Grand tourer

For similar terms, seeGrand Tour (disambiguation).

For the early type of car without a fixed roof, seeTouring car.

Not to be confused withsupercar.

1951Lancia Aurelia B20 GT

1955Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

1960Maserati 3500 GT

1963Aston Martin DB5

Agrand tourer(GT) is a type ofcarthat is designed for high speed and long-distance driving with performance and luxury.The most common format is afront-engine, rear-wheel-drivetwo-doorcoupéwith either a two-seat or a2+2arrangement. Grand tourers are often the coupé derivative ofluxurysaloonsor sedans. Some models, such as theFerrari 250 GT,Jaguar E-Type,andAston Martin DB5,are considered classic examples ofgran turismocars.

The term is a near-calquefrom theItalian languagephrasegran turismo,which became popular in the English language in the 1950s, evolving from fasttouring carsandstreamlinedclosed sports cars during the 1930s.

Origin in Europe

The grand touring car concept originated in Europe in the early 1950s,especially with the 1951 introduction of theLancia Aurelia B20 GT,and features notable luminaries of Italian automotive history such asVittorio Jano,Enzo FerrariandJohnny Lurani.Motorsportsbecame important in the evolution of the grand touring concept, and grand touring entries are important inendurance sports-car racing.The grand touring definition implies material differences in performance, speed, comfort, and amenities between elite cars and those of ordinary motorists.

In thepost-warUnited States, manufacturers were less inclined to adopt the "ethos of the GT car",preferring to build cars "suited to theirlong, straight, smooth roadsandlabor-saving lifestyles"with wide availability of powerfulstraight-sixandV8 enginesin all price-ranges like the 1955-1965Chrysler 300.Despite this, the United States, enjoying earlypost-war economic expansion,became the largest market for European grand-touring cars,supplying transportation for movie stars, celebrities and thejet set;notably theMercedes-Benz 300 SL(imported byMax Hoffman),theJaguar XK120,and theFerrariberlinettas(imported byLuigi Chinetti).Classic grand-touring cars from thepost-war eraespecially, have since become valuable cars among wealthy collectors.Within ten years, grand touring cars found success penetrating the new Americanpersonal luxury carmarket.

Characteristics

The termsgrand tourer,gran turismo,grande routière,andGTare among the most misused terms in motoring.The grand touring designation generally "means motoring at speed, in style, safety, and comfort"."Purists definegran turismoas the enjoyment, excitement and comfort of open-road touring. "

According to Sam Dawson, news editor ofClassic Cars,"the ideal is of a car with the ability to cross a continent at speed and in comfort yet provide driving thrills when demanded" and it should exhibit the following:

• The engines "should be able to cope with cruising comfortably at the upper limits on all continental roads without drawbacks or loss of usable power".
• "Ideally, the GT car should have been devised by its progenitors as a Grand Tourer, with all associated considerations in mind."
• "It should be able to transport at least two comfortably with their luggage and have room to spare — probably in the form of a two plus two seating arrangement."
• The design, both "inside and out, should be geared toward complete control by the driver".
• Its "chassis andsuspensionprovide suitable handling and roadholding on all routes "during travels.

Grand tourers emphasize comfort and handling over straight-out high performance orascetic,spartan accommodations. In comparison,sports cars(also a "much abused and confused term" ) are typically more "crude" compared to "sophisticated Grand Touring machinery".However, the popularity of using GT for marketing purposes has meant that it has become a "much misused term, eventually signifying no more than a slightly tuned version of a family car withtrendy wheelsand ago-faster stripeon the side ".

Historically, most GTs have beenfront-engined with rear-wheel drive,offering more cabin space thanmid-mountedengine layouts. Softer suspensions, greater storage, and more luxurious appointments add to their appeal.

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  Front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe: 1964Jaguar E-Type.Automotive designerscall the position of the driver's hip close to the rear axle "close-coupled".
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  Rear seats of a 1982Jaguar XJ-SHE coupe, showing the 2+2 seating layout

GTabbreviation in marketing

TheGTabbreviation—and variations thereof—are often used as model names. However, some cars with GT in the model name are not actually grand touring cars.

Among the many variations of GT are:

• GTA:Gran turismo alleggerita- the Italian word for 'lightweight'.GTAmindicates a modified version. GTA is also sometimes used forautomatic transmissionmodels.
• GTB:Gran turismo berlinetta
• GTC: Various uses includinggran turismo compressoreforsuperchargedengines,gran turismocabriolet,gran turismocompact,gran turismocrossover andgran turismo corsa- the Italian word for 'racing'.
• GTD: "Gran turismodiesel "
• GT/E: "Gran turismo Einspritzung"- the German word for 'fuel injection'
• GTE: "Grand touringestate"
• GTi or GTI: "Grand touringinjection",mostly used for hot hatches following the introduction of the Volkswagen Golf GTi
• GTO: "Gran turismo omologato"- the Italian word for 'homologation'
• GTR or GT-R: "Gran turismoand racing "
• GTS: sometimes "Gran turismospider "forconvertiblemodels. However, GTS has also been used forsaloonsand other body styles.
• GT-T: "Gran turismoturbo"
• GTV: "Gran turismo veloce"- the Italian word for 'fast'
• GTX: "Grandtourismeextreme "
• HGT: "Highgran turismo"

