Keith Bluemel - Ferrari 250 GTO the Autobiography of 4153 GT - 2016

I propose the book written by Keith Bluemel on the history of the Ferrari 250 GTO No. 4153GT. This work is the seventh of the 19 editions published in England by Porter Press in the unique Great Cars collection, which were entirely devoted to a single car, hence the book’s title indicating the serial number, here the Ferrari 250 GTO No. 4153GT, the 26th of the 36 built.

This magnificent book tells the story of a Ferrari 250 GTO with a particularly interesting and varied past. The car bears chassis number 4153 GT and won the Tour de France – a grueling 10-day race-cum-rally – in the hands of Lucien Bianchi and Georges Berger in 1964. This success perfectly illustrates the racing career of this car, as it has almost touched all forms of motorsport, including endurance racing (it finished fourth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1963), hill climbs, and rallies. All of this is covered with fascinating details, accompanied by a beautiful collection of period photos, including color ones. Any Ferrari enthusiast will appreciate this addition to the “Great Cars” series.

• The racing career of this GTO began at Le Mans in 1963, with a fourth place for Pierre Dumay and Léon Dernier.

• Two busy seasons in 1964–65 yielded 14 competition appearances, the victory of Lucien Bianchi/Georges Berger at the 1964 Tour de France being the culmination – and there was also a trip to Africa for the Angolan Grand Prix.
• The great Belgian teams, Ecurie Francorchamps and Equipe National Belge, raced with 4153 GT until the end of 1965.
• The relatively little-known competition career of this car in Spain between 1966 and 1969 is revealed for the first time, with interviews of owner/pilot Eugenio Baturone.
The book, at 320 pages, tells the story of this mythical car from its construction in 1963 through the 1970s.
Out of print for a long time, this volume is in new condition: it has been unsealed today to take photos.