The 196 SP of 1962 was a smaller-engined variant of the 246 SP: powered by a 2.0-liter 60° V6 mounted amidships that produced 210 PS at 7500 rpm. It was unveiled on February 24, 1962, alongside the 248 SP, the 286 SP, the 250 GTO, and the 156 F1. Four examples were built. With it and driver Ludovico Scarfiotti, Ferrari won the 1962 European Hill Climb Championship for sports cars; this was accompanied by class wins in the 2000 cm³ class at the Targa Florio in 1962 and 1963.
Summarized from the sources cited below; every figure in the text was automatically verified against the sources.
Learn moreThe engine · Bodywork and production numbers · Hill climb championship and Nassau
The engine
The 60-degree V6 featured a single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder. Bore and stroke were 77 by 71 mm, with a displacement of 1983.72 cm³—identical to the Dino 196 S, from which the engine was heavily derived. Three Weber 42DCN carburetors and a 9.8:1 compression ratio yielded 210 PS at 7500 rpm, with ignition provided by one spark plug per cylinder and two coils. The five-speed transmission, chassis, brakes, and suspension remained unchanged from the 246 SP.
Bodywork and production numbers
At launch, only one car existed, chassis 0804. By 1963, chassis 0790, 0802, and 0806 had been converted to 196 SP specification, making four units in total; 0802 had previously been a 286 SP and a 268 SP. The 1962 SPs wore Fantuzzi coachwork styled after the later "long-nose" bodies, featuring twin front air intakes, a lower windshield, and a lower tail. In 1963, the works cars were converted to a single intake; some 196 SPs later returned to the twin-intake design.
Hill climb championship and Nassau
Chassis 0804 ran in the 1962 Targa Florio and retired at the Nürburgring in May due to a cracked oil pan plate. Afterwards, Ferrari loaned it to Scuderia Sant'Ambroeus with Ludovico Scarfiotti, who won five out of six hill climbs to clinch the European Hill Climb Championship title. In November 1962, the car went to NART and on to Buck Fulp, who won a heat in the under-2-liter class at the Nassau Trophy Races in December and finished fourth in the Governor's Trophy.
Summarized from the cited sources; every figure was automatically verified against the sources.
Frequently asked questions about the Ferrari 196 SP
When was the Ferrari 196 SP raced?
The Ferrari 196 SP was raced from 1962 to 1963.
How much power does the Ferrari 196 SP have?
Power of the Ferrari 196 SP: 210 PS.
What engine does the Ferrari 196 SP have?
Engine of the Ferrari 196 SP: 2.0 l (1984 cm³) Tipo 190 Dino 60° V6. It sits behind the seats as a mid-engine.
How many Ferrari 196 SP were built?
4 units of the Ferrari 196 SP were built.
Who engineered the Ferrari 196 SP?
Engineering of the Ferrari 196 SP: Carrozzeria Fantuzzi.
1961
1962