Latest news with #166SpyderCorsa
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Oldest Ferrari car in existence built in the 1940s with open top sells at auction for record price of £6.3million
An anonymous phone bidder bought the piece of motoring history RED ALL OVER Oldest Ferrari car in existence built in the 1940s with open top sells at auction for record price of £6.3million Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE oldest Ferrari car in existence has sold at auction for a record price of £6.3 million. The 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa was Enzo Ferrari's first car, designed to compete in circuit racing and drive on the road. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The vintage motor sold for a record price Credit: BNPS 4 The car has been meticulously maintained Credit: BNPS Only nine of the motors were ever made making them some of the rarest Ferraris in existence. This one was bought by the Besana brothers, the Italian car company's first ever customers, who would have had the car built to order. The 166 Spyder Corsa competed in numerous races between 1949 and 1957 before being purchased by American collector Henry Austin Clark in 1965. The red car was bought for around £3,000 with an additional £400 for the official mantra of "World's Oldest Ferrari." The seats, paintwork and wire wheels were painstakingly restored, with Enzo Ferrari reportedly taking a personal interest in the car. Clark reportedly received an offer of around £20,000 for it in 1971, but his family ended up holding onto it until 2015, when they sold it to a renowned Ferrari collector. The 77 year old car still has its original chassis, body, V12 engine and gearbox making it the most original of the 166 Spyder Corsas. It was even sold with its original certification proving its authenticity as one of the earliest Ferraris ever sold. Boasting a top speed of 125mph the vintage motor does 0-60mph in around six seconds. It was sold to an anonymous phone bidder by Broad Arrow Auctions at an auction near Lake Como, Italy. It sold for a hammer price of £5.3 million, the total came to around £6.3 million after auction fees. The motor set the record for the most expensive 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder ever sold. 4 The Ferrari still has its original V12 engine Credit: BNPS 4 It has the official title of "World's Oldest Ferrari." Credit: BNPS Barney Ruprecht, vice president of Broad Arrow Auctions, said: "It is an absolutely fabulous sale for an amazing early sports car. "The 166 Spyder Corsa is quite literally the earliest and most important Ferrari in existence today. "It has significant period racing history at some of the most renowned events in Italy and throughout Europe, so it feels only natural to sell the car at the most prestigious concours event on the continent. "It is an immediate world-class acquisition to own the first Ferrari. "Any enthusiast of the Ferrari brand, including both older, established collectors and the rising generation now in the market, will feel drawn to the DNA of such a legendary marque. "Nothing else on the market today, at any price, offers the cache of this car." The Ferrari is one of two models purchased by the Besana brothers, Ferrari's earliest customers. The Spyder Corsa boasts chassis number 004 C, finished sixth overall at the 1948 Targa Florio, raced at the 1948 and 1949 Mille Miglia and also has period Formula Two competition and hill climbs added to its race tally.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Oldest Ferrari car in existence built in the 1940s with open top sells at auction for record price of £6.3million
THE oldest Ferrari car in existence has sold at auction for a record price of £6.3 million. The 1948 Ferrari Advertisement 4 The vintage motor sold for a record price Credit: BNPS 4 The car has been meticulously maintained Credit: BNPS Only nine of the motors were ever made making them some of the This one was bought by the Besana brothers, the Italian car company's first ever customers, who would have had the car built to order. The 166 Spyder Corsa competed in numerous races between 1949 and 1957 before being purchased by American collector Henry Austin Clark in 1965. The red car was bought for around £3,000 with an additional £400 for the official mantra of " Advertisement Read more in Motors The seats, paintwork and wire wheels were painstakingly restored, with Enzo Ferrari reportedly taking a personal interest in the car. Clark reportedly received an offer of around £20,000 for it in 1971, but his family ended up holding onto it until 2015, when they sold it to a renowned Ferrari collector. The 77 year old car still has its original chassis, body, V12 engine and gearbox making it the most original of the 166 Spyder Corsas. It was even sold