There’s no shortage of outstanding Ferraris. Models from the 1960s are beloved for their style and racing pedigree; those from the 1990s, such as the F355 and F50, are modern, analog classics. Many of today’s Prancing Horses are staggeringly quick thanks to their hybrid power. Yet the 1948 Ferrari 166 Inter you see here is noteworthy because it’s an absolute singularity as the oldest road-going Ferrari on the planet.
Its status makes sense when you consider the 166 Inter’s place on the Ferrari timeline. Ferrari started producing road cars in 1947; the 166 was produced between 1948 and 1950. Unlike other 166 models, the Inter was meant for the road, not the track.
Whether the body was designed by Stabilimenti Farina, Bertone, Carrozzeria Touring, Ghia, or Finale, it contained a 2.0-liter aluminum V-12 connected to either a single dual-barrel carburetor or a trio of the same, plus a five-speed manual gearbox. The small SOHC engine’s 90 horsepower was enough to push the 166 Inter to a top speed of 93 mph.
The 1948 166 Inter in the below video is owned by Amanda and Philip, a New Zealand couple. Their time with it started thousands of miles away in Alaska. By day, they built log cabins; by night, they perused car classifieds by the light of a kerosene lamp. During one of those searches, they came across this 166 Inter and decided to buy it. The raw aluminum body didn’t have a Ferrari badge on it, but it had plenty of dents. Instead of finding that discouraging, Amanda was excited by it.
During the restoration process, the couple decided against red and, feeling inspired by the color on many Pinifarina designs, opted for a light blue. Given her car’s unique status and age, you would be forgiven for thinking that Amanda hermetically seals it against the elements and fingerprints. She does see her car as a sculpture, but specifically a rolling sculpture. Even though she states, “It’s such a magic part of my life,” she firmly believes her Ferrari is meant to be driven and heard. We agree. Here’s to many more years of that with Amanda and Philip behind the wheel.
