Seminal 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa headlines Broad Arrow's first European auction

Patrick Jackson •22 January, 2025

Early in its life, this 166 Spyder Corsa finished sixth overall at the 1948 Targa Florio (Image: Ryan Merrill/Broad Arrow Auctions)

One of the most original early Ferrari models is set to headline the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este Auction in May 2025, marking the first European auction hosted by Broad Arrow.

This 1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa is the undisputed headline act, with this marking the first time it has been publicly offered for sale after spending 50 years with the same family from 1965 to 2015, during which time it was featured in multiple in-depth editorial pieces.

Originally purchased by the Besana brothers, Ferrari's earliest customers, and featuring coachwork by Carrozzeria Ansaloni, chassis '004 C' finished sixth overall at the 1948 Targa Florio.

More recently, this car won Best of Show at the 2003 FCA National Meet and followed it up with a class win at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (Image: Ryan Merrill/Broad Arrow Auctions)

This same car is also a veteran of the 1948 and 1949 Mille Miglia races, while also boasting period Formula 2 competition on its prestigious resume.

Since then, this 166 has received numerous awards, including Best of Show at the 2003 FCA National Meet, along with a class win at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It was also displayed at Pebble Beach within Casa Ferrari in 2019 and 2022.

This car is estimated to bring in a winning bid in the range of €5.5-7.5 million at the May 24-25 event, with the vehicle offered with its original body, chassis, 2.0-liter V12 engine, and five-speed racing gearbox. It comes completed with Ferrari Classiche White Book certification, ensuring its authenticity.

This 166 comes complete with its original bodywork, chassis, and driveline, all of which is certified as authentic by Ferrari Classiche (Image: Ryan Merrill/Broad Arrow Auctions)

The event is one of the biggest events on the 2025 calendar for Broad Arrow, which also includes the sale of The Academy of Art University's extensive car collection in San Francisco next month.

This 166 isn't the only high profile Ferrari racer that's gone up for sale recently, either, with Formula 1 magnate Bernie Ecclestone putting his entire 69-car collection up for sale in December.

At the May 2025 event, this 166 is expected to attract a €5.5-7.5 million winning bid (Image: Ryan Merrill/Broad Arrow Auctions)

Patrick Jackson

Writer & Sub Editor

Patrick is an automotive journalist with more than eight years of experience across a range of online, print, and broadcast media. His focus is primarily on automotive content, having launched the car review website Drive Section in 2019 and the automotive adventure site Essential Drives in 2024. He is a passionate car enthusiast with a particular interest in classic cars. His past credits include DriveTribe, Vehicle History, Finder, ForceGT, The Weekender Herald, Supercar Blondie, Exhaust Notes, and WhichCar.

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