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  1962–1964Ford CortinaGT: asports saloon
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  1982Volkswagen GolfGTI: ahot hatch
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  1990Mitsubishi 3000GTGTO: aliftbackcoupé
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  1999Nissan SkylineGT-R: acoupé
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  1980Alfa Romeo AlfettaGTV6 2.5
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  1975Opel MantaGT/E: a five seaterfastback

World Championships and other GT racing series

Current World Championship

• FIA World Endurance Championship– In operation since2012,the current auto racing World Championship for bothSports prototypesand GT cars organised by theAutomobile Club de l'Ouest(ACO) and sanctioned by theFédération Internationale de l'Automobile(FIA). The championship is considered a revival of the defunctWorld Sportscar Championshipwhich ended in1992.In2012-2016seasons theWorld Cup for GT Manufacturerwas awarded to a winning manufacturer of GT cars, promoted to theWorld GT Manufacturers' Championshiptitle since the2017season.

Former World Championships

• World Sportscar Championship– The first sports car racing world series run from1953to1992.Originally contested by Sports prototypes, GT cars and even Touring cars, towards its end it was restricted to Sports prototypes only. In1962-1984seasons (except of the1982season) titles were awarded to manufacturers of GT cars alongside the manufacturers of Sports prototypes.
• FIA GT1 World Championship– A short-lived series for GT cars run from2010to2012,created byStéphane Ratel Organisation(SRO) in an attempt to promote theFIA GT Championshipto World Championship status.

Other GT racing series

Several past and present motor racing series have used "GT" in their name. These include:

• LM GTE1999–2023: A set of regulations for modified road cars, which is used for the24 Hours of Le Mansrace and several related racing series. LM GTE was originally called 'GT class' and was also known as GT2 class from 2005 to 2010. Also known as GTLM in the United States
• GT World Challenge Europe2013–present: A racing series for Group GT3 cars. The FIA GT Series replaced theFIA GT Championship(1997-2009) and theFIA GT1 World Championship(2010-2012).
• GT4 European Series2007–present: A European amateur racing series with the least powerful class of GT cars.
• IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge2005–present: A North American racing series for Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars.
• FIA GT3 European Championship2006–2012: A European amateur racing series for Group GT3 cars.
• FIA R-GT:As part of its structure, the Group R regulations have a provision for GT cars, known as R-GT.

There have also been several classes of racing cars called GT. TheGroup GT3regulations for modified road cars have been used for various racing series worldwide since 2006. TheGroup GT1regulations were used for the fastest category of sports car racing from 1994 to 2001.

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  Porsche 911 GT3
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  Ford GT1
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  Lexus SC430GT500
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  Aston Martin DBR9GT1
• 
  Saab 93LeMans spec

Examples of grand tourers

Main page:Category:Grand tourers

The inclusion of "grand tourer", "gran turismo","GT "or similar in the model name does not necessarily mean that the car is a grand tourer since several manufacturers have used the terms for the marketing of cars that are not grand tourers.

Evolution of thegran turismocar

Grand touring car design evolved fromvintageandpre-World War IIfasttouring carsandstreamlinedclosedsports cars.

Italy developed the firstgran turismocars. The small, light-weight, andaerodynamiccoupés,named the "Berlinetta",originated in the 1930s. A contemporary French concept, known as"grande routière",emphasized style, elegance, luxury, and gentlemanly transcontinental touring; thegrande routièreswere often larger cars than the Italiangran turismos.Italian designers saw that compared totraditional open two-seat sports car,the increase in weight and frontal area of an enclosed cabin for the driver and mechanic could be offset by the benefits ofstreamliningto reducedrag.Independentcarrozzeria(coachbuilders) provided light andflexible fabric coachworkfor powerful short-wheelbase fast-touringchassisby manufacturers such asAlfa Romeo.Later,Carrozzeria Touring of Milanpioneered sophisticatedsuperleggera(super light-weight) aluminum bodywork, allowing for even more aerodynamic forms.The additional comfort of an enclosed cabin was beneficial for theMille Migliaroad race held in Italy's often wintry north.

1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GT

The first car to be named "gran turismo"was the 1929Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Turismo,a sporting dual-purpose road/race chassis and engine specification that was available with a wide variety of body styles orcarrozzeria.The influential Weymann fabric-bodiedberlinettaversion by Carrozzeria Touring, "an early example of what we generally perceive to be a GT car",was winner of theVetture Chiusecategory at the 1931 Mille Miglia.An improved andsuperchargedversion, the 6C 1750 GTCGran Turismo Compressore,won theVetture a Guida Internacategory of the 1932 Mille Miglia.The Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 was designed by Vittorio Jano,who would later be instrumental in the design of the 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT.

1935 Fiat 508 Balilla Sberlinetta

From the basicFiat 508 Balillatouring chassis came the SIATAand Fiataerodynamicgran turismo-styleBerlinetta Mille Migliasof 1933 and 1935.Siatawas a Turin, Italy-based Fiat tuner, typical of a popular class of Italian artisan manufacturers of smallgran turismo,sports and racing cars—usuallyFiatbased—that came to be known in the 1970s asEtceterini,such asNardi,Abarth,Ermini and, in 1946,Cisitalia.The Fiat and SIATAberlinettas,influenced by the successfulAlfa Romeo 6C GT/GTC coupés,competed in the Mille Miglia endurance race and were significant among Weymann and Superleggera enclosed sporting cars appearing in the 1930s. They featured tuned Fiat engine and chassis, and bespokecarrozzeria,in common with the landmark post-warCisitalia 202 SC,and are among the firstsmall-displacementgran turismos.

