Official model designations

which models in particular?

Thanks,

Best wishes

 

I think the only LM is the 250 (275) LM. All the prototype racers with mid engines received the designation 'P'. One of the stranger ones is the 206, of which some are known as S and others as SP.

 

Here is some reading material just confuse the situation!

http://www.qv500.com/ferrari250lmp1.htm

The following is what I have always heard relating to the mentioned models.

1. the "P" is usually used to designate proto tipo (prototype) as a class of racing or as a show car
2. the 250 P just happens to be an open car designated as for racing in the prototype class
3. the 250 LM is so named due to the internal numbering of the engines ... most are type 210 or 211 engines and the internal numbers are ending in the designation of "LM" ... all or most are coupe configurations.
4. The "S" is normally used for "sport" as a class of racing ... and as mentioned in another post ... there are "Dinos" called 206S "Sport" and can be a berlinetta or spyder, some are designated as 206 P as "prototype" and some are called 206 SP "Sport Prototype."

Just as a rememberance, I think most if not all of the 250P and 250LM were actually "275's" by measurement of the bore?

Designations for Ferrari engines and cars is one of the reasons that Jim Beam is still in business!

Best wishes

 

The 1963-64 cars were the 250P, 275P and 330P. Some were given 4.4-litre engines when sold off to NART, Maranello Concessionaires, etc and called 365P. Some of the P2s from 1965 also got the 2-cam 4.4-litre engine when sold. One of the P2s raced by the factory at Le Mans 1965 was a Berlinetta, but still called a P2, not an LM. And the front-engined 4-litre Berlinettas raced in 1963 were called 330LM/B, although they were closed versions of the 1962-winning 330/TRI. Nowadays people sometimes call the '63-'64 cars 'P1s' to distinguish them, but that was never used in period.

The 250LM always kept that official designation because Enzo was trying to get it homologated and seemed to try to kid people that it was a GTO with the engine in the back once it was known how few he actually made. Only the first car car kept the 3-litre engine, any others built as such were given 3.3-litre engines as were most of the production run, and occasionally they ran one with a 4-litre engine in the Prototype category - but it wasn't called a 330LM because then it would have been confused with the 330LM/B.

Confused? Me too. Where's that drink?


Paul M