Ferrari 212 Export

Photo: Thesupermat · CC BY-SA 4.0

Raced1951–1952

EngineV12

Top speed220 km/h

Units built27

The Ferrari 212 Export was built starting in 1951 and was intended as a sports car for overseas markets. Compared to the 195 S, it offered more displacement and a new chassis; alongside it was the 212 Inter road car. Most of the twenty-seven units entered competition and won, among others, the Tour de France Automobile, the Giro di Sicilia, and the 10 Hours of Messina. Most of the bodies came from Touring, along with ten competition bodies from Vignale. A single car served as a movie car in "The Racers" in 1955.

Summarized from the sources cited below; every figure in the text was automatically verified against the sources.

Good to know

The name "Export" first appeared on the 166 Export Vignale Spyder with chassis 0072E and replaced the usual "Sport" on the 212 series.
Fox Studios bought the Touring Barchetta 0102E for the film "The Racers" starring Kirk Douglas; for "The Green Helmet," it ran in the 1954 Mille Miglia.
One car was called "l'Uovo" (the egg) because of its unusual shape; it was a 166 MM that had been cut in two after a severe accident and rebuilt.
The Fontana Spyder 0086E featured bodywork in the style of a "carretto siciliano," a Sicilian cart, with bicycle fenders.

Learn moreOrigins and name · Technical details · Coachwork · One-offs and road cars

Origins and name

Compared to the 195 S, the 212 Export was a further development in terms of displacement and chassis. It was created as a racing model alongside the 212 Inter road version. Intended for overseas markets, it bore the suffix "Export" instead of the usual "Sport." Twenty-seven cars were built, most of which competed. In addition to the Tour de France, the Giro di Sicilia, and the 10 Hours of Messina, they also won the Coppa della Toscana.

Technical details

The V12 had a 68 mm bore and 58.8 mm stroke, with a compression ratio of 8:1. According to the Italian table, it produced 150 PS at 6500/min, which equates to 58.8 PS per liter. The engine and five-speed transmission formed a single unit; the table states the top speed as 220 km/h.

Coachwork

Most of the coachwork came from Touring: eight classic Barchettas and four closed Berlinettas. Vignale built ten competition bodies designed by Giovanni Michelotti: three open Spiders and seven closed Berlinettas. Carrozzeria Motto produced two examples designed by Rocco Motto, a Spyder with three headlights and a Berlinetta; the Spyder belonged to racing driver Piero Scotti before it went to Argentina. In addition, there was a single Spyder by Paolo Fontana. The German source differs, counting seven Barchettas and three Berlinettas by Touring.

One-offs and road cars

The Fontana Spyder 0086E changed its bodywork several times: after the Giro di Sicilia, Vignale turned it into a conventional Spyder; later, Fontana built a three-door station wagon as a support vehicle for the Carrera Panamericana. Not all 212 Exports were race cars: Vignale created two pure road cabriolets, one for Count Sanseverino and one for the Portuguese ambassador to France. Some cars were later upgraded to 225 specification with a 2.7-liter engine.

Summarized from the cited sources; every figure was automatically verified against the sources.

Frequently asked questions about the Ferrari 212 Export

When was the Ferrari 212 Export raced?

The Ferrari 212 Export was raced from 1951 to 1952.

How much power does the Ferrari 212 Export have?

Power of the Ferrari 212 Export: 150/165 PS.

What engine does the Ferrari 212 Export have?

Engine of the Ferrari 212 Export: 2.6 l (2563 cm³) Colombo V12. It is mounted at the front.