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  Alfa Romeo 6C1750 GTC Berlinettacarrozzeriacc touringMille Miglia 1932
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  Fiat 508Balilla SberlinettaMille Miglia 1935

1947 Cisitalia 202 SC

The first recognised motor race specifically forgran turismocars was the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa held atMonza.It was initially hoped by Italian motor industry observersthat the small and struggling Italian sports and racing car manufacturer, Cisitalia, would find in the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa regulations (initially calledTurismo Veloceor Fast Touring) a category for itsCisitalia Tipo 202 SC—the road-going productioncoupéversion of Cisitalia's single-seatD46racing car and two-seat 202 open sports car. However, theFiat-based 1100 ccfour-cylinderCisitalia was no match on the race track forFerrari's new hand-built 2000 cc V12,and Ferrari dominated, taking the first three places.An 1100 cc class was hurriedly created, but not in time to save Cisitalia's business fortunes—the company's bankrupt ownerPiero Dusiohad already decamped to Argentina.TheCisitalia 202 SCgained considerable fame for the outstanding design of itsPinin Farinacoachwork,and is credited with greatly influencing the style of subsequentberlinettaorfastbackgran turismocoupés. A Cisitalia 202 "GT" is exhibited at theMuseum of Modern ArtinNew York City.

1947 Maserati A6 1500

TheMaserati A6 1500won the 1500 cc class at the 1949 Coppa-Europa. It was driven byFranco Bordoni,formerfighter aceof theRegia Aeronauticawho had debuted as apilota da corsaat the 1949Mille Miglia.The A6 1500 was the first road going production car to be offered by theMaseratifactory, featuring atubular chassiswithindependent front suspensionandcoil springs,the 1500 ccsix-cylinderbeing derived from the Maserati brothers pre-warvoituretteracing engines. The body of the A6 1500 was an elegant two-door fast-back coupé body, also by Pinin Farina.

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  Cisitalia Tipo 202SC coupécarrozzeriaPinin Farina 1947
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  Maserati A61500 coupécarrozzeriaPinin Farina 1947

1949 Ferrari 166 Inter

Enzo Ferrari,whoseScuderia Ferrarihad been the racing division ofAlfa Romeofrom 1929 until 1938, parted ways from Alfa Romeo in 1939: Enzo Ferrari's first car (itself anEtceterini)the Fiat-basedAuto Avio Costruzioni 815racing sports car,debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia. Two were produced.The first car constructed in Ferrari's name, the V12125 S,also a racing sports car, debuted in 1947 at thePiacenzaracing circuit.Again, only two were produced, but they rapidly evolved into the159and166models, including the1949 Ferrari 166 Inter,a road-going berlinetta coupé with coachwork by Carrozzeria Touring and other coachbuilders.

The Ferrari 166 'Inter' S coupé model won the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa motor race. Regulations stipulated body form and dimensions but did not at this time specify a minimum production quantity.The car was driven by Bruno Sterzi, and is recognized as the first Ferrarigran turismo.

After that race, the national governing body of Italian motorsport, CSAI (Commissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana),officially introduced a new class, calledGran Turismo Internazionale,for cars with production over thirty units per year,thereby ruling out Ferrari's hand-builtberlinettas.

1951 Ferrari 212 Export

Ferrari's response for the new ItalianGran Turismo Internazionalechampionship in 1951 was the road/raceFerrari 212.Twenty-seven short-wheelbase competition versions called Export, some with increasingly populargran turismo-styleberlinettacoupé coachwork, were produced for enthusiasts (Ferrari called the first example 212MM) while the road version was calledInter.The Ferrari 212 Export featured long-range fuel tanks, high compression pistons and tripleWeber 32 DCF carburettors;power was 170 bhp from the 2600ccGioacchino Colombo-designed 'short-block' V12 engine,evolved from the earlier Ferrari 166 (2000cc) and 195 (2300cc).All versions came with the standard Ferrari five-speed non-synchromesh gearbox and hydraulic drum brakes.All 1951 Ferraris shared a double tube frame chassis design evolved from the 166.Double-wishbone front suspensionwithtransverse leaf spring,andlive rear axlewithsemi-elliptic leaf springsandradius rodswere employed.The Ferrari 212 Export (212 MM)gran turismo berlinetta(chassis No. 0070M) debuted in first-place overall at the April 1951 Coppa Inter-Europa, driven by Luigi Villoresi,and in June (chassis no. 0092E) was first in thegran turismocategory at theCoppa della Toscanadriven by Milanese Ferrari concessionaire and proprietor of Scuderia Guastalla, Franco Cornacchia.The 212 Export continued to serve Ferrari well in the Sports and GT categories until replaced by the 225 S, and although it would later be overshadowed by the internationally famous250 GT,the 212 Export was an important model in the successful line of Colombo-engined V12 GT cars that made Ferrari legendary.

• 
  Ferrari 166 Intercoupécarrozzeriatouring1949
• 
  Etceterini:Ermini 1100berlinettaMotto 1950
• 
  Ferrari 212 ExportVignalecoupé 1951

1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT

1951 was the stunning debut of Lancia'sAurelia B20 GT.

