When Ferrari started building cars in 1947, what followed was a highly eventful and successful race career which saw the Ferrari 125 winning a total of 7 out of 14 races. Tazio Nuvolari and Franco Cortese were the main drivers both of whom anchored Ferrari in the history books. The first 125 had a V12 engine which was later upgraded to an even more potent 1.9-liter V12. This engine also recorded wins in subsequent races. Soon Ferrari had made its name in the automotive world and private owners wanted to get their hands on a race model Ferrari for the 1948 races. During this time Gioachinno Colombo was making improvements to his already highly successful V12 engine. He made it larger to a 2.0 Liter total displacement and as what had now become a thing with Ferrari, fitted it to their new model naming it the 166 owing to the engine displacement of a single cylinder. This engine was fitted to two of their new models the Ferrari 166 Sport and the Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa. Let’s dive straight into our review of the 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa to discover why it became an icon of the automotive world. But first…if you are looking to sell your car, Exotic Car Trader can help you list, access potential buyers, and simplify the paperwork. Now if you are ready, let's dive straight into our review.
Let’s start our Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa overview by noting how many were built. Ferrari built seven of these each with a different chassis. They included the 006 I, 004 C, 012 I, 016 I, 014 I, and the 018 I. With the new engine, the Ferrari 166 Spyder horsepower sat 140 at 7000 rpms. The 125 sports, with only two of these ever built, also received the new engine upgrade including a redesign in the overall frame construction. They were consequently numbered with the 010 I becoming the 02 C and the 01C becoming the 010 I. The 159 Sport was also a recipient of the new engine. What resulted were several vehicles with 10-cycle wings and the 166 engine was now ready for the race track in 1948. Of these vehicles, two of them, chassis 004 C and 002 were bought by the Besana Brothers, two others chassis 010 I and 006 I were bought by Scuderia Inter, and the remaining five were retained by Ferrari. Later on, Luigi Chinetti would buy the chassis 016 I and would open a dealership in France for Ferrari. The 2.0 Liter engine was situated at the front with a rear-wheel-drive system. The Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa was also built with a separate body-on-frame construction courtesy of Scaglietti. Later on, we shall delve into the Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa Price and find out how much it is worth in 2023.
Where was the Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa Made? We must mention this in our Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa review together with how many of the Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa were produced. The car was assembled at the Ferrari of Modena, Italy with the factory. The factory went ahead to build 7 of these new models while also upgrading the 125 with the brand-new engine. The Spyder Corsas featured removable headlights and fenders which made the vehicles versatile. They could thus participate in both monoposto and sports racing. The competition debut of the 166 Spyder Corsa was the Argentine Temporada F1 in Buenos Aires Palermo Park in the February of 1948 where the 166 was driven by Gabriele Besana. However, the chassis 002 C failed to finish the race. The car would later compete in the Interlagos F1 race held in Brazil. But it was in the Monopostro Trim when the 166 came into its own and managed to secure wins against single-seater competition. The 166 Spyder Corsa also won the Baro Formula 2 Grand Prix and the Reymond Sommer For Scuderia Ferrari. But perhaps the most significant victory for the Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa was in the Paris 12 Hours with the car driven by Luigi Chinneti as well as Peter-Mitchell Thompson. It also scored an impressive finish at second place in the Circuiti di Pesacara as well as coming in third place at the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti. If you are looking to get your hands on a Ferrari, check out Exotic Car Trader to find your ideal car.
Now for some interesting Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa specs. The engine was designed and improved by Gioachinno Colombo which he upgraded to a 2.0-liter V12 and had a 165.25cc displacement. It gave the Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa 0-60 of just 6 seconds. Both the engine block and the cylinder head were constructed out of metal alloys. The combustion chambers took on a more hemispherical design with an overhead camshaft driven by a single chain. Each cylinder head was fired by a single sparkplug and a couple of Marelli magnetos. Compared to the previous engines that Gioachino Colombo had built, one of the 166 Spyder Corsa featured a larger cylinder bore with more displacement. On top of that, there were now three Carburetors. As for the compression ratio, this had changed as well from an initial 8.5:1 to up to 11.0:1. The result was increased output of r 140bhp at 7000rpms. And that’s not all. Simply put there was an overall increase in Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa horsepower and torque and reach a Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa top-speed of 140mph. Although Ferrari never got around to releasing the actual torque figures. This new engine was mated to a manual 5-speed gearbox. As for the wheel size, the front always had 15x5 inch wheels. At the back, the vehicle could either have 15x5 inch wheels, 6” and 6.5” wheels. These wheels were received from Rudge Whitworth in England. An extra spare wheel was located at the back and underneath the wheel was the 75-liter fuel tank. Overall the Spyder Corsa was a tat heavier than the 125. The Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa weight was 750kgs or 1653lbs.
When it comes to the 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa interior, it is what you would consider basic by today’s standards featuring just padded leather bucket seats while the rest of the cockpit was unpainted aluminum. The Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa design for the steering wheel included a wood-rimmed naddi with three polished spokes made from aluminum. The fascia was also aluminum and contained a few instruments. The Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa specs included a rev counter that counted to 8000rpm, a speedometer that read to 240kph, oil temperature, oil pressure, and water temperate gauges.
The 1948 Ferrari Spyder Corsa exterior design was very similar to the company’s earlier model designs but not identical. The new Spyder Corsa was now more rounded, slender, and more aerodynamic. At the front was a large grille which allowed plenty of air to pass through the engine radiator. The spotlights that were connected could be removed. Above the hood was a large scoop with cooling vents situated on the side. On the driver side was a small perplex glass windscreen which could also be installed for the passenger side. Speaking of, the passenger side could also come with an aluminum tonneau. This meant that the Ferrari Spyder Corsa could feature a single seat for races. On top of that the vehicles could also feature a rear-view mirror set behind a blister that also featured an aerodynamic design. There was a retractable scop which would allow fresh air to enter the cockpit as well as cycle wings which were available in different shapes and sizes. At the back, the tail took on a more rounded design which allowed the driver to mount a spare wheel. The Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa design resulted in a length of 146 inches and a wheelbase of 103.1 inches. The overall width was 60 inches with a height of 50 inches. It had 49.8 inches of front track and a rear track of 49.2 inches.
The Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa technology was a far cry from previous models. On top of the rear deck on the same line as the axle was a filler cap that allowed for fast fueling. And this is not where the new change ended. The 166 Spyder Corsa also showed variety in its fuselage design, the shape of the headlights as well as the location and size of the cooling system. Just like Ferrari had done with most previous models, the chassis in the 166 Spyder Corsa also featured a tubular design which was also slightly shorter. At the front were independent double wishbone suspensions as well as a single-leaf spring with a transverse setting. At the back however was a live axle, anti-roll bar, and semi-elliptic leaf springs. All wheels also featured hydraulic shock absorbers and drum brakes. The transmission was a none synchronized 5-speed manual and unlike some of the earlier models such as the 125 Ferrari, the Spyder Corsa had a two-door design.
Now to the burning question that often plagues the mind of classic car enthusiasts- the Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa price. So how much do you need to get your hands on one of these? Well, a hefty sum of course. The average Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa price sits at nearly $1,407,000.
In our 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa review, we see how Ferrari took the design to new heights with a more aerodynamic exterior and a larger motor. All this came together on the race tracks which saw the car win multiple competitions further cementing Ferrari in the books of history. If you are searching for a Ferrari, let Exotic Car Trader take the reins and help ease the often-tedious buying process and ensure that your car is delivered to your doorstep.
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