Want to experience the root of all Ferraris? It doesn’t get much earlier than the 166. And now one rather splendid example is coming up for auction.
The 166 wasn’t technically the first Ferrari. That honor belongs to the 125 S, but Enzo’s company only made two of those. The 166 that followed was, in relative terms, far more prolific – though we’re still talking about just 39 examples.
The one you see here was made in 1950 – barely two years after the company’s founding. It’s the 27th of the 32 166 MMs (so named for their role in the Mille Miglia race), and one of the last to be bodied by Touring.
Chassis number 0058 M competed twice in the cross-country race for which it was named, and in numerous other events in Europe and America. It spent two decades in the hands of the Ferrari Club of America’s chief judge Ed Gilbertson, taking the Hans Tanner Trophy at Pebble Beach in 1979 and countless Platinum awards at events like the Cavallino Classic and Concorso Italiano.
“Beyond its provenance,” says the auctioneer, “0058 M’s extreme desirability lies in its incredible purity and authenticity.” Ferrari Classiche-certified and presented in immaculate condition, the prototypical Prancing Horse is the latest addition to RM Sotheby’s upcoming auction at Amelia Island, where it’s estimated to sell for $8-10 million. Check it out in the gallery below captured by Patrick Ernzen for RM Sotheby’s.
Photo Gallery