Lancia had begun production in 1950 of their technically advanced Aurelia saloon; the design had been overseen by Vittorio Jano.At the 1951Turin Motor Show,the Pinin Farina-bodiedgran turismoB20 coupé version was unveiled to an enthusiastic motoring public. Here, finally, according to historians Jonathan Woodand Sam Dawson,was a fully realized production GT car, representing the starting point of the definitive grand tourer:

This outwardly conventional saloon bristled with innovation and ingenuity, in which the masterly hand ofVittorio Janois apparent. In the B20 are elements of the Cistalia of 1947, coupés which Pinin undertook on a 6C Alfa Romeo and Maserati in 1948, along with the Fiat 1100 S coupé with its rear accommodation for children. The original Aurelia had been under-powered and, in 1951, the V6 was enlarged to 1991 cc, which was also extended to the coupé, though in 75 rather than 70 bhp form as the B20 was developed as a sporting model in its own right. In addition the B20 had a shorter wheelbase and a higher rear axle ratio, making it a 100 mph car. Lancia chose theGran Turismoname for its new model and the suggestion could only have come from Vittorio Jano himself, for had he not been responsible for the original 1750 Alfa Romeo of the same name back in 1929?

Foursemi-ufficialiworks B20 GTs, together with a number of privateer entrants, were sent to the Mille Miglia in April 1951, where the factoryBracco/Magliolicar finished second overall, behind only a Ferrari sports racer of twice the engine capacity. Lancia Aurelias swept the GT 2.0 Liter division.In June 1951, Bracco was partnered with the "father of GT racing" himself,Johnny Lurani,to race a B20 GT at Le Mans, where they were victorious in the 2.0 liter sportscar division, placing a very creditable 12th overall. A 1–2 finish at the famous Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti,among other victories including the 6 Ore di Pescara,rounded out an astonishing debut racing season for this ground-breaking car, winning its division in the Italian GT Championship for Umberto Castiglioni in1951.Lancia B20 GTs would go on to win the over 2.0 liter Italian GT Championship in 1953, 1954 and 1955 with theB20-2500.

• 
  Lancia AureliaB20 GT 1951
• 
• 

1952 Fiat 8V "Otto Vu" Zagato

A surprise to the international press,who were not expecting agran turismo berlinettafrom Italy's largest manufacturer of everyday standard touring models, theFiat 8V "Otto Vu"was unveiled at theGeneva Salonin March 1952 to international acclaim. Although not raced by the factory, the Otto Vuwasraced by a number of private owners. Vincenzo Auricchio and Piero Bozzinio raced to fifth in thegran turismocategory of the 1952 Mille Miglia, and Ovidio Capelli placed third in the GT 2000 cc class at theCoppa della Toscanain June, with a special race-spec lightweightZagatocoupe; the GT category overall at this event was won by Franco Cornacchia's Ferrari 212 Export (refer above).Capelli and the 8V Zagato topped this accomplishment by winning the GT category of the Pescara 12 Hours in August, ahead of two Lancias.The new Fiat 8V garnered sufficient competition points over the season to become the national two-liter GT Champion (a feat it repeated every year until 1959).

Elio Zagato,the coachbuilder's son,was successful in competition with the Otto Vu in 1954 and 1955,attracting further customer interest and leading Zagato to eventually develop two different GT racing versions.Upon his passing in 2009, Elio Zagato was described as a leading figure of Italian GT racing and design:

Elio Zagato, who has died aged 88, was one of the leading figures of Italian Gran Turismo (GT) racing and car-body design. In the 1950s, driving a Zagato-bodied Fiat 8V, Elio emerged as the consummate gentleman racer in Italian GT championship events. Zagato, his father's firm, provided the lithe, lightweight aluminium bodies for many of the Lancias, Alfa Romeos, Abarths and Maseratis that dominated these meetings. Elio won 82 races out of the 150 he entered, and won four of the five championships he entered. Working with the chief stylistErcole Spada,Zagato produced some of the most beautiful GT designs of the era; spare and muscular cars such as theAston Martin DB4GTZ,theAlfa Romeo Junior TZ and SZ,and theLancia Flaminia Sport.These were minimalist shapes bereft of superfluous trim that introduced phrases such as "double bubble" roof to the car body design language: twin shallow domes, devised by Elio, to give extra head room and strengthen the roof. For lightness, Zagato pioneered the use of Perspex and of aerodynamics, with trademark forms such as the split or stub tail. Indeed, Elio would take prototypes out on theautostradacovered in wool tufts in order to testair flowover the body.

The 8V Otto Vu earned its name courtesy of its high-performance V8 engine (Ford having already trademarked "V8" ).

