An American Sports Car Icon The Ferrari 330 2 + 2 America

Few automobiles, even exotic luxury sport cars conjure up the image, the prestige and vision that the Ferrari 330 2 + 2 or what often has been referred to by aficionados as an American sports car icon. Yet in the minds of Ferrari serious devotees the vehicle was seen as an design let down for the Ferrari brand being little more than an over styled standard family car.

Between the years of 1964 and 1967 fully over a thousand, the exact count being 1,080 Ferrari 330 2+ 2's were built. Especially for Ferrari this was a high vehicle output and production count. Yet even before the model 400 was dead and the birth of the 500 Superfast took place, the 330 America began production.

It might be said or summarized that all in all this model might really of initially of being offered to American Ferrari enthusiasts and owners as a stop gap model of sorts that grew whose popularity grew out of hand and scope. The 330 America was in essence a 250 GTE 2 + 2 with a new engine design based on the 400 Superamerica. Improvements to this engine included lengthening between the cylinder bore centers for better water circulation. Horsepower was rated at 300 Barrel Horse Power BHP at 6,600 rpm. Some, who might be considered more knowledgeable about the model and Ferraris overall, would add a further 40 horsepower to the count.

Once again, the engine was based on Colombo's design, but who did what to make it more efficient is open to question, intrigue and conjecture. After Colombo and Lampredi had gone Ferrari was loath to identify engineers even though he had no shortage of great men at his elbows. Vittorio Jano, one time Alfa Romeo racing engineer designer for one, Franco Roccri for another. And then there was gifted Luigi Bazzi, a technician for whom little seemed impossible. Hence what ever was done was accomplished by these and others who one day in the future will achieve the recognition that they so justly deserve.

Fifty of the 330 Americas , nee 250 GTE's were built before the "proper" 330 GT 2 + 2 was introduced formally at the January 1064 Ferrari press conference. Many of the invited guests were surprised: after all had the great Enzo relinquished his dynamism? For what they saw on stage was a two-door family coupe with four headlamps and even lackluster styling by Pinifarina. Of course everything in the auto world is relative - that is lackluster by the very standards of Ferrari enthusiasts.

Apart from the traditional Borrani wire wheels (later to be replaced by cast alloy wheels as standard issue) and the Prancing Horse, the 330 could well of been the result (at least in their minds) could well of been the result of some or even many other automobile manufacturer's dream.

Yet all in all, and at final count and popularity between 1964 and 1967 fully 1,080 330 2 + 2's were built. This is a high sales number for Ferrari. The car may have not been a hit or a home run in the minds of devoted Ferrari serious devotees, yet in the mind of the offshore American export market it reached great levels of love, acceptance and road approval.