The Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Short Wheelbase sits at an unusual intersection in automotive history: a car equally capable of being driven to a dinner engagement and campaigned in a GT race the following weekend. KK Scale's 1:12 die-cast rendering in yellow brings to life a steel-body road variant from circa 1961 — part of a total production run of approximately 165–167 cars built between 1959 and 1961. The colour alone sets this example apart from the red and silver survivors that dominate both auction catalogues and collector shelves.
Pininfarina Design, Scaglietti Craft
The 250 GT SWB replaced the earlier long-wheelbase Berlinetta from late 1959, adopting a 2400 mm platform in place of the previous 2600 mm chassis. Pininfarina drew the body; Scaglietti fabricated it. Powering every example was the Tipo 128F Colombo-derived 3.0-litre V12, running three Weber 36 DCL3 carburettors and producing around 240 hp in road specification. Of the roughly 165 cars produced, approximately 90 were steel-body road and lusso variants — the category to which this yellow example belongs.
Yellow in a Sea of Red
Road-specification SWBs were supplied in bespoke Pininfarina and Scaglietti colours, ordered individually by private customers. Yellow was a period-available Ferrari colour, yet relatively few SWBs left the factory in that shade — making yellow examples visually distinctive within the production run. By 1961 the SWB had already confirmed its dual credentials on circuit: Stirling Moss won the 1960 RAC Tourist Trophy in one, and the type took the 1960 Tour de France Automobile outright. A steel-body road car in yellow from that same year carries that competition pedigree without the race scars.
KK Scale at 1:12
KK Scale produces this as a 1:12 die-cast metal model — a scale that positions it firmly in the prestige tier of the manufacturer's catalogue. At 1:12, the Pininfarina-designed body surfaces, Scaglietti shut lines and period wheel details are reproduced at a size that rewards close inspection in a way the more common 1:18 or 1:43 formats cannot match. The die-cast construction delivers the weight and material fidelity that collectors of classic Italian road cars expect from a large-format model.
In the Display Cabinet
This yellow SWB pairs naturally with other road-going Ferraris of the early 1960s — the 250 GT Lusso (1962–1964) or the 250 GT LWB Berlinetta that preceded it. For collectors focused on the racing lineage, it sits alongside competition-spec SWB models and the 250 GTO, the direct successor on the GT racing side from 1962. The yellow livery makes it a visual counterpoint to any red-dominant Ferrari collection, and the 1:12 scale gives it natural prominence as a centrepiece.
Frequently asked questions
What scale is this KK Scale Ferrari 250 GT SWB model?
It is a 1:12 scale model, part of KK Scale's established large-format die-cast line.
What material is the model made from?
Die-cast metal throughout, consistent with KK Scale's 1:12 product range.
Why is a yellow 250 GT SWB significant?
Yellow was a bespoke period colour for Ferrari private customers, but relatively few SWBs were delivered in that shade. Most surviving and modelled examples appear in red or silver, making yellow examples uncommon within the production run of approximately 165–167 cars.
What is the historical importance of the Ferrari 250 GT SWB?
Built between 1959 and 1961 with a 2400 mm short wheelbase, the 250 GT SWB was one of the last Ferraris equally competitive on public roads and GT circuits. Stirling Moss drove one to victory at the 1960 RAC Tourist Trophy, and the type won the 1960 Tour de France Automobile.
