1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coup�
Carrozzeria by Ghia
Chassis No. 0191 EL
Engine No. 0191 EL
1 of 73 212's Built, Tailored One-Off Coachwork by Ghia
Factory Fitted with Triple 36 DCF 3 Weber Carburetors
An Early Factory Left Hand Drive Grand Tourer
Incredible Provenance and Recorded History
Shown at the 1952 Paris Salon Auto Show by Ferrari & Famously Sold
to Juan Peron, President of Argentina
Ferrari Classiche Certified Numbers Matching Example - Red book in
Transit
Exception Restoration - Later Refreshed by Paul Russell and Co. &
Wayne Obry's Motion Products
Award-winner at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance & Cavallino
Classic
Resident of the Prestigious Lee Herrington Collection For Nearly 20
Years
Published in Numerous Books, Articles & Magazines
Includes Marcel Massini History Report Along with an Impressive
Dosier of Documentation.
Complete with Original Owner's Manual, Toolkit, Jack, Period
Photos, Letters & Reports
An Ideal Entry Into the Finest Concours, Tours, and Rally Events
Around the World!
This stunning 212 Inter is one of just 73 examples built and the
only example clothed in this special Ghia coachwork wearing Latte
(Yellow) with Black bottom and black leather. With many one-off
features and intricate interior details it remains one of the most
beautiful and interesting early Ferrari's we have seen.
Making its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October 1952, alongside
0235 EU, a Pinin Farina-bodied cabriolet. It was there that the car
was spotted and made an impact on its future owner, Juan Domingo
Per�n, President of Argentina. Per�n was a true automotive
enthusiast and is known for amassing a great collection of
luxurious automobiles, ranging from Ferraris to Packards. He had a
passion for racing, and was a key backer for two of the country's
rising stars, Juan Manual Fangio and Froilan Gonzalez, as he
supported their 1950 entry at Le Mans in a Gordini. Additionally,
he played a large role behind Fangio's Formula 1 efforts. Per�n
financed the construction of a Formula 1 track in Buenos Aires
called the Juan Per�n October 17 Circuit (in honor of the date of
his rise to power), and created a state-funded car company called
Justicialista.
After seeing the one-off Ghia coupe at Paris in October 1952, Per�n
purchased the bespoke Ferrari through an intermediary in Rome. It
is believed that the President wished to minimize any attention
surrounding his purchase and its tax consequences, as he faced
increasing scrutiny back home. Argentine import taxes for new
luxury cars are notoriously steep, and for this reason, the car
presumably returned to Maranello so that it could assume the
identity of a used car, which happened to be Milan registration
number MI 197153. This registration had been in use by another
Ghia-bodied Ferrari (the cabriolet version of this car), chassis
0191 EL, and due to the registration switch, the factory conducted
a commensurate chassis renumbering to seal the car's new identity.
Notably this numbering swap involved no exchange of bodies,
chassis, or motors; both cars were originally built with the
chassis and bodies they wear today, and merely exchanged numbers
for the sake of a powerful client's aversion to taxes and any
unfavorable publicity associated with his extravagant tastes.
In 1955 after Juan Per�n fall from power by a military coup, he
fled the country and the Ghia coupe remained in Argentina. It
remained unused and likely in private storage before its next
recorded caretaker. In August 1973 the 212 was purchased by Conrado
Tennina, an Italian living in Buenos Aires, he would retain
possession for 14 years before selling it to a European in 1987. At
that point, the Ferrari had been painted red with a black roof
(photos on file). Then in 1990 it was treated to a comprehensive
four year restoration, including a complete mechanical
refurbishment, while the exterior was returned to its original and
stunning 1952 Paris Salon livery. The restoration is of exceptional
quality and remains in concours condition today almost 25 years
later, a true testament to the fine craftsmanship by the Italian
specialist that performed the work.
In December 1999, the car was acquired by Lee Herrington, a highly
respected collector of one-off Ferrari show cars, who presented the
Ghia coupe at the 2001 Cavallino Classic. In mid-2002 he entrusted
the car to the Ferrari specialists at Motion Products in Neenah,
Wisconsin for minor cosmetic corrections to finishes and hardware
for factory-correct specifications.
The 212 was then displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
in August 2002, where it earned a 2nd-in-class award, in a strong
endorsement of the European restoration and its more recent
freshening. Then in 2003 it was exhibited at Cavallino, this time
garnering a Platinum Award and winning the Excellence Cup, and a
month later the historically important Ferrari was the subject of a
cover feature in Forza magazine.
0191 EL claims rare history and remarkable ownership provenance.
Furthermore it is clothed with one-off Ghia coachwork that ranks
among the carrozzeria's finest efforts, and benefits from a Pebble
Beach and Cavallino award-winning restoration. To complete the
offering this 212 Inter was recently certified by Ferrari
Classiche. All combined this exception motorcar will certainly be a
welcomed entry at prestigious international events such as Pebble
Beach and the Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza along with tours and
rallies around the world.
Few early Ferrari road cars offer such extraordinary cachet, 0191
EL is now available for worldwide purchase and delivery from our
Houston, Texas showroom to astute connoisseurs across the
globe.
$1,595,000.00
To learn more about this vehicle, please contact our sales
department at (281) 497-1000 or
[email protected]
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