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Early Ferrari

Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
​See also : Cars  Ferrari  Post war cars  Cars 1950s  Cars 1953-54  Cars 1955  Cars 1956-57
​Chronology : 1954  1956

Intro

The Ferrari brand began in 1947 with the 125S model. Two cars were produced. They engaged in 14 races, won 6 and were later dismantled. Then came the 159S model, also built in two prototypes.

They optimize their range in late 1947 with the 166, so designated to indicate the volume of a cylinder in cc for an overall 1995 cc displacement of the V-12 Colombo engine which is 1,995 cc overall.

The chassis number restarts from number 1 with the 166, with odd numbers attributed to sport cars and even number to racing cars.

The model began with two variants, the 166 Sport and the 166 S Spyder Corsa. In May 1948 the 166 S Sport number 003 is the overall winner of the Mille Miglia, launching the fabulous racing reputation of the brand. This berlinetta coachworked by Allemano had been driven to victory by Biondetti and Navone.

In 1948 the first 166 S Inter has the odd chassis 005 S and the 166 MM starts another new even numbering
. Inter is a reference to the Inter races and MM a reminder of the Mille Miglia.

1950 275 S / 340
2015 SOLD for $ 7.9M by RM Sotheby's

Mastering chassis and engine is the key of the first successes of Ferrari, eager and anxious to overcome Alfa Romeo. His two motorist engineers are subject to a fierce internal competition.

Colombo equips the first models by assembling a twelve-cylinder engine desired by Ferrari. They are low-volume but a 125 S brings the first victory in a local track competition in Piacenza on 25 May 1947. The Ferrari 166 MM engages in road racing, taking its acronym in reference to the Mille Miglia.

Lampredi designs an innovative engine for Ferrari, also as a twelve-cylinder. The 3.3 liter is for road sport and the 4.1 liter is at first for Formula 1.

In 1950 the first cars equipped with the Lampredi 3.3 liter engine are two Ferrari 275 S, bodied by Touring in barchettas. Despite a promising start in the Mille Miglia, both cars leave the race for the same defect, a broken rear axle. The boss does not like defeat : there will be no further 275 S.

Both 275 S returned to the factory to be upgraded with the 4.1 liter engine that turns them into Ferrari 340 America. They had afterward an acceptable racing history.

The first 275 S / 340 was sold for $ 7.9M by RM Sotheby's on August 14, 2015, lot 217.

Like many cars of this period, it underwent transformations. After retiring from competition, its body was remade by Scaglietti, again as a barchetta. The 4.1 liter engine was then removed by a conscientious collector who carefully maintained it, and it was later reinstalled.

Driven by Ascari as a 275 S in the 1950 Mille Miglia, this car has reappeared more than once in this competition since 2005. Please watch the video shared by RM Sotheby's demonstrating its great working condition.
Post War Cars

1953 340 MM
2013 SOLD for € 9.9M by RM Auctions

Ferrari was already established as a formidable competitor to Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Maserati and Lancia. The increase of power seemed to have no limit. For each season, Ferrari improved his models.

In 1953 
Ferrari ​built 10 cars on the 340 MM chassis with an updated Lampredi 4.1 litre V-12 engine, targeting the endurance racing in the FIA’s new Sports Car Manufacturers’ Championship. The success of that 4.1 litre led to the development of the 4.5 and 4.9 engines of the Ferrari models 375 and 410.

La Scuderia enters three cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. One of them is assigned to Nino Farina, world champion in 1950, and to Mike Hawthorn who will have the same achievement in 1958. Technically, this berlinetta is a 340 MM changed with some characteristics of the 375 MM.

This Ferrari is one of the leading cars of that year. It was also driven by the 1953 world champion, Alberto Ascari. However, it was left to a younger driver named Umberto Maglioli to demonstrate its outstanding on-road behaviour by a legendary performance in the Carrera Panamericana.

Bodied by Pinin Farina, this elegant berlinetta has everything to seduce the most demanding collectors. It was sold for € 9.9M on May 25, 2013 by RM Auctions. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.