• 
  Fiat 8V Zagato
• 

1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

TheGermanautomotive industry was devastated by the second World War, but in the post-war period a small number of firms brought it to prominence again.The emergence of the classicPorsche 356is covered in the accompanyingsports cararticle. In 1957 author John Stanford wrote:"The post-warMercedessports cars are in a way even more remarkable than those ofPorsche.The firm was particularly badly hit by the war and it was several years before anything but a nominal production of cars could be undertaken. In 1951 appeared the"300",a luxurious and fast touring car with a single-camshaft six-cylinder engine of 2996 c.c. and chassis derived from the pre-war cars with swing-axle rear suspension. The"300S"was a three-carburetor edition, but in 1952 great interest was aroused by the almost invincible performance in sports-car racing of a team of prototype cars of extremely advanced and interesting design. By 1954 these had undergone sufficient development to be placed on the market as the"300SL",one of the costliest and most desirable cars of our time. The conventional chassis has been abandoned in favor of a complex structure ofwelded tubes,although the coil spring suspension is retained, and exceptionally large brakes are fitted, inboard at the rear. The engine is sharply inclined to the near-side in the interests of a low bonnet-line, and withBoschfuel injectionproduces 240 b.h.p. at 6,000 r.p.m. Claimed maximum speed is in excess of 160 m.p.h. and although the car is by no means small,dry weighthas been kept to 23cwt.The depth of the multi-tubular frame prevents the use of conventional side-hinged doors and these cars are fitted with the roof-hinged "gull-wing" doors which characterize an exceedingly handsome and practical car. An open touring version is available. In competition the "300SL" has become a powerful contender, and abetted by the success of theGrand Prix cars[and "300 SLR"] has captured a substantial portion of the export market."

• 
  Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
• 
  Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

1956 Ferrari 250 GT

The 250GT Ferrari must surely represent the ultimate in modern high-speed sporting travel, or GT competition, and holds today a position similar to theBugatti 57SCof 1939. In 1962 the GTO Ferraricoupéshad a remarkable season of successes in G.T. racing and have become the standard by which any competitioncoupéis measured, and by steady development [the Ferrari 250GT] has become one of the world's greatest cars.

— Motor Sport,March 1963.

1953 saw the first serious attempt to series produce the Ferrari motor car, two models of theType 250 Europabeing produced. The cars were an evolution of the previous models, available with either theColomboorLamprediversions of the 250 V12 engine, coil spring front suspension, an improved sports gearbox (four speeds) withPorschesynchromesh,largedrum brakesand luxurious outfitting. A few appeared in motorsports but did not initially threaten the internationalMercedes-Benz 300 SLandPorsche 356competition.

In the Mille Miglia of 1956 the first of the lightweight grand touringcoupés,driven byGendebien,battled with the Mercedes 300SL ofMetternichand Einsendelto come in fifth overall and first in G.T. over 2,000 c.c. The G.T. Ferrari had arrived!Motor Sport,March 1963.

After its 1956 debut, the250 GT"went from strength to strength". Powered by the Colombo 250 engine, output was up to 240 b.h.p. at 7,000 r.p.m. Ashort-wheelbase(SWB) version of the 250 chassis was employed for improvedhandling and road-holdingin corners, and top speed was up to 157 m.p.h.In 1957 Gendebien finished third overall in the Mille Miglia, and won the "index of performance".Alfonso de Portagowon theTour de Franceand GT races atMontlhéryandCastelfusanoin a lightweightCarrozzeria Scaglietti250 GT. Gendebien became agran turismospecialist in 250 GTs when he wasn't driving sports racingFerrariTesta Rossas( "Red Heads" for their red engine covers), achieving success in both the Giro Sicilia and Tour de France.

In 1958, sports racingTesta Rossasswept theManufacturer's Championship,and in 1959 the T.R. engine was adapted to the 250 GT. Thespark plugswere relocated and eachcylindernow had a separateintake port.LargerWeber twin-choke carburetorswere employed in a triple configuration (sports racing T.R.s employed six) and some special customer cars had three four-choke Webers (onechokeper cylinder).Dry-sump lubricationwas employed, and thecamshaft valve timingwas only slightly less than the full-raceTesta Rossas.G.T. power was up to 267 b.h.p. at 7,000 r.p.m. (240 b.h.p at 6,800 rpm for road versions). Experiments were conducted with Dunlop disc brakes, which were adopted in 1960, along with an even shorter wheelbase forcompetizioneversions.

In 1962, the definitive competitiongran turismowas unveiled, the250 GTO.A fullTesta Rossaengine was employed (albeit with black crinkle-finish engine covers) with six twin-choke Webers. Power was up to 300 b.h.p. at 7,400 r.p.m. and with a lightweight 2000 lb body and chassis: the car was an immediate winner.

Remarkable as it might be on the circuit, it is also a remarkable machine on the road. One American Ferrarist, who owned and raced many G.T. Ferraris, commented that the G.T.O. is an even more pleasant car on the road! He maintains that it is most tractable and overheating in traffic congestions is no problem. In its short lifetime the 250GTO has established an enviable record. It is also one of the most sought after competition cars as evidenced by recent European suggestions that "black market" G.T.O.s bring higher prices than new ones. The demand is greater than the supply.

— Motor Sport,March 1963.

In November 2016, it was reported that a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO was being offered for public sale—normally brokers negotiate deals between extremely wealthy collectors "behind closed doors". GTOs had previously been auctioned in 1990 and 2014. The 2017 sale was expected to reach US$56,000,000.00, the particular GTO concerned (the second of just thirty-six ever made) thus set to become the world's most expensive car.

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  1953Ferrari 250Europa
• 
  1957 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France Scaglietti
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  1959 Ferrari 250 GTberlinettaSWB
• 
  1962Ferrari 250 GTO

Impact of racing

The ItalianMille Migliathousand-mile race, held from 1927 to 1957, was central to the evolution of thegran turismoconcept. The event was one of the most important on the Italian motor-sport calendar and could attract up to five million spectators. Winning drivers such asTazio Nuvolari,Rudolf Caracciola,andStirling Moss;and manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo,BMW,Ferrari andPorschewould become household names.

