RM Auction will offer at Monterey auction from 16 – 17 August 2013 a unique and very rare 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta. The Ferrari 166 S was an evolution of Ferrari’s 125 S sports race car that became a sports car for the street in the form of the 166 Inter. It shared its Aurelio Lampredi-designed tube frame and double wishbone/live axle suspension with the 125. Like the 125, the wheelbase was 2420 mm long. Only 39 examples were produced from its introduction at the Turin Motor Show in 1948 to its retirement in 1950. It was replaced by the 2.3 L 195 S in 1950.
The first 166 Inter was designed by Touring’s chief stylist, Carlo Anderloni. 166 S competition models were generally coachbuilt by Carrozzeria Allemano. Ferrari 166 racing cars won Mille Miglia in both 1948 and 1949, driven by Clemente Biondetti and Giuseppe Navone the first year and Biondetti and Ettore Salani the next.
In 1949 the 166 also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the hands of Luigi Chinetti and Lord Selsdon, and the Targa Florio, with Clemente Biondetti and Igor Troubetzkoy, making it the only car ever to win all three races. Motor Trend Classic named the 166 MM Barchetta as number six in their list of the ten “Greatest Ferraris of all time”.