with its original certification proving its authenticity as one of the earliest Advertisement Most read in Motors Breaking Exclusive Breaking Boasting a top speed of 125mph the vintage motor does 0-60mph in around six seconds. It was sold to an anonymous phone bidder by It sold for a hammer price of £5.3 million, the total came to around £6.3 million after auction fees. The motor set the record for the most expensive 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder ever sold. Advertisement 4 The Ferrari still has its original V12 engine Credit: BNPS 4 It has the official title of "World's Oldest Ferrari." Credit: BNPS Barney Ruprecht, vice president of Broad Arrow Auctions, said: "It is an absolutely fabulous sale for an amazing early sports car. "The Advertisement "It has significant period racing history at some of the most renowned events in Italy and throughout Europe, so it feels only natural to sell the car at the most prestigious concours event on the continent. "It is an immediate world-class acquisition to own the first Ferrari. "Any enthusiast of the "Nothing else on the market today, at any price, offers the cache of this car." Advertisement The Ferrari is one of two models purchased by the Besana brothers, Ferrari's earliest customers. The
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Historic 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa Expected to Break Auction Records
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector One of the most historically significant Ferraris ever built is set to cross the auction block in May, with experts predicting it could fetch up to $8 million. The 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa, chassis No. 004 C, is believed to be the earliest surviving Prancing Horse in original form and is expected to be the highlight of Broad Arrow Auctions' inaugural Villa d'Este sale. Regarded as one of Ferrari's first customer race cars, the 166 Spyder Corsa was introduced in 1948, featuring a revolutionary 2.0-liter Colombo V-12 engine and a five-speed racing gearbox. This particular chassis was one of two originally sold to brothers Soave and Gabriele Besana, Italian aristocrats who commissioned coachbuilder Carrozzeria Ansaloni to craft a unique, cycle-fendered body. With an extensive racing pedigree, chassis No. 004 C competed in some of the world's most grueling endurance races, including the 1948 and 1949 Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio, where it placed sixth. After its competitive career ended in 1957, the car changed hands multiple times before spending 50 years under the stewardship of the Clark family, owners of the Long Island Automotive Museum in New York. During this time, the Ferrari underwent a concours-level restoration, earning prestigious accolades such as Best of Show at the Ferrari Club of America National Meet and class victories at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It remained in the Clark family until 2015, when it was acquired by a prominent U.S. Ferrari collector. What sets this 166 Spyder Corsa apart is its exceptional originality. The car retains its factory-built bodywork, V-12 engine, and gearbox, a rarity among vintage race cars that often underwent extensive modifications. It also boasts Ferrari Classiche White Book certification, confirming its authenticity and historical significance. "Nothing predating this car exists in original form," said Barney Ruprecht, vice president of auctions at Broad Arrow. "This is the earliest and most important Ferrari available today, and for any collector, it represents a once-in-a-lifetime acquisition." The auction, set for May 25 at the prestigious Villa d'Este, is expected to draw elite collectors and Ferrari enthusiasts eager to own a piece of automotive history. With its rich racing legacy, meticulous preservation, and status as one of Ferrari's first road-legal race cars, chassis No. 004 C is anticipated to command a record-breaking bid. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Car of the Week: Arguably the Most Important Ferrari in Existence Could Fetch Nearly $8 Million at Auction