According to Enzo Ferrari:

In my opinion, the Mille Miglia was an epoch-making event, which told a wonderful story. The Mille Miglia created our cars and the Italian car industry. The Mille Miglia permitted the birth of GT, or grand touring cars, which are now sold all over the world. The Mille Miglia proved that by racing over open roads for 1,000 miles, there were great technical lessons to be learned by the petrol and oil companies and by brake, clutch, transmission, electrical and lighting component manufacturers, fully justifying the old adage that motor racing improves the breed.

The Mille Miglia is still celebrated today as one of the world's premier historic racing events.

A closed sports coupé almost prevailed atLe Mansin 1938, when acarrozzeriatouring-bodiedAlfa Romeo 8C 2900B,driven byRaymond SommerandClemente Biondetti,led the famous 24-hour race from the third lap until early Sunday afternoon, retiring only due to engine problems.

Johnny Lurani was impressed by the dominant performance at the Mille Miglia in 1940, by acarrozzeriatouring-bodiedBMW 328coupé, winning the event at over 100 mph average speed, driven byFritz Huschke von HansteinandWalter Bäumer:

The BMW team included a splendid aerodynamicBerlinetta,wind tunnel designed by German specialists, that was extremely fast at 135 mph... I couldn't believe the speeds these BMWs were capable of.

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  1938 Alfa Romeo 2900Bcarrozzeriatouring Le Mans
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  1940BMW 328coupécarrozzeriatouringMille Miglia
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  1948Ferrari 166 SNo. 003S,berlinettacoachwork byCarrozzeria Allemano,at the 1949Mille Miglia
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  1950Ferrari 195 SberlinettabyCarrozzeria Touring,at theCoppa della Toscana.Chassis No. 0026M. Outright winner of the 1950 Mille Miglia, driven byGianni Marzottoin a double-breasted suit.
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  1951Ferrari 195 Intercoupé byVignale.Chassis No. 0083S. At the Coppa Intereuropa at Monza.

1937–1948 CSAI

Italy's national governing body of motorsport was theCommissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana(CSAI).Count Giovanni Lurani Cernuschi(popularly known as Johnny Lurani) was a key commissioner.He was also a senior member of the world governing body, theFédération Internationale de l'Automobile(FIA).

Lurani was instrumental in designing the regulations for the Italian 1937Turismo Nazionalechampionship, whereby production vehicles approved by the CSAI were raced with the original chassis and engine layout as specified in the factory catalog and available for customers to buy;engines could be tuned and bored out, but the bodywork had to conform to regulations. The CSAI were concerned that FIA (known as AIACR at the time) 'Annexe C'Sports cars were becoming little more than thinly-disguised two-seatGrand Prixracers, far removed from the cars ordinary motorists could purchase from the manufacturers' catalogs.

The CSAI was shut down by the ItalianFascistgovernment underMussoliniat the end of 1937, and replaced with a new organization called FASI.TheItalian Fascists,as inNazi Germany,sought control of motor racing as an important vehicle for national prestige andpropaganda.FASI replacedTurismo Nazionalewith the less strictly regulatedSports Nazionalechampionship, which ran in 1938 and 1939.

Postwar, the CSAI was re-established and in 1947 Italian national championships were held for bothSports Internazionale(FIA Annexe C sports cars) andSports Nazionale.Sports Nazionalewas abolished in 1948, creating the opportunity for a new category in 1949.

1949 Coppa Inter-Europa

The firstracespecifically for grand touring motor cars (at the time the regulations, designed by Johnny Lurani,were actually called "turismo veloce",or 'fast touring')was the 1949Coppa Inter-Europa,held over three hours on 29 May, at the 6.3 kilometerAutodromo Nazionale di Monza(Italy).It was won by a limited production, V-12 engined, Ferrari 166 "inter", originally known as the "sport", with a coupé body by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan with the Superleggera system.

After this race, governing body CSAI officially introduced a new category, calledGran Turismo Internazionale,for 1950.The regulations were drawn up by Johnny Lurani and fellow Italian motor racing journalist and organizer Corrado Filippini,requiring for qualification the production of thirty models per year,thereby ruling out, for the time being, Ferrari's hand-builtberlinettas.Nonetheless, Ferrari 166 (including the upgraded MM - Mille Miglia - version) were produced and raced in sports car categories as both openbarchettasand closedberlinettas,including winning the 1950 Mille Miglia outright.

1950 Mille Miglia

On the third weekend of April 1950, it was the occasion of the annual Mille Miglia, one-thousand miles from Brescia to Rome and back over closed public roads, to include aGran Turismo Internazionalecategory for the first time: twenty-four GT cars were entered, includingAlfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS coupé touring,Cisitalia 202BberlinettaandFiat 1100 Scoupé. The field was rounded out by a solitary Fiat-basedSiata Daina.Alfa Romeo took first place in theGran TurismoInternazionalecategory (a creditable tenth overall) and also second place in category, followed by three Cisitalias. The overall race winningFerrari 195 Swas also agran turismo-style coupé, but in the over 2,000 sports car class—in fact a special 166MM/195SBerlinetta Le Mans,chassis No. 0026MM, famously driven byGiannino Marzottoin a double-breasted suit, "a fitting advertisement for his family's textile business".

1950 Coppa Inter-Europa

The 1950 Coppa Inter-Europa at Monza was held in March. Separate races were held for sports cars, and forgran turismocars in four classes: 750, 1100, 1500, and over 1500.

