Though a handful of 2+2 configurations had been specially built in the past, the 250 GTE was Ferrari’s first true production 2+2 and would bring, for the first time in the marque’s history, wide-scale mass production with 954 examples ultimately constructed across three series.

Starting with the same chassis as their hallowed 250 GT LWB Tour de France, Ferrari engineers slid the car’s new, “outside plug” 3.0-liter Colombo V-12 forward, increased both its front and rear tracks, and raised the stern section of the roof to better accommodate rear-seat passengers.

Their modifications paid off as the 250 GTE 2+2 became the company’s top-selling model of its day and represented a paradigm shift in Ferrari’s business moving forward—transitioning them from a small, competition-based manufacturer to a titan in the global luxury car market.

Completed 12 December 1962, the 250 GTE 2+2 on offer here, chassis 4043, is a desirable Series II example.

Per an accompanying history report from Marcel...