Extremely Rare Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta to Be Auctioned

Another rare car has been added to the large lot that will go under the hammer at the RM Auctions’ Arizona sale slated for January 20 – 21, 2011. This magnificent model is a rare breed indeed, a 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta, a racing two seater with stunning looks to boot.

This track machine is expected to fetch in the region of $1.9 million to $2.4 million (€1.4 million to €1.8 million at today’s exchange rate) when in goes under the hammer in a little over a month’s time. The high price tag is justified, as this is considered one of the rarest and most historic early Ferraris, having been owned and raced by many notable individuals in the Ferrari world.

This is one of 11 Ferraris spread across the auction catalog, including Reggie Jackson’s 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder that we told you about last month. This rare model was commissioned for the 1949 Paris Motor Show, being the 10th built of just 25 examples. It features stunning “Barchetta” coachwork from Carrozzeria Touring of Milan.

The car first saw action during the 1950 Mar del Plata in Argentina race, scoring an impressive first place overall. In 1951 the car took part in the Mille Miglia, driven by famous female driver Aprile Palmer, who purchased the car shortly afterwards.

The car, baring chassis number 0024 M, sports immaculate red paintjob and comes fitted with its original components, including chassis, numbers-matching engine, gearbox and differential. Beneath the hood resides a Colombo designed 1,995 cc 60-degree V12, with a 10:1 compression ratio and triple Weber carburetors, producing 140 horsepower at 6,600 rpm. The front suspension features independent A-arms on a single transverse leaf trailing arms. The interior has hand stitched leather upholstery and trim.