The 212 succeeded the 166 in late 1950 and was produced through 1953. The cars were blessed with a modified Colombo V-12 that was bored out to 2.5 liters to provide high horsepower, as well as a chassis that was largely based on that of the earlier 166 MM but had been adapted by engineers to handle the higher horsepower of its updated engine. As was the custom with Ferrari at the time, customers had their choice of coachbuilders to clothe the chassis and drivetrain, and a number of companies with differing styles were available. One of the most distinctive and compelling of those was Vignale of Turin.
