Description
The Ferrari 166 S Coupé Allemano, produced in 1949, was a rare and elegant grand touring version of Ferrari’s early racing car, the 166 S. This particular model was bodied by Carrozzeria Allemano, a small but respected Italian coachbuilder based in Turin, known for crafting refined and understated designs. The 166 S Coupé Allemano represented a shift in Ferrari’s early trajectory—from pure racing machines to road cars that blended performance with style and comfort, catering to a small but growing group of wealthy private clients.
Mechanically, the car was based on Ferrari’s proven 166 S platform. It featured the 2.0-litre (1,995 cc) Colombo-designed V12 engine, producing around 110 to 125 horsepower, depending on tuning and carburetion. This engine had already proven its worth in racing, powering Ferrari to victories in events such as the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio. Paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, the 166 S offered spirited performance for a road car in the immediate post-war period, capable of speeds in excess of 180 km/h (112 mph).
The Allemano-bodied Coupé version of the 166 S featured smooth, flowing lines and a more enclosed, luxurious cabin than the spartan barchettas built by Touring. The front end typically bore a delicate oval grille flanked by integrated headlamps, while the long hood and gently sloping roofline led to a tidy rear deck. Inside, the cabin was trimmed in leather and equipped with a wood-rimmed steering wheel and essential instrumentation—modest by modern standards but comfortable and refined compared to Ferrari’s competition-focused models.
Only a handful of Ferrari 166 S Coupés were bodied by Allemano, making them extremely rare and historically significant. Each car was slightly different, reflecting the hand-built nature of coachbuilt automobiles in that era. These cars were often built to order, tailored to the tastes of individual clients, and as a result, they stand today as unique artefacts of Ferrari’s formative years.
The 166 S Coupé Allemano holds a special place in Ferrari history as one of the earliest expressions of the marque’s dual identity—as a constructor of uncompromising race cars and as a maker of luxurious, high-performance road cars. It helped lay the groundwork for the sophisticated GT models that would become central to Ferrari’s brand identity in the 1950s and beyond. Today, surviving examples are treasured by collectors for their rarity, beauty, and historical importance as early examples of Ferrari’s collaboration with Italy’s finest coachbuilders.