www.QV500.com - Ferrari 166 Part 5: 166 Mille Miglia

The Mille Miglia did retain Colombo's 1995cc V12 though, and it was available with either three twin-choke Weber 30 DCF or 32 DCF carburettors or a single 36 DCF. Compression varied between 8.5:1 and 10.0:1 according to customers requirements, output consequently ranging between 120bhp and 150bhp. Performance was sparkling and the Mille Miglia quickly found favour with drivers in Europe and America. The first example was 0002 M and it wore a Barchetta body by Touring on its debut at the Turin Salon in September 1948. During the late forties and early fifties, it was commonplace for clients to buy their cars from Ferrari as a rolling chassis and then send it to the carrozzeria of their choice for the bodywork and interior to be fitted. By far the most popular option for 166 Mille Miglia's was Touring of Milan who produced 30 of the 32 bodies, 26 as Barchetta's and four as Berlinetta's. With these, Touring are widely acknowledged as having created two of the all-time classic Ferrari bodies, both designs remaining more or less unaltered for later 195 and 212's. The other two chassis's were clothed by Zagato and Vignale. The Zagato 166 Mille Miglia was fabricated on chassis 0018 M and featured innovative perspex roof detailing on what was known as the Panoramica body. After several successful competition outings, it was returned to Zagato and re-bodied as a Spyder in 1950.

Vignale’s Berlinetta on chassis 0062 M was, like 0018 M, the first Ferrari to be bodied by this carrozzeria and introduced several details that would later become recognised as Vignale trademarks. 1949 saw Ferrari winning even more major race's with their new sports car, one of these little machines (chassis 0008 M) taking victory in the Mille Miglia (with Clementi Biondetti and navigator Salami) and then the Le Mans 24 Hours with (Luigi Chinetti and Lord Selsdon). Another (chassis 0010) won the Spa 24 Hours after an eventful run, again with Chinetti at the wheel although this time co-driven by Jean Lucas. 166 Mille Miglia's continued winning races long after production had ended in early 1951, 32 examples having been manufactured.