Ferrari entered, and won, the Sports car 2000 class with a Ferrari 166 MMberlinetta,while an Alfa RomeoSperimentale(over 2000 class) won the sports car race overall.

Thegran turismorace was contested byLancia Aprilia,Cisitalia 202B,Stanguellini GT 1100,Fiat 500, Alfa Romeo 2500 and FiatZagato.The overall winner was WWII fighter ace Franco Bordoni's Maserati A6 1500.

1950 Targa Florio

The annualTarga Florioin Sicily was held the first weekend of April, and featured aGran Turismo Internazionalecategory for the first time, in two classes: 1500 and over 1500. Contested by Lancia Aprilia, Cisitalia 202, Fiat 1100, Maserati A6, and even a solitary BritishBristol 400(based on the successful pre-warBMW 328), theGran Turismo Internazionalecategory was won by Argentinian driver,Adolfo Schwelm Cruz,in an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS.

Schwelm Cruz and Alfa Romeo repeated their success in the 1950 Targa Florio and Mille Miglia by winning thegran turismocategory at the Coppa della Toscana in June.An Alfa Romeo 6C 2500, driven by Salvatore Amendola, was also victorious in thegran turismocategory of theCoppa d' Oro delle Dolomitiin July, run through theDolomite Mountains,starting and finishing in the town ofCortina d'Ampezzo.An Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 took thegran turismohonours again at the Giro delle Calabria in August.The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 was based on a pre-war design, and is considered by some to be the last of the classic Alfa Romeos.

1951 Campionato Gran Turismo Internazionale

For 1951, the CSAI organized an Italian national championship for theGran Turismo Internazionalecategory in four classes: 750, 1,500, 2,000, and over 2,000 cc. Interest was attracted from manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Maserati, Ferrari, Fiat and SIATA. The championship was held over ten events, including all the classic long-distance road races (the Giro di Sicilia, the Mille Miglia, the Coppa della Toscana, the Giro dell'Umbria, the Coppa d' Oro delle Dolomiti, the Giro delle Calabrie and the Stella Alpina) as well as three circuit races (the Coppa Inter-Europa at Monza, the Circuito di Caracalla night-race in Rome, and the 6 Ore di Pescara).

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  Alfa Romeo 6C2500 SS Villa d'Este 1949
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  Fiat 1100 S coupé 1949
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  Maserati A61500 Pinin Farina competitionberlinetta1949

1954 FIA Appendix J

Prior to 1954, internationally agreed motor-sport regulations existed only for racing cars and sports cars (FIA Appendix C).After a testy initial period,the FIA introduced for the 1954 motor racing calendar new "Appendix J"regulations covering production touring cars, tuned special touring cars,gran turismocars, and production sports cars. This was the first officially sanctioned international recognition of thegran turismocategory.

The 1954gran turismoregulations stipulated cars for personal transport with closed bodywork built by the manufacturer of the chassis, although open bodies and special coachwork were admissible if listed in the official catalog of the manufacturer of the chassis and if the weight of the car was at least the same as the closed standard model. Minimum production was 100 cars during 12 months and cars needed to have only two seats.

Gran turismocategories (under 1500 and over 1500) were first included in theWorld Sportscar Championshipin round three of the1954 seasonat the1954Mille Miglia(the first placed GT car being the Lancia Aurelia B20 GT of Serafini and Mancini).GT entries would become a regular feature alongside their sports car brethren at international races from this time forward: GT cars raced in world championship rounds at theTarga Floriofrom 1955,Nürburgringfrom 1956,Sebringfrom 1957,24 Hours of Le Mansfrom1959,andBuenos Airesfrom 1960 (from which year every round of the world championship included GT cars). In 1960 and 1961 an FIACoupé de Grand Tourisme(Grand Touring Cup) was awarded.

In1962-1984seasons (except of the1982season)World Sportscar Championshiptitles were awarded tomanufacturersof GT cars alongside tomanufacturersofSports prototypes.

The FIA grand touring category came to be known as "Group 3",and is defined in the 1961 Appendix J (English) regulation as:" Vehicles built in small series for customers who are looking for better performance and/or maximum comfort and are not particularly concerned about economy. Such cars shall conform to a model defined in a catalog and be offered to the customers by the regular Sales Department of the manufacturer. "

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  Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta 1956 -1961
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  Aston Martin DB4 GT 1961
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  Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato1961
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  Jaguar E-type lightweight low -drag coupe 1962

1962–1965 International Championship for GT Manufacturers

In 1962 the FIA, addressing concerns to reduce the speeds attained in sports car racing following the disastrous accident atLe Mans in 1955,shifted focus from Appendix C sports cars to production based GT cars of Appendix J.The previous World Sportscar Championship title was discontinued, being replaced by theInternational Championship for GT Manufacturers,won by the Ferrari 250 GTO in1962,1963and1964.

Cobra Ferrari wars

The period 1963–1965 is famous for the "Cobra Ferrari wars",a rivalry between American former-racing driver and Le Mans winnerCarroll Shelby(Le Mans 1959,Aston Martin DBR1/300),andEnzo Ferrari,whose 250 GTs were the dominant grand touring cars of the time. Shelby retired from driving due to a heart condition,returning to California from Europe in 1959 with the idea to marry theAC Acesports car chassis withFord's V-8 small-blockengine: the resultingShelby AC Cobrawas a sales success.

