ferrari produced the 250 p in 1963 in response to the fia introducing a prototype class for the upcoming season of the world sportscar championship. this was a new design, with a chassis unrelated to existing 250-series grand touring cars. designed by mauro forghieri, the 250 p was an open cockpit mid-engined rear wheel drive design, utilizing a tubular space-frame chassis, double wishbone suspension, rack and pinion steering, four wheel disc brakes and a longitudinally-mounted v12 engine with a 5-speed gearbox and transaxle. the 250 testa rossa-type single-cam 3.0-litre engine was supplied by six weber 38 dcn carburetors and produced 310 bhp at 7,500 rpm. this was the first time a v12 engine was mounted in the rear of a ferrari sports racing car.