Ferrari is celebrating the 50th birthday of one its greatest sports cars, the 250 GT short wheelbase (SWB), and to mark the event the company is displaying several special models at the Techno-Classica auto show in Germany this week. Some of the highlights include a 250 GT Berlinetta passo corto, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of this legendary model’s unveiling at the 1959 Paris Motor Show, as well as a Pininfarina-bodied 250 GT and a Superamerica.

Starting in 1959, a total of 166 250 GT Berlinettas were built, of which 92 were road-going, steel-bodied cars and 74 aluminum ‘Competizione’ versions.

All the cars on display have undergone the Ferrari Classiche Authenticity Certification process, which sees them undergo a thorough check to ensure that everything, from the bodywork to the chassis, is true to the original designs. The department was set up in 2006 to provide owners of classic, veteran and historic Ferraris with dedicated maintenance, repair and restoration services, technical assistance and authenticity certification, and so far more than 1,000 cars have undergone the process.

Incidentally, Ferrari is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 288 GTO this year, with private enthusiast Joe Sackey organizing a gathering of the cars for the Monterey Historics & Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance in California this August.