Description

The Ferrari 166 MM Spider by Scaglietti is a rare and distinctive rebody of Ferrari’s legendary 166 Mille Miglia, created in the early to mid-1950s when some of the original 166 MM chassis were updated to remain competitive and visually in step with Ferrari’s evolving design language. While the original 166 MM Barchettas were built by Touring of Milan in the late 1940s, several examples were later sent to Carrozzeria Scaglietti for new bodies, either after racing damage or at the request of owners who wanted a more modern appearance.

Mechanically, the 166 MM Spider Scaglietti retained the Colombo-designed 2.0-liter V12 engine. Producing around 140 horsepower in standard tune, this compact, high-revving engine had already proven itself with major victories, including the Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949. It was paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, and thanks to the car’s lightweight tubular chassis and aluminum bodywork, it could reach top speeds of about 220 km/h — remarkable for a 2.0-liter sports car of its era.

The most significant difference lay in the bodywork. Scaglietti, who by the early 1950s had become Ferrari’s favored competition coachbuilder, crafted sleek, purposeful aluminum spider bodies with a more aggressive and modern look than the original Touring Barchettas. These designs often featured lower, wider stances, more pronounced wheel arches, and smoother, more integrated lines. Many had covered headlights, small racing windscreens, and air scoops that reflected contemporary competition car styling. The result was a 166 MM that looked closer in spirit to the 250 Monza or 500 Mondial than to its late-1940s predecessors.

Inside, the Spider Scaglietti was pure competition equipment. The cabins were spartan, with lightweight bucket seats, bare aluminum or painted dashboards, and only the essential gauges and switches. Comfort was secondary to weight reduction and driver focus, as these cars were still intended for active racing use.

The rebodied 166 MM Spiders by Scaglietti often returned to the track after their transformation, competing in events such as the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and various European road races. The updated aerodynamics and more contemporary styling helped keep these older chassis competitive against newer machinery.

Only a handful of 166 MM chassis were given Scaglietti spider bodies, making them rare and highly sought after today. They represent an interesting intersection of Ferrari history — combining the mechanical heritage and racing pedigree of Ferrari’s first great sports car with the emerging design philosophy of Scaglietti, who would go on to shape some of the marque’s most iconic competition cars.

The Ferrari 166 MM Spider Scaglietti stands as both a continuation and a reinvention of one of Ferrari’s most important early models. It preserves the performance and heritage of the original Mille Miglia winner while reflecting the stylistic and aerodynamic advancements that defined Ferrari’s early- to mid-1950s racing cars.