'competizione ventidue' concept restomod reimagines iconic ferrari 250 SWB

‘Competizione Ventidue’ by Forge design

London-based automotive design studio, Forge Design presents ‘Competizione Ventidue’, a contemporary reinterpretation of the iconic 1960s Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB. The gas-powered restomod concept combines the classic form of an automobile with contemporary technology and is imagined as a ‘celebration of art and engineering.’

The Ventidue’s spiritual ancestor, the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show back in 1959. The launch came midway between two seminal events in art and music: the release of Miles Davis’ album ‘Kind of Blue’ and the opening of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Drawing from this era, the new automotive concept is meant to represent human creativity, analog craftsmanship, and true creative spirit, yet is executed with precision and powered by the latest modern technology.

the concept car combines classic form with contemporary technology | all images courtesy of Competizione Ventidue

human craftsmanship and modern technology combined

As the team at Forge Design explains, cars like the 250 SWB represent an era of human craftsmanship, where forms were simpler and the analog hands of the designer and toolmaker could clearly be intuited from body shapes. ‘That kind of design speaks to people in a way many cars don’t anymore,’ shares Kieran Singleton, Managing Director of the London-based agency. ‘Modern cars benefit from CAD software, machine presses, and robot manufacturing; car bodies can support far more shape and technicality, but in the process, they often lose the emotional connection to analog craft and any connection to the maker.’

In 1961, Ferrari introduced the ‘SEFAC Hot Rod’, an upgraded, optimized edition of the 250 SWB. The new model featured a lighter chassis, an incredibly thin aluminum body, and engine modifications such as larger engine intake tracts and high lift camshafts with a magnesium sump and timing case castings. The car could reach just under 300 horsepower and was almost unbeatable in its class. It won Le Mans in 1961 and also took the RAC Tourist Trophy that same year. The Competizione Ventidue pays homage to this car and shows its modern, technologically advanced interpretation 61 years later.

Competizione Ventidue pays homage to the iconic Ferrari 250 SWB

The designers mention that the Ventidue reimagines the car that Miles Davis might have bought just after his album dropped. And while retaining the shape and style of its predecessor, the ‘Comp Ventidue’ benefits from the latest technological innovations. ‘We wanted to re-imagine the car that Miles Davis might have bought just after his album dropped. ‘This is the car he might have enjoyed, upgraded, even raced.’ explains the team at Forge Design

‘We went back to what the car was at the time, what it represented… we love working across disciplines, being inspired by art or architecture – but then ultimately obsessing over the details in pursuit of design perfection’ adds David Seesing.

imagined as a ‘celebration of art and engineering’