Ferrari 166 S

Design

The 166 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. Nine 166 Spyder Corsas and three 166 Sports were built. The first two 166 S models were coachbuilt by Carrozzeria Allemano and the last one by Carlo Anderloni at Carrozzeria Touring. Majority of the 166 MM cars were bodied at Touring in a barchetta form.

The 1.5 L Gioacchino Colombo-designed V12 engine of the 125 was changed, however, with single overhead camshafts specified and a larger 2.0 L (1995 cc/121 in³) displacement. This was achieved with both a bore and stroke increase, to 60 by 58.8 mm respectively. Output was 110 PS at 5,600 rpm to 130 PS at 6,500 rpm with three carburetors, giving top speed of 170-215 km/h. For the 166 MM power output rose to 140 PS at 6,600 rpm and top speed to 220 km/h.

Motor Trend Classic named the 166 MM Barchetta as number six in their list of the ten "Greatest Ferraris of all time".

Racing

The Ferrari 166 S won Targa Florio with Clemente Biondetti and Igor Troubetzkoy in 1948. In 1949, Biondetti also won in the 166 SC with Benedetti as co-driver. The 166 S won 1948 Mille Miglia, also driven by Biondetti, this time with Giuseppe Navone. In 1949 Mille Miglia, the Ferrari 166 MM Barchettas scored 1-2 victory with Biondetti/Salani and Bonetto/Carpani respectively. In 1949, the 166 MM also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the hands of Luigi Chinetti and Lord Selsdon, and so the 166 was the only car ever to win all three races. Another 166 won the 1949 Spa 24 Hours.

A 166 chassis, this time with the bigger 195 S engine, won the Mille Miglia again in 1950 with drivers Giannino Marzotto and Marco Crosara.

Surviving examples

The oldest Ferrari car with an undisputed pedigree is s/n 002C, a 166 Spider Corsa which was originally a 159 and is currently owned and driven by James Glickenhaus. S/n 0052M, a 1950 166 MM Touring Barchetta was uncovered in a barn and was shown in public for the first time since 1959 in the August 2006 issue of Cavallino magazine. One 166 MM, 1949 s/n 0018M, was bodied by Zagato in 'Panoramica' style, very similar to their one-off Maserati A6 1500, also designed by Vieri Rapi. It is considered as first Ferrari coachbuilt by Zagato. A year later it was rebodied as Zagato Spyder. The original car was recreated in 2007 as part of Zagato's Sanction Lost programme.

Gallery

Ferrari-166s-1948-targa-florio-biondett.png|166 S (#001S) by Allemano winning its first race, Targa Florio (April 3, 1948), by Igor Troubetzkoy and Clemente Biondetti Biondetti-navone-ferrari-166-mille-miglia-1948.jpg|Ferrari 166 S (#003S) by Allemano winning its first race, Mille Miglia (May 2, 1948) by Biondetti and Giuseppe Navone 1949-03-20 Targa Florio WINNER Ferrari 166 006i Biondetti Benedetti.jpg|Biondetti at 1949 Targa Florio in a winning 166 Spyder Corsa (#006i) 2019-09-24 Ferrari 166 016i at Collier in Naples.jpeg|166 Spyder Corsa 1950-03-26 Coppa Intereuropa Ferrari 166 0018M Stagnoli.jpg|First Ferrari bodied by Zagato, 166 MM Panoramica

References

Bibliography

References

1. "Ferrari overview by production year and type".
2. (4 July 2019). "Il Designer Dimenticato".
3. "Registro Internazionale Touring Superleggera".
4. (4 September 2009). "1948 Ferrari 166 S".
5. "GILCO Ferrari 166 chassis". Gilco Design.
6. "Ferrari 166 Sport".
7. "Ferrari 166 Inter Sport".
8. "Ferrari 166 MM".
9. (22 November 2005). "A Perfect 10: The Greatest Ferraris Of All Time".
10. "Mille Miglia 1948 Race Results".
11. "Mille Miglia 1949 Race Results".
12. "Le Mans 1949 Race Results".
13. "Ferrari 166 MM Zagato 0018M".
14. "Ferrari 166 Coupé Zagato Panoramica Sanction Lost".
15. [http://www.barchetta.cc/english/All.Ferraris/Detail/001S.159C.Spyder.htm 166 Spyder Corsa] from barchetta.cc, last accessed on Nov 17, 2016.
16. [http://www.barchetta.cc/english/All.Ferraris/Detail/003S.166Sport.htm 166 Sport] by barchetta.cc, last accessed on Nov 17, 2016.