The first time I saw a Ferrari 116 MM Berlinetta Le Mans was in the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy. It is quite likely that the only place you will see one of these cars is in a private collection. With only 5 made it is an incredibly rare car and represents a key moment in Ferrari history.
To my surprise I came across another one out in the wild. Well to be honest it wasn’t that wild, it was in the grounds of a luxury hotel in Yorkshire as part of Yorkshire Elegance. Even though it was surrounded by fine luxury cars, for me, it was a standout car of the show.
In 1948 Maserati were rapidly gaining on Ferrari, but Ferrari had been working on an upgraded 166 to beat them. The 166 Mille Miglia featured the Barcheta body (meaning little boat) by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan. Three factory 166’s were entered for 1949 Mille Miglia with Biondetti and Salani finishing first in their works car. The biggest win of 1949 was Le Mans where Luigi Chinetti drove to a resounding victory.
The Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans was built in 1950 to celebrate this famous Le Mans victory. Only five 166 MM chassis were fashioned with Touring’s Berlinetta Le Mans coachwork. It was designed primarily for racing, and was an improvement of the earlier Barchetta.
The 166 Mille Miglia – or MM – dominated sports car racing in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In fact, the Ferrari 166 MM is the only car to win all three of the great European sports car races – the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Targa Florio, and the Mille Miglia.
Unveiled at Geneva in 1950, the 166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans was a striking fastback with origins in the streamlined Alfa Romeo racing cars of the late 1930s. Sculpted from lightweight aluminum,166 MM Berlinetta Le Mans was a more aerodynamically effective Barchetta. Designed specifically for high-speed endurance racing, the Berlinettas featured a business-like cockpit and were equipped with leather tie-down straps, large external fuel fillers, and lightweight Plexiglass windows.
The Ferrari 166MM Berlinetta was fitted the same chassis as the Ferrari 166 Barchettas. The bodies were crafted by Superlegga (tubular space frame) and were completely aluminum. This design of the chassis was created in 1937 by Aderloni. Small diameter tubing was gas welded to create the steel skeleton, which was later fastened to the car. The front suspension was independent with a transverse leaf spring while the rear suspension had a live axle with leaf springs. Large drum brakes were placed on the wheels to better the stopping power, something that Ferrari would continue for several years.
The Berlinetta was produced with a spark ignition four-stroke V-12 engine. Just like all the other 166s, the car had a three carburetor set up. The Berlinetta was rear wheel drive. It had a manual 5-speed transmission with a top speed of a 189 km/h, or 117 mph. The 0–60 mph time was 8.5 seconds.
With thanks to https://thefastlaneclub.com/ for introducing us to this wonderful car.