1953 375 MM
2013 SOLD for $ 9.1M by RM Auctions

In 1953 Ferrari ​built 10 cars on the 340 MM chassis with an updated Lampredi 4.1 litre V-12 engine, targeting the endurance racing in the FIA’s new Sports Car Manufacturers’ Championship. 

In that year Ferrari was successful with a works team of four 340 MM fitted with the 4.5 litre engine, immediately leading to the development for the privateers of the 375 MM. 26 cars were built, all but 3 originally bodied by Pinin Farina. The model was supplanted in 1954 by the 375 Plus.


​Jim Kimberly was not happy with his Ferrari 340 America, a spider coachworked by Vignale whose effectiveness in competition was highly compromised by the heating of the brakes.

The gentleman-driver, who was also a wealthy American industrialist, now wanted a body that meets his own specifications. No problem, Ferrari will make that for him. Same as for watches at the time of Packard and Graves, listening to an important customer is boosting the progress.

The eighth 375 MM chassis was the third in the series to be built in spider by Pinin Farina, but it will be the only one to incorporate the requirements of Kimberly. It will also be the only one painted in Kimberly red, a spectacular deviation from the Ferrari red.

Kimberly was right. Delivered in 1953, his Ferrari won sixteen of the twenty races in which he engaged it in the following year. Better : the innovation of opening the body behind the wheels was incorporated in 1957 as the 'pontoon fender' in the legendary Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa.

The thermal and aerodynamic balance at the level of the wheels was indeed the ultimate factor for the success of a racing car in 1954. Fangio also won by refusing to enclose the wheels in the body of his Mercedes-Benz W196.

Jim Kimberly's 375 MM equipped with its original spare engine was sold for $ 9.1M on August 16, 2013 by RM Auctions. Plase watch the video shared by the auction house.

1954 375 Plus
2014 SOLD for £ 10.7M by Bonhams

In 1954 Ferrari is once again increasing the power. The new model is the 375 Plus, with a volume of 4.9 liters which provides a tremendous power and earns it the nickname of Fearsome 49. Five cars are made.

The first of these five 375 Plus, coachworked in spider by Pinin Farina, was sold for £ 10.7M on June 27, 2014 by Bonhams, lot 320. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.

Used extensively in competition in 1954 notably with Maglioli, this car was owned for a short time in 1955 by Kimberly. Dismantled by a subsequent owner, it was restored in a satisfactory state of authenticity including the reassembly with its original engine.

The technological achievement of this line of models is the big block 410 S, built in four units in 1955.
Cars 1953-54
1954

1955 410 S CM
​Intro

The variety of the races on road and track forced the leading brands in the 1950s to develop new solutions to win in all circumstances. The diversity of models, sometimes built in only a few units, is a direct consequence. 

In 1950 the Mexican government created one of the most dangerous events, the Carrera Panamericana, an endurance race over 3,300 Km on the rough roads of Mexico. In 1954 the Pan-Am is won by Umberto Maglioli for Scuderia Ferrari with a Ferrari 375 Plus. That model was the technological sensation of the year, designed for power and endurance with its big 4.9 liter engine.

In 1955, Ferrari wants to do even better. The 410 Sports or 410 S CM is based on an engine in the following of the 375 Plus but the mechanical equipment around is highly changed. S in 410 S means Sports. 

410 is the volume per cylinder of the Lampredi engine for its nearly 5.0 liter overall. CM meaning Carrera Messicana clearly indicates that Ferrari relied on the Pan-Am for demonstrating their superiority.

It is required that the car is stable. A new chassis lowers the center of gravity and the wheelbase is slightly reduced to a new standard that will be used two years later for the 250 Testarossa. The 410 S is equipped with a vast tank of 195 liters and large pipes to avoid refueling over long distances.

The production started in 1955 with a terminus ante quem before the January 29, 1956 1000 km Buenos Aires. They are titled 1955. The bodies designed and built by Sergio Scaglietti are wider than the 375 Plus. 

