Very few people have ever heard of the Ferrari 340 Mexico Berlinetta, Maranello’s rival to the original Mercedes-Benz 300SL road racer.
Only three of these striking road racers were ever built back in 1952.
Their legend was established on the notorious Carrera Panamericana road race through Mexico. Front-engined, with classic GT-lines, and characteristic ovoid grille, they remains some of the most cherished of all Ferrari’s V12-powered cars.
A CELEBRATION...KIND OFTo pay homage to this Ferrari road racing legend American custom car specialist GWA Tuning, based in San Antonio, Texas, has crafted a one-off contemporary interpretation of the Mexico Berlinetta, called the 340 Competizione.
The irony of course is that GWA is an acronym for Gullwing America, and the company’s speciality has been recreations of classic Mercedes-Benz Gullwing models, including the C111 concept car and 300SL.
For reasons unknown, GWA’s decided to build the epic one-off 340 Competizione.
Although the bodywork, crafted from aluminium, shadows the original car to an extent, there a few GWA details sure to grate Ferrari traditionalists.
The quad headlights, oversized bonnet scoop (the original Mexico Berlinetta had comparatively tiny air duct cut into its engine cover), five-spoke alloy wheels (original had multi-spoke wire-wheels) and a spoiler between the rear windscreen and boot are sure to draw the ire of Maranello’s fiercest followers.
456GT IN RETRO...Mechanically, the car rides on a Ferrari 456 GT chassis, retaining the fabled Ferrari 456 5.4-litre V12. The 456 chassis ensures that Competizione’s also 300mm more substantial bumper-to-bumper than the original Mexico Berlinetta.
GWA binned the standard Ferrari air-filters and exhaust system for free-flow renditions of both, boosting the 5.4-litre V12’s peak power to 355kW (standard one’s made 330kW), which should ensure rapid performance – although the company’s unwilling to disclose the Competizione’s mass statistics.
All the other best bits of the 456 remain untouched under the outrageous Competizione bodywork, ventilated disc brakes with ABS assistance at all four wheel corners and independent double-wishbone suspension front and rear. These are mechanical details Alberto Ascari could only have dreamed of when racing the original 4.1-litre V12-powered Mexico Berlinetta.
Inside, the Competizione’s switchgear is classis retro Ferrari, with huge dials and composite three-quarter bucket seats with headrests.
Oh, and of course, thanks to its 456 drivetrain, there’s a proper chromed, exposed, open-gate that the six-speed manual transmission’s shifter operated through – and Ferrari, unfortunately, does not offer any of its modern-day customer the option of that rather important part of its heritage anymore…
GWA says the Competizione’s a one-off creation, sure to upset Ferrari collectors no end, but if you’re after a stunningly individualistic V12-powered prancing horse GT with a proper (manual) transmission, well…
