The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
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The Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Chassis 0221EL.
The Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Chassis 0221EL was a refined grand tourer that combined high-performance engineering with Italian coachbuilding artistry. Introduced in 1951, the model was designed for discerning customers who sought both speed and luxury. Several of these chassis were sent to Carrozzeria Vignale, where Giovanni Michelotti styled striking and often flamboyant bodies. Chassis 0221EL, completed in August 1952, was one such example, finished in beige with a right-hand drive configuration. The car was first delivered to Swiss enthusiast Eugene Lanz of Huttwil, who promptly showcased it at the Concours d’Elegance in Stresa, where it took first place. Shortly after, it passed through Emmental-Garage Witschi AG before being acquired by Dr. Franz Della-Casa of Burgdorf. Over the following decade, it remained in Switzerland, eventually changing hands in 1960 when A. Crestani of Bern became its next custodian. By 1963, it was owned by Franz Messerli of Kaufdorf. Decades later, in the early 1990s, the car resurfaced without its engine and was undergoing restoration under OTG. By 2004, it had been fully restored and was in the hands of Michael Stollfuss of Bonn, Germany, now finished in beige with a contrasting grey roof. He actively presented the car at numerous events, including the Oldtimer Grand Prix at Nürburgring in 2005, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2006, and multiple Mille Miglia reenactments between 2006 and 2011. The car was also seen at prestigious gatherings such as the Schloss Dyck Classic Days in 2011 and Retromobile in 2013. Later, it became part of Lukas Hüni’s collection and was exhibited at Techno Classica in 2017 and 2018 before being offered at the Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction in 2019. With an estimated value of $1.7 to $2 million, it sold for approximately $1.6 million, after which it was acquired by Belgian collector Jan de Reu. The car later made its way to the Netherlands, where it became part of Frans van Haren’s collection, continuing its legacy as a prized example of Ferrari’s early road-going excellence.
The story of Carrozzeria Vignale represents one of the many somewhat forgotten success stories born against the backdrop of an Italy that was torn apart by the Second World War and which, starting from the end of the 1950s, was able to recover enough to know a real miracle. economical just a few years later.
