Ferrari-Abarth 166 MM/53

The Ferrari-Abarth 166 MM is a unique competition car developed in 1953 by Carlo Abarth for the Italian driver Giulio Musitelli. The car’s bodywork, designed by Franco Scaglione and built by Bertone, represents the only instance of Abarth modifying a Ferrari. The vehicle is a reworking of Musitelli’s Ferrari 166 MM, specifically chassis number 0262M, and was completed on March 14, 1953. The car made its racing debut on May 14, 1953, at the XXXVII Targa Florio, competing with the number 28 under the Guastalla Scuderia. Driven by Musitelli, it finished 21st out of 45 entrants. Later that year, on July 26, Musitelli and Eugenio Castellotti drove the car to victory in the 10-hour night race in Messina, marking the best result of Musitelli’s career. The car continued its success on January 3, 1954, by securing second place in the XIII Grande Prêmio da Cidade de Rio de Janeiro, once again piloted by Musitelli. However, the car’s racing history under the Abarth/Bertone body was short-lived. It participated in the XXI Mille Miglia on May 2, 1954, but did not finish the race. Due to a probable lack of spare parts, the original body was replaced with one by Carrozzeria Scaglietti. In 1955, the car was taken to the United States by Ferrari’s American distributor, Luigi Chinetti. He sold it to Gary Laughlin, who raced it in the Palm Springs Preliminaries on December 3, 1955, finishing in fourth place. The car changed hands several times and underwent significant modifications throughout its history. In 1979, it was sold again, and in the 2000s, the Scaglietti body was replaced with a recreation of the original Abarth body. The restored Ferrari-Abarth 166 MM was sold at an RM Auctions event in 2007 for $850,000 and is currently on display. The Ferrari-Abarth 166 MM stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts of notable automotive figures such as Carlo Abarth, Franco Scaglione, and Luigi Chinetti. Its storied racing history and unique design make it a remarkable piece of automotive history, celebrated by enthusiasts and collectors alike.