Between 1947 and 1948, Ferrari had extremely successful years culminating with the building of iconic sports cars and winning major races such as the Turin Grand Prix. 1948 in particular Ferrari saw the introduction of a brand-new engine that was bigger and had more horsepower and more torque. This was the 166 V12 engine designed by Gioachino Colombo. It was called the 166 owing to the displacement of a single cylinder and was larger than the 1.5-liter found in the 125 in the 1.9 liter in the 159. The engine would be added to several Ferraris models which included the 166FZ which had a two-seater design and also featured removable cycle wings and lights, the 166 Spyder Corsa, and the 166 Sport. 1948 was also a major period for the development and growth of auto racing for Ferrari. On top of that, the company was also building cars for private owners which further brought the brand into the public eye. But it was the 166 Ferrari Sport that took matters in a whole new direction with the odd number VINs. The V12 resulted in a Ferrari 166 Sport horsepower of 110 which doesn’t seem like much but secured several wins at the races. The chassis 001 S and 003 S were specifically designed for the Mille Miglia and Giro di Sicilia which comprised endurance races while the chassis 005 S was built purely as a road car. As we will find out in the following section, the car has a rich history and is part of the reason why the Ferrari 166 Sport price today can reach into the millions of dollars. More on that in our 166 Sport review. Are you in the market for a Ferrari? Check out Exotic Car Trader’s cars for sale to find your perfect car.
So how many 166 Sport models were produced? Well, the firm only built three of these. And where was the 166 Sport made you might ask? At the company factory in Scaglietti in Modena. One of the interesting facts about the Ferrari 166 Sport is that it marks a point in time when the company started to make significant changes that would alter its direction in the automotive arena and history in general. Since 1925, Ferrari existed to exclusively built race cars and the 166 S was the first time the company moved towards producing non-race form vehicles. This particular model served as a prototype from which Ferrari could build future everyday drivable cars. More on this in our Ferrari 166 Sport review. And while you may scoff at the 110 horsepower especially when compared to modem standards, this was a major improvement back in the day. 110 hp did tremendously well in the races and secured several wins such as in the Mille Miglia which demanded the driver to race for more than a thousand miles.
When it comes to the engine, this was a front longitudinal V12 with a 60-degree angle. The bore was cut down to 60 x 58.8 mm which gave it a unitary displacement of 166.25cc. with all 12 cylinders, this totaled to 1995.02cc. The 166 S V12 2.0-liter engine had a compression ratio of 7.5:1 and produced enough 166 Sport horsepower and torque to win races. Each cylinder had two valves with the engine having one overhead per bank. It also came with three carburetors and was connected to a 5-speed manual transmission via a single plate clutch. At the back was the 80-liter fuel tank which was 5 liters more than the 166 Spyder Corsa. The 166 Sport's top speed was 170 km with an overall 166 Sport weight of 1764 lbs. It was Gioachino Colombo who was the mastermind behind the Ferraris engine and the one in the 166 Sport was constructed from a light alloy. It featured hemispherical combustion chambers with an overhead camshaft driven by a single chain. Each cylinder contained a single spark plug with a couple of Marelli magnetos. Compared to the previous 159 engine, this one was bored by an extra millimeter which saw the stroke increase from 58mm to 58.8 mm. This resulted in a total displacement increase of 1995cc. The road trim of the Ferrari 166 Spyder featured a single carburetor with the engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. As for the 166 Sport 0-60, it could do it in 11.9 seconds.
While the 001 S came with a single aero screen, the 003 S had three of these. The design was simple owing to the reasons behind the build of these cars and that was that both the 001S and the 003 S were meant for racing. As for comforts, these were limited by the spartan-like interior. But how did the 005 S 166 Sport design compare? Being designed for everyday use on the road, the car had five windows and a coupe design with large arching fenders, a full bumper, and plenty of chrome. There was a large sunroof which allowed natural light to flow uninhibited into the 166 Sport interior. As for the seats, these came with a mix of grey colored leather and blue fabric while the dash had the same light blue color as the body. As Ferrari wanted to give cabin space a priority the 166 Sport came with rear seats as a first in Ferrari’s lineup.
At first glance, Both the 001 S and the 003 S seemed similar on the inside but there were plenty of 166 Sport exterior design differences. The 001 S for instance, featured a more rounded nose intake with a six-bar grille. There were also a couple of vents on each side of the wheel arches. On the other hand, the 003 S had a square nose design with an eight-bar grill and a single bank of vents behind the wheel arches. The wheel arches also featured eyebrows at the top. Regardless of the reasons behind their 166 Sport design and construction, all of the three Ferrari 166 Sports featured a tubular chassis. Ferrari also wanted to build a car that offered plenty more space in the cockpit compared to its previous models like the 125 thus, the extension of the wheel base to 2620mm; 200mm longer than the Spyder Corsa. At the front, the suspension comprised of transverse leaf springs coupled with independent wishbones and hydraulic Houdaille shocks. These same shocks were used for the rear. The rear suspension however featured a live axle, an anti-roll bar, hydraulic shock absorbers, and semi-elliptic chocks. The car also came with single-circuit hydraulic brakes with brake drums on all four wheels. The wheels were 5.5x15 inches and sourced from Rudge Whiteford in England. As for the rims, you could get the Ferrari 166 Sports with either cast iron rims or wire rims. But there were also a couple more changes compared to the Spyder Corsa. The 166 Sport had a much wider track in the front and a smaller track at the rear. Do you have a car that you are looking to sell? List it on Exotic Car Trader and quickly connect with potential buyers.
The 166 Sport technology comprised a tubular chassis that was designed to cut down on weight. It had a 60-degree V12 with a single carburetor. This engine was mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. As For the suspension, the 166 Sport featured hydraulic Houdaille shocks on all four wheels with a double wishbone at the front and a transverse leaf spring. At the rear was a live axle with anti-roll bars as well as featuring drum brakes on all four of the wheels.
Remember what we said that there were just 3 of these models ever built. Yeah, that makes it extremely difficult for one to access a Ferrari 166 Sport. That said, it is not impossible, and with the correct amount you can get your hands on one of these. So how much is a 166 Sport worth? One particular 166 Sport was reportedly sold for $3,155, 520. And you might think that the price is extremely steep but this is a reflection of just how rare and limited the 166 Sport trim levels are. Experts would say that given that just 3 of them were built this is a reasonable price. Some cars are simply not as rare and have sold for far more. Consider the Bugatti La Voiture Noire which sold for a whopping $18,700,000. This particular model had more units produced yet was able to hold value and thus resell for such high prices. Still, the Ferrari 166 Sport for sale is worth the price for someone who wants to own an icon and an extremely rare car that’s part of Ferrari’s history and the automotive world in general.
The 166 Sport represented the first time that the company would produce road-use vehicles. But what makes it special is that just three of these were ever built as we saw in our Ferrari 166 Sport review. Sure, it may not have had the appeal of say the 250 Europa, but it is a Ferraris pioneer road vehicle and one that is forever etched in the history books. If you want to get yourself a Ferrari, check out Exotic Car Trader for hundreds of listings. You are guaranteed to find your ideal car.
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