Only if you have $10,000,000 to spare
“It was an absolute delight to drive my Touring Barchetta on the Colorado Grand and the California Mille. Sailing down the road, the historic little boat reminded me of the days when a young Eugenio Castellotti bravely chased down the rapids in the Mille Miglia,” Ed Gilbertson narrates one of the experiences he had with this particular 166 MM you see in the gallery.
Ed Gilbertson is a Ferrari lover and the FCA chief judge. And Eugenio Castellotti is an Italian race driver who owned the car Ed was talking about.
The 166 MM was created to honor the 166 Corsa’s victory in the prestigious Mille Miglia race (one in a series of important trophies the 166 claimed). Moreover, the famous coachbuilder Touring from Milan created a beautiful two-seat spider version of the 166 MM, called Barchetta (Italian for “little boat”) — a nickname that extended into the succeeding 195, 212, and 340.
Chassis number 0058 M displayed by RM Sotheby's is the 27th of 32 166 MM examples built, and the 23rd of 25 Touring barchettas. In its early ears, it contributed to Ferrari’s racing portfolio, although without ever getting on top of the podium.
One of the most prolific 166 owners was Castellotti, who even returned the car to Maranello for a series of upgrades: the Colombo V12 got its Weber 36 DCF/1 carburetor replaced with a trio of the same origin, the gearbox was converted to an offset lever-type shifter, and the fuel log and distributor boots were adjusted as well. The upgraded powertrain delivered 140 hp, squeezed from the 1,995-cc V12 engine.
The 0058 M entered the Mille Miglia twice, the first time even achieving the 6th position in its class. Although its prolific racing career did not imply crossing the finish line first even once, this 166 MM Barchetta by Touring got loaded with trophies once it started to compete in historic cars concourses.
Also, given its rich past, and the excellent condition it proves now, you probably won’t be surprised by the estimated $8,000,000 – $10,000,000 price. The car will go under the hammer on March 11, 2017.