Ferrari 335 S

The Ferrari 335 S was a sports racing car produced by Italian manufacturer Ferrari in 1957-1958. Four cars were produced in total. An evolution of the 315 S, it had V12 engine with a greater 4023.32 cc [1] displacement and a maximum power of 390 horsepower (290 kW) at 7400 rpm; the maximum speed was around 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph). The car was a direct response to the Maserati 450S which with its 4.5 litre engine was threatening to overpower the 3.8 litre 315S and 3.5 litre 290MM.

This model was the protagonist of the accident in the 1957 Mille Miglia, which led to the cancellation of the race starting from the following year. In its World Championship debut in the 3rd round of the 1957 season, a 335S (#531), driven by Spanish driver Alfonso de Portago (who had replaced an ill Luigi Musso) was in third position, running on a long straight road sector between the Lombard hamlets of Cerlongo and Guidizzolo. When one of the tyres exploded, de Portago's car slipped to the right and crashed against a large crowd, killing nine people, as well as de Portago himself and American co-driver Edmund Nelson. The other 335S in the hands of Peter Collins and Louis Klementaski had broken down whilst in the lead giving victory to a 315S driven by Piero Taruffi.

Due to the accident only a single 335S in the hands of Peter Collins and Olivier Gendebien was entered in the next round at the Nurburgring 1000km and came 2nd behind an Aston Martin DBR1 and although both 335S models unfortunately failed at Le Mans, Collins and Phil Hill obtained another 2nd place at the Swedish GP behind a Maserati 450S with Mike Hawthorn and Luigi Musso finishing 4th in the sister car. In the final round of the World Sports Car Championship at the Venezuelan Grand Prix, a 335S raced by Collins and Phil Hill won with Hawthorn and Musso finishing second. These results added to the earlier Mille Miglia victory by a 315S and the win in the Buenos Aires 1000Km by a 290MM gave the World title to Ferrari. The change in regulations for the World Championship to a 3 litre engine limit which was a reaction to the Mille Miglia crash and earlier tragedies rendered the 335S ineligible for the 1958 season onwards and Ferrari replaced the model with its 250TR.

In 2016, a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti sold for €32.1 million in an auction in Paris.[2] In 315S guise it finished 6th at Sebring and then driven by Wolfgang von Trips, 2nd at the Mile Miglia. Upgraded to a 4.1 litre engine it then set the lap record at Le Mans, finished 4th in the Swedish GP and 2nd in the Venezuelan GP. Finally it won the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix driven by Stirling Moss. The new owner is FC Barcelona football player Lionel Messi.

References

  1. ↑ "Ferrari 335 S". Ferrari GT - en-EN. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  2. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/12143556/1957-Ferrari-335-S-Spider-Scaglietti-breaks-auction-sale-for-racing-car-at-24.7-million.html

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