Last updated on April 5, 2025
Today’s car is a 1953 Ferrari Vignale 212 Export Coupé, owned by Don Behrens, which I photographed at the Manhattan Beach Cars & Coffee event at The Point in El Segundo, CA. The car is finished in Ferrari’s iconic Rosso Corsa with a warm tan leather interior. It is powered by a 170-hp, 2.6-liter Colombo V12 engine with three Weber 36 DCZ3 carburetors, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The 4.67:1 rear axle ratio translates to 4.25:1 in fifth gear. Slowing this beauty down are four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. The front independent suspension consists of upper and lower wishbones, coil springs, and Houdaille shock absorbers. The rear suspension features a live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs, parallel trailing arms, and Houdaille shock absorbers.
Don said that the car originally came with quite a bit of “jewelry”—chrome trim, bumpers in the front and back, and additional trim along the sides. It was later modified for competition and spent many years in Japan from the 1990s until 2004. While there, it competed in several events at The Meeting with Japanese drivers. In 2005, it came to the United States and was purchased by John Devine, a friend of mine who intended to restore it to its original Vignale design. However, he never got around to the project, and the car sat in a garage for ten years before he finally decided to sell it to me.
We bought it and rebuilt the engine, refurbished the interior, and overhauled the running gear. My son and I raced in the Italian Mille Miglia in 2019, again in 2024, and plan to race in 2025. We’ve also driven the car in the Colorado Grand and the California Mille. The engine is very strong, the car is mechanically sound, and we’re having a great time.
The 212 was available in two different models: competition-ready Export models, which sported even-numbered chassis, and road-going Inter models, which received odd-numbered chassis. Just 78 examples of the 212 Inter were produced between 1951 and 1953, with 34 bodied by Vignale. This car is one of just six of this design, and it is number four. The MSRP was approximately $9,500.00. The published top speed was 123 mph, with a 0–60 mph time of 9.4 seconds.
What a beautiful and rare car, one that is both driven and raced. This is a fantastic car to take to Ferrari and European car shows or simply to hang out with like minded friends in a parking lot, talking about cars and drinking coffee! Thank you for riding along. Frank
