1962 Ferrari 250 GTE Series II

The 250 GTE was the first Ferrari to be developed using a wind tunnel, underscoring the marque’s growing emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency and refined, high-speed touring. While intended as a luxurious grand touring car, it retained roots firmly planted in Ferrari’s high-performance tradition. Elegantly styled by coachbuilder Pininfarina, the 250 GTE was capable of comfortably accommodating four passengers in its luxurious Connolly leather interior. Ferrari built 954 examples of the 250 GTE between October 1960 and late 1963.

This example, chassis 3929 GT, the 578th completed, was sold to Enrico Bergoglio on January 5, 1963. That June, it changed ownership and was reregistered with Torino plate number “TO 604463,” the same plate that it wears today. Later in the 1960s, the third owner relocated from Torino to Golden, Colorado, to further his education. After enjoying his Ferrari in the western US, he sold it in the early 1970s.

In 2014, Jeff Berndsen of Colorado Springs heard that a nearby resident might own a vintage sports car that had not been seen for decades. He contacted the owner and asked whether he could see the vehicle. To his surprise, in a dusty garage, he found this 250 GTE, then showing just under 100,000 km. The man who had purchased it in the 1970s used the Ferrari for a short time before storing it in his parents’ garage. Once 3929 GT was in his possession, Mr. Berndsen enlisted Ferrari mechanic Bill Evensen at Maranello Motorworks in Northglenn, Colorado, to perform a major mechanical service; a retrim of the interior was completed at that time as well. The majority of the GTE’s paint is believed to be original, except around the driving lights, as the car was upgraded to the more modern Series III lights in period.

In 2018, chassis 3929 GT was acquired by the consignor, and underwent extensive electrical and suspension upkeep. Struck by the car’s originality, the consignor then set about the challenging process of reinstalling the original Connolly leather and carpets which, thankfully, had been retained following the retrim.

The consignor’s commitment to preservation was detailed in an informative article in the Spring 2022 issue of the Ferrari GTE Register & Newsletter, which chronicled the painstaking process of reinstalling the car’s original interior. Hundreds of hours of diligent work paid off when the project was complete, and the interior now beautifully displays the same inviting patina as the rest of the car.

Included in the sale are restoration invoices, the export papers used to ship the car from Torino to the US, as well as early service records from Maranello Motorworks, sales brochure, original owner’s manual in its pouch, tool kit, and vintage picnic case. This 250 GTE is a survivor that is in remarkable, largely original cosmetic condition and, now with the reinstallation of its original interior, serves as an impressively preserved example of one of Ferrari’s most admired road cars.