Shelby, like Enzo Ferrari, sold road cars to support his racing team, and like Ferrari the Cobra was a success on the track, at least on the short circuits common in the United States.On the longer tracks prevalent in Europe however, the Cobra's crude aerodynamics could not compete with the sleek 180 mph Ferrari 250 GTOs: even fitted with a removable roof the Cobra's top speed was 150 mph.At the1963 24 Hours of Le Mans,a Cobra placed seventh; Ferraris placed first to sixth.Shelby team engineerPete Brockhand-designed aKamm-backed aerodynamic body for the Cobra, creating theShelby Daytona coupe,and a showdown with Ferrari was set.

In testing, the Shelby Daytona coupe attained a top speed of 196 mph,and went on to win the GT class at the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans.Shelby had beaten Ferrari on the biggest stage; however, the fast and reliable Ferrari 250 GTOs were again victorious in the1964 International Championship for GT Manufacturers.The championship was controversial: Enzo Ferrari, with only a narrow points lead over Shelby, attempted to have the radical newmid-enginedFerrari LM250homologatedfor the final championship round at Monza in Italy. When the FIA turned Ferrari down, Ferrari withdrew. The race organizers Auto Club d'Italia, fearing a financial disaster from the withdrawal of the famous Italian team, canceled the event, and Ferrari was crowned world champion. In the aftermath, Ferrari declared he would never race GTs again, and for 1965 therivalry with Ferrariwas taken up byFord Motor Companyand theFord GT40,also mid-engined, in the sports car divisions.

In 1965, with Shelby's race team now dedicated to the GT40, the Daytona coupes were entrusted toAlan Mann Racingin the United Kingdom, and easily won theGT world championship.From 1966 the FIA returned itsworld championshipfocus to the sports car division, however GT entries remained an important feature of international sports car racing.

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  Shelby AC Cobrahardtop 1964
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  Ferrari 250 GTO1964
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  Shelby Daytonacoupe 1964

British grand tourers 1946–1963

While Italy was the home of thegran turismo,of all the other European nations that took the concept up, it was Britain that was most enthusiastic.

1946 Healey Elliot

BeforeDonald Healeyturned to production of the small, light and inexpensiveAustin-Healey 100sports car in 1952, he had brought to market a fast and aerodynamic 21⁄2-literRiley-poweredHealeyElliotclosed saloon (named for the coach-builder). Claimed to be the fastest closed car of its day, only 101 were made before production was given over to the successful newsports car.

1947 Bristol 400–406

Immediately following the Second World War, H. J. Aldington,pre-warFrazer Nashmanufacturer and BMW importer, sought out BMW's badly bombed Munich factory and there discovered the special-bodied open BMW 328, duly returning with it to Britain with a view to building Fraser Nash-BMWs with the aid of key former-BMW personnel. TheBristol Aeroplane Company,looking to enter the car sector, acquired a majority shareholding. There were government concerns about using German engineers, and in the end, onlyFritz Fiedlerwas involved as consultant toBristol's own engineers. By the time the new car debuted at the 1947Geneva Motor Show,it was known simply as theBristol 400.

The Bristol 400 was essentially a hand-built, to aircraft industry standards,BMW 327two-door coupe, mounted on aBMW 326chassis, powered by the legendary 2-literBMW 328engine. It was fast, 90 mph, but expensive. The 1948401featured an improved aerodynamic body in the lightweightTouring Superleggerafashion; and the 1953403boasted improved suspension, brakes, and gearbox, while power was boosted from 85 to 100 bhp. The 1954 short-chassis404had a completely new body, and top speed was up to 110 mph. The 1958406was the last of the BMW-powered versions and was produced until 1961, after which they were superseded by a range ofautomatic transmission equipped and Chrysler V8 powered Bristols,with the engines rebuilt by Bristol engineers and fitted with high-lift camshafts and mechanical lifters.

1953 Aston Martin DB2

David Brownpurchased the Aston Martin concern in 1947, and the company was effectively reborn for the post-war era. Unlike the Bristol, theAston Martin DB2which debuted at the 1949 Motor Show (as a prototype Le Mans racer) was an all-British affair. The 2.6-liter twin overhead camshaftLagonda enginewas designed by W. O. Bentley (Brown having also purchased theLagonda company). Brown decided on a closed coupé body in the latest Italian tradition, rather than the traditional Aston Martin open two-seater sports car. The 1950 production DB2 was a styling triumph for designerFrank Feeley,and Brown later recalled that many believed the car styled in Italy. The 105 bhp DB2 was a genuine 110 mph grand tourer; in 1951 came the more powerful optional 125 bhp "Vantage" version. In its original form, the DB2 was a two-seater; the 1953DB2/4added a 2+2 and hatchback arrangement and a 3-liter engine in 1954. AMark IIversion withTickfordcoachwork appeared in 1955 (Brown had purchased this company too). TheMark IIIversion from 1957 to 1959 developed 162 bhp, and was available with 180 and 195 bhp high-output engine options.

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  1946–1950 Healey Elliott
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  1948–1953Bristol 401
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  1950-1953Aston Martin DB2
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  1953–1957Aston Martin DB2/4
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  1958–1963Aston Martin DB4

See also

• CruiserandTouring motorcyclefor the motorcycle equivalents
• Endurance racing