In 1948, a young Enzo Ferrari introduced his first race car intended for the road and available to customers, the pint-sized 166 Spyder Corsa. It came with a new Tipo 166 2.0-liter Colombo V-12 engine, a new five-speed racing gearbox, and a featherweight steel-tube chassis. The first two examples that Ferrari built and sold were matching cars purchased by brothers Soave and Gabriele Besana—aristocratic playboys and racers—who commissioned cycle-fendered custom bodies from Modena-based coachbuilder Carrozzeria Ansaloni. Gabriele was allocated chassis No. 002 C, while his brother got chassis No. 004 C. More from Robb Report The Ferrari 550 Maranello Still Hits the Sweet Spot as a Pure and Modern Italian Grand Tourer This Ferrari Daytona SP3 Is Signed by Charles Leclerc. It Could Be Yours for $5.7 Million. Police Just Busted a Crime Ring That Was Rerouting Deliveries of Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, and More Fast forward 77 years and Soave Besana's 166 Spyder Corsa, now the most-original early Ferrari in the world and a car never publicly offered for sale before, is about to cross the auction block. It's the worthy star of Broad Arrow's inaugural Villa d'Este sale on the banks of Lake Como, Italy, on May 25. 'The 166 Spyder Corsa is quite literally the earliest and most important Ferrari in existence today. While it is chassis No. 004, anything built prior to this car doesn't exist in any intact or original form,' says Barney Ruprecht, Broad Arrow's car specialist and its vice president of auctions. 'Nothing else on the market today, at any price, offers the cachet of this car.' Highlights of the vehicle's remarkable history include a sixth-place finish in the 1948 Targa Florio, competing in the grueling Mille Miglia road race in both 1948 and '49, and a multitude of Formula 2 and hill-climb starts in Italy and France. After its racing career ended in 1957, this Prancing Horse was preserved during an unbroken 50-year stewardship by the Clark family, owners of the Long Island Automotive Museum, in Southampton, N.Y. During the Clarks' ownership, it received such high-profile accolades as Best of Show in Ferrari Club of America National Meet in 2003, the Coppa per Dodici Cilindri award at the 2004 Cavallino Classic, and a class win at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance that same year. Since 2015, it has been the prized possession of a prominent U.S. Ferrari collector who presented the car at Pebble Beach's Casa Ferrari gatherings in 2019 and 2022. Broad Arrow's Ruprecht believes that, for any collector, the car's Classiche White Book certification is key, verifying the originality of the bodywork, V-12 engine, and gearbox. According to Ruprecht, originality is virtually unheard of with any competition car of this age. In addition, the Ferrari comes with a mountain of documentation and samples of media coverage, including an extensive profile in the September 1966 issue of Road & Track magazine. In it, American author and Ferrari authority Stan Nowak discusses his brief ownership of chassis No. 004 C. Nowak writes that, after a long search, he heard about the car being on the market from a friend living in Paris. 'I was sure we had found one of the oldest Ferraris in the world. The owner too had the same idea of the importance of the car and the price was rather high, but there was no turning back and I bought it.' Shipping the car back to New York, Nowak discovered the vehicle was in need of a complete restoration. 'The estimates were staggering and it was apparent that I could not keep the car and restore it. I needed help and quickly.' The automotive museum's Henry Austin Clark offered to take over the car and fund the restoration, with Nowak overseeing the work. Clark paid $3,800 for the vehicle. The exhaustive, concours-level restoration was completed in 1966, just in time for Nowak to enter that year's Vintage Sports Car Club of America races in Connecticut. It was the first time he'd ever driven the car, and the first time he'd piloted a Ferrari. 'The handling is a joy; plenty of predictable oversteer coming out of turns. Hairy. But very safe. If you do get into trouble, you just back off and steer out of it,' wrote Nowak. 'What's a Ferrari all about? It's that 12-cyl engine, and it's the smoothest, most turbine-like device imaginable. In most other cars of this type, you feel the power come in with a bang at about 4,500 rpm and you know it's 'on the cam,' but not the Ferrari. It's just there and all the time.' It seems the concours-quality restoration of the car attracted the attention of even Enzo Ferrari himself. In 1971, Clark was reportedly offered $25,000 for chassis No. 004 C, which at the time was more than the price of a new Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe. Instead of selling, Clark transferred ownership to his son, James H. Clark, in 1973. For the following 42 years, James entered the storied Ferrari at high-profile automotive events around the country, while methodically maintaining it. This rarefied and storied example from Maranello is estimated to fetch between €5.5 million and €7.5 million (between $5.8 million and $7.9 million). Regarding the car, Ruprecht opines, 'Any enthusiast of the Ferrari brand, including both older, established collectors and the rising generation now in the market, will feel drawn to the DNA of such a legendary marque. It would be an immediate world-class acquisition. . . .'Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
