KESS KE43056440 Ferrari 166MM Vignale spider 1953 %

Kess — KE43056440 | Ferrari 166 MM Spider Vignale (1953)

Crafted by Carrozzeria Vignale to an expressive design by master stylist Giovanni Michelotti, the 1953 Ferrari 166 MM Spider represents one of the most distinctive and flamboyant open-top sports racers in Maranello's early history. Moving away from the austere, rounded surfaces of the earlier Touring "Barchettas," Vignale introduced sharp, sculptured lines highlighted by chrome-trimmed fender vent ports, muscular rear haunches, a classic oval egg-crate grille, and a cut-down aero windscreen.

Beneath its hand-formed aluminum bodywork lies Gioachino Colombo’s jewel-like 2.0-liter (1,995 cc) 60-degree V12 engine with a single overhead camshaft per cylinder bank. Breathing through three twin-choke Weber 32 DCF carburetors, it produced between 140 and 160 horsepower at 7,200 rpm depending on competition tune. Paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox and built around a lightweight tubular steel Gilco chassis, this lithe roadster tipped the scales at under 850 kg (1,874 lbs) and reached top speeds near 210 km/h (130 mph), epitomizing the golden era of bespoke Italian sports racing machinery.