Photo: Tino Rossini from Toronto, Canada · CC BY 2.0
Raced1956
EngineV12
Power320 PS
Top speed280 km/h
Units built4
The Ferrari 290 MM was created in 1956 for the Mille Miglia as the successor to the 860 Monza—hence the letters "MM." Ferrari intended it as a response to the success of Mercedes-Benz in 1955. The biggest innovation was the engine: a new 60-degree V12 by Vittorio Jano replaced the four-cylinders of its predecessors, producing 320 PS with a claimed top speed of 280 km/h. The Scaglietti bodywork featured a headrest fairing that became typical of Ferrari race cars in subsequent years. Four cars were built.
Summarized from the sources cited below; every figure in the text was automatically verified against the sources.
Good to know
- Fangio's 290 MM from the 1956 Mille Miglia was auctioned off in 2015 for 28 million US dollars, at the time the third-highest price ever paid for an automobile.
- The 290 MM and 860 Monza looked confusingly similar; they could only be distinguished by the hood air scoops and the two prominent exhaust pipes.
- The chassis was Ferrari's first attempt at a tubular spaceframe.
- Eugenio Castellotti won the 1956 Mille Miglia in the 290 MM, while Juan Manuel Fangio finished fourth in another 290 MM.
Learn moreV12 engineering · Chassis and suspension · In racing · Production numbers and market
V12 engineering
The new 60-degree V12 featured four distributors, two plugs per cylinder, a 9:1 compression ratio, and dry-sump lubrication. Vittorio Jano designed it together with Andrea Fraschetti and Vittorio Bellentani, basing it on the 4.5-liter engine of the Grand Prix cars. Jano reportedly merged Lampredi's long block and Colombo's short block into a single concept. Output was 320 PS at 7200 rpm.
Chassis and suspension
The 290 MM uses the Tipo 520 chassis of the 860 Monza, an evolution of the Tipo 510 from 1955. Two large oval tubes form the foundation, supplemented by thinner tubes for greater rigidity; it was Ferrari's first attempt at a tubular spaceframe. Double wishbones operate at the front, with a De Dion axle at the rear. Externally, the 290 MM differs from the 860 Monza primarily through the air intakes on the hood and two exhaust pipes.
In racing
Ferrari entered five cars in the 1956 Mille Miglia, including two 290 MMs and two 860 Monzas. Eugenio Castellotti won in the 290 MM, while Juan Manuel Fangio finished fourth in the sister car. In 1957, a 290 MM converted from an 860 Monza won the Buenos Aires 1000 km. Stirling Moss drove the model at the 1957 Bahamas Speed Weeks and won there.
Production numbers and market
Four examples were produced, one of which (chassis 0628) was converted in 1957 from an 860 Monza. The car driven by Fangio in the 1956 Mille Miglia went under the hammer at RM Sotheby's on December 10, 2015, for 28 million US dollars, the highest price for any car sold in 2015. In 2018, another example changed hands for 22 million US dollars.
Summarized from the cited sources; every figure was automatically verified against the sources.
Frequently asked questions about the Ferrari 290 MM
When was the Ferrari 290 MM raced?
The Ferrari 290 MM was raced in 1956.
How much power does the Ferrari 290 MM have?
Power of the Ferrari 290 MM: 320 PS.
What engine does the Ferrari 290 MM have?
Engine of the Ferrari 290 MM: 3490 cm³ Tipo 130 Jano V12. It is mounted at the front.
How fast is the Ferrari 290 MM?
Top speed of the Ferrari 290 MM: 280 km/h.
How many Ferrari 290 MM were built?
4 units of the Ferrari 290 MM were built.
Who engineered the Ferrari 290 MM?
Engineering of the Ferrari 290 MM: Carrozzeria Scaglietti.
What are the predecessor and successor of the Ferrari 290 MM?
Predecessor: Ferrari 410 S; Ferrari 860 Monza. Successor: Ferrari 290 S.
Enjoying the site? How to support it.