Four cars are built, the first two for private clients and the other two for the Scuderia Ferrari. Buenos Aires was their only race for the Scuderia. The first, third and fourth cars are spiders. The second car is a berlinetta. The works cars are arguably the most powerful racing cars of the period with an uprating from 335 to 375 hp by twin plug cylinders for a top speed just over 300 km/h.

The final cancellation of the Panamericana for safety and cost reasons after the 1955 Le Mans disaster ruined Ferrari's expectation that the 410 S CM becomes the demonstrator of their unprecedented know how. The 1000 km Nürburgring was also cancelled. Some experts view that model as the best Ferrari ever made.

1
​0592 CM Spyder
2014 SOLD for $ 23M by Rick Cole

The first 410 S CM is a spyder made in 1955. It waits in vain for the Mexican race which is canceled after the accident at Le Mans, for the great frustration of Enzo Ferrari. It has been little raced and has an incident-free history.

It was offered by Rick Cole on August 17, 2014 without a floor session. It is illustrated on the article shared by Sports Car Digest. It was reported as unsold with a maximum bid of $ 22.111M. Sports Car Digest later caught the information that it was sold in post block sale for a final price of $ 23M. This price is confirmed by barchetta.com.

Its image is shared by Wikimedia with attribution Sicnag, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
1956 Ferrari 410 Sport Spyder (44653054502)
Cars 1955

2
​0598 CM Spyder
​2022 SOLD for $ 22M by RM Sotheby's

Within the low population of four 410 S considered as the best Ferrari ever made and the still lower population of two with twin plug cylinders, the chassis 0598 CM has by far the best racing history, entering nearly 40 events in period and recording 11 victories.

The car was used by the works team in only one event, the 1956 1000 km Buenos Aires where it was driven by Fangio and Castellotti. It was then raced for the privateer John Edgar. Its most successful driver was Carroll Shelby with 8 wins. The car was sold in 1960 by Edgar to Chinetti.

Carroll Shelby inscribed in 2006 on its fuel tank : "Mr Ferrari told me that this car was the best Ferrari he ever built". He said in period "Nothing can touch this Ferrari if it runs" and much later "It was the best Ferrari I ever drove".

Remaining highly original with its engine, chassis and Scaglietti body in matching numbers, it was sold for $ 22M by RM Sotheby's on August 20, 2022, lot 355. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.

Its sister car in the Scuderia Ferrari is the 0596 spider which also entered and did not finish the 1956 1000 km Buenos Aires. It was sold for $ 3.8M by RM Auctions on August 18, 2001.

3
​0594 CM Berlinetta
2012 SOLD for $ 8.25 M$ by RM Auctions

On special order for its original owner, the second 410 S was realized as a road car with a body designed and built by Scaglietti. This berlinetta is the only closed car of this model. Aesthetically speaking, with its very long bonnet, it can be considered as a masterpiece of Scaglietti.

It was sold for $ 8.25M on August 17, 2012 by RM Auctions. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.

1956 250 GT Berlinetta
2015 SOLD for $ 13.2M by RM Sotheby's

By bringing the FIA ​​to revise the competition regulations, the terrible accident at Le Mans in 1955 paves the way for the greatest period of Ferrari. The Ferrari 250 GT Europa, released in the previous year, is perfectly matching the new requirements. Ferrari manages its overwhelming dominance in the category Grand Touring by enhancing this product line.

The first series of the new 250 GT berlinetta in 1956 is primarily devoted to competition. Seven cars are bodied by Scaglietti on a design by Pinin Farina. After a few more units, this model will also receive significant improvements including the signature vents called louvers on the sides of the bodywork.

The fifth of these first seven 250 GT LWB (a designation made when the SWB chassis was designed in 1959) is one of the most glorious cars in all the history of Ferrari. 

