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1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans
The car sold at the top of the optimistic estimate, which was impressive —
but not unexpected
by Steve Ahlgrim
Brian Henniker, courtesty of Gooding & Company
Details
Year produced: 1950
Number produced: One
Original List Price: About $9,000
Current SCM Valuation: Only one exists, so
there is no current median sale. The
high sale of this car is the most-recent
$6,490,000
Tune-up cost: $3,000
Distributor caps: $200 (for reproductions)
Chassis # location: Side frame rail toward
the front of the engine
Engine # location: Stamped on a flange
on the rear passenger’s side of block
Club: Ferrari Club of America
More: www.ferrariclubofamerica.org
Alternatives: 1947–53 Maserati A6GCS,
1949 Cisitalia 202MM Nuvolari Spyder,
1953–55 Fiat 8V Zagato
SCM Investment Grade: A
Comps
Chassis number: 0060M
Engine number: 0060M
ment for the 125 S, that first established Enzo
it was the Tipo 166, introduced in 1948 as a replace-
Ferrari’s Modenese workshop as a leading manufac-
turer of racing cars. Powered by a 2-liter Gioacchino
Colombo-designed V12 engine, the 166 set forward a
course of development that would define the look, sound
and inimitable character of Ferrari automobiles.
Unveiled at Geneva in 1950, the Berlinetta Le Mans
was a striking fastback with origins in the magnificent
streamlined Alfa Romeo racing cars of the late 1930s.
Designed specifically for high-speed endurance racing,
the Le Mans berlinettas featured a spartan, businesslike
cockpit, large external fuel fillers and thin Plexiglas win-
dows. These early 166 MM competition cars were the
foundation for Ferrari’s successful line of dual-purpose
berlinettas.
0060M was sold to famed American sportsman,
race team owner and automobile collector Briggs Swift
Cunningham. To ensure that his car would be at the front
of the pack, Cunningham had Ferrari upgrade 0060M
to full 195 S specifications, as reflected by handwritten
notes on the factory build sheets.
A 195 S was a 166 MM bored out 5 mm. Equipped
with three Weber carburetors and topped by a cold-air
box, the 195 S produced approximately 170 horsepower.
The 195 S was more powerful than the standard 166 MM,
and it also was more forgiving and produced greater
torque at lower engine speeds for increased drivability.
Faithfully presented today in its original blue liv-
ery, 0060M is an absolute jewel of a sports car, and
the important stamped components — chassis, engine,
gearbox, and rear end — all correspond to the factory
build sheets.
Well-known and highly regarded among marque ex-
perts, this is a historically significant even-serial-num-
ber Ferrari that possesses every quality one looks for in
a collectible automobile: aesthetic beauty, mechanical
sophistication, exclusivity in numbers, a fantastic racing
history and exceptional provenance. With the vast ma-
jority of 166 MMs held in major collections, the appear-
ance of 0060M at auction may be a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to acquire a stellar example of Ferrari’s first
great competition berlinetta.
SCM Analysis This car, Lot 33, sold for $6,490,000,
including buyer’s premium, at the
Gooding & Company auction in Scottsdale, AZ, on
January 29, 2016.
Enzo Ferrari mastered the skills of directing an
International automobile race team while working at
Alfa Romeo. He was sent into the field to recruit drivers,
engineers and suppliers for Alfa and excelled at his task.
Dwindling resources forced Alfa to cut back their
racing activities, which led Ferrari to form the famous
Scuderia Ferrari as a side venture.
Scuderia loosely translates to “squad” or “team.” The
1953 Ferrari 166 MM
Lot 321, s/n 0300M
Condition 1-
Sold at $3,645,192
Artcurial, Paris, FRA, 2/7/14
SCM# 238958
1950 Ferrari 166 MM
Lot 125, s/n 0038M
Condition 2+
Sold at $3,080,000
RM Auctions, Monterey, CA, 8/17/13
SCM# 227317
1950 Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans
Lot 42, s/n 0066M
Condition 1
Sold at $2,200,000
Gooding & Co., Pebble Beach, CA, 8/13/08
SCM# 117583
66 Sports Car Market