turin bodybuilder studio Pininfarina showed another refinement – “Superfast 4,9″, – has kept all the best features of previous models, but who lost fins and two-color staining. A new feature was the front roof pillars and rear – narrow solid bumper, replaced the vertical teeth. Due to the innovations of the car, despite the short wheelbase looks longer and more refined than its predecessor. Results were released 34 cars of this model, and among the customers were the Shah of Iran and the Emperor of Indochina. In 1960 the company converted into a corporation. At the same time there has been an active convergence “Ferrari” and “Fiat”. Since 1969, “Fiat” has a 50% stake in “Ferrari” (in 1988 – a controlling stake). A new decade the company has met the victory of “Ferrari 250GT” Tourist Trophy races in 1960 at the Goodwood track. The mutated “Ferrari 250GT”, pointed in profile and fitted with a removable roof, was named “California” and was designed for circuit racing and for racing on the highway. The car was manufactured from 1957 to 1962.1960-D was marked for “Ferrari” and the appearance on the show in Torino coupe “Superfast II” on the chassis of the new model “400 Superamerica”, remains forever in the history of sports car incarnation of the true spirit of “Ferrari”. Flowing lines, precise shape, gave the illusion of two-volume special charm korotkobaznomu chassis (2420 mm). This car Pininfarina surpassed himself; “Superfast II” became the basis for a series coupe, dubbed “Aerodinamica” and enjoyed sustained popularity with fans of “Ferrari”. By 1962, “400 SA” mass manufactured, and the creative tandem of “Ferrari” and Pininfarina have created a new masterpiece of automotive art – “Superfast IV”, which, however, failed to eclipse the fame of its predecessor. Along with the popular “400 SA” company launched a new car “330 America”, has not received a broad resonance among connoisseurs and lovers and does not advertise itself “Ferrari”, as its chassis and body even in small things repeated the well-known model of “250 GTE 2 2 “. This machine has a bridge to a new four-liter model, “330 GT 2 +2″. ”Ferrari”, whose machines have always been accurate lines and elegance, and in the sixties did not drop the prestige of the firm and has created the most memorable car a decade: “250GT” in 1960 was converted into a fastback “250GTE” with the body “2 +2″elegant and very popular, which, in turn, in 1964, gave life to “330GT 2 +2″ with a four-liter engine and the squinting headlamps.