It was sold by Ferrari on 23 April 1956 to the Marquis de Portago who led it to victory in all competitions in which it participated. Its most spectacular achievement is the Tour de France in 1956 where, driven by Portago and Nelson, it won five of the six circuits of the event. In the following year, the victory of Gendebien with another 250 GT LWB consolidated the moniker Tour de France (TdF) now attributed to these berlinettas.

This undefeated car survived without any damage to Portago, the most extreme driver in the history of motor racing, killed with Nelson in the Mille Miglia in 1957 by the explosion of a tire of their Ferrari 335 S. When they recruited Portago in early 1956 among the official pilots of the brand, Ferrari had taken the challenge to demonstrate the exceptional strength of their new cars.

It was sold for $ 13.2M by RM Sotheby's on August 15, 2015, lot 332. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.

1956 290 MM

1
​​2015 SOLD for $ 28M by RM Sotheby's

Mercedes-Benz stopped its involvement in competition at the end of the 1955 season. Ferrari watched around the corner and managed to sign a contract with Juan Manuel Fangio. Aged 45 in 1956, the Argentine champion felt that his future was unassured due to the fall of Peron and could not any more consider to retire.

The World Sportscar Championship arouses a similar interest as Formula 1. Faced with the formidable challenge from the Maserati 300S, Ferrari prepares the 290 MM, certainly with some recommendations by its new driver. As usual for Ferrari at that time, the race for which the model is specifically prepared is indicated in the description: MM means Mille Miglia. Four cars are built.

The 1956 Mille Miglia are disturbed by heavy rain that causes no less than three fatalities. The competition is won by a 290 MM driven by Castellotti. Fangio is fourth with his car of the same model.

That 290 MM will not be reused later by Fangio but will have a significant history with other top drivers from the Scuderia Ferrari such as Portago, Phil Hill and Gendebien. Sold to a US private owner in the middle of the 1957 season, it is raced until 1964 without any crash.

This car has retained all its original features : chassis, engine, gearbox and its body by Scaglietti. It was sold for $ 28M by RM Sotheby's on December 10, 2015, lot 221.

Fangio failed to cooperate permanently with Enzo Ferrari and came back to Maserati just after his one-year contract. The Ferrari cars driven in competition by this champion are indeed extremely rare and the example for sale has an amazing authenticity.
Cars
Ferrari
Cars 1951-1959
Cars 1956-57
1956

2
​​2018 SOLD for $ 22M by RM Sotheby's

The 1956 edition of the Mille Miglia is a triumph for the Scuderia Ferrari whose four entered cars, two 860 Monza and two 290 MM, win the first four places.

One of the 290 MM had been driven by Fangio to the fourth place. Sold by the Scuderia after the end of the season, it has a prestigious racing record. After Fangio it had been piloted by Phil Hill, de Portago, von Trips and Peter Collins, among other big names. It was sold for $ 28M by RM Sotheby's in 2015.

One of the two 860 Monza ranked second in the above event, driven by Collins. For the 1957 season it remains at the Scuderia but is transformed by the factory into a 290 MM. It was sold to a privateer in August 1957 and then got its first win with Stirling Moss. During its time with the Scuderia it had been driven by the same amazing lineup as the example above.

This car then underwent further transformations, including the pontoon bodywork which ensured in 1957 the success of the 250 Testa Rossa. It was restored by Ferrari Classiche in its 290 MM configuration of early 1957 with the engine, gearbox and bodywork in matching numbers from that phase.

It was sold for $ 22M by RM Sotheby's on December 8, 2018, lot 241. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's, showing its great road going condition. The image shared by Wikimedia with attribution Tino Rossini from Toronto, Canada [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons is earlier than the last restoration.

The 290 MM model is prestigious but scarce : only four cars ever received this configuration. It was replaced in 1957 by the 315 S in 3.8 liters and the 335 S in 4 liters which are equally rare. A 315 S transformed into 335 S was sold for € 32M by Artcurial in 2016.
Ferrari 1956 290 MM Scaglietti Spyder 2
From LWB to GTO
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