However, there are also hidden treasures that are not as well known to fans, that still deserve an honourable mention: real dream cars with amazing shapes, technical innovations, exceptional materials and incredible attention to detail. In this case, we are talking about the Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale. Pininfarina came up with the concept in 1966, based on a design by Aldo Brovarone, who later moved from designer to Head of Styling. He also designed the Dino.

The car was presented at the 1966 Paris Motor Show, in White Gardenia. It was so beautiful that Gianni Agnelli fell in love with it and commissioned a second copy, which was delivered the following year in Turin, in metallic grey and with a rear spoiler. At first glance it’s the shape that attracts, with its slender long, clean lines, with sloping struts on the tail. Although it was a longer car, it was a precursor for the lines seen on future Dino models. Exterior details included a glass sunroof that was cutting edge for the time, a visible petrol cap, air vents in front of the rear wheel arches, and a dual exhaust. However, the most notable feature was concealed in the passenger compartment: this car was a three-seater, with the driver’s seat in the centre. This unique feature was rare for its time, but was then picked up by a couple of other manufacturers a few years later. That’s not all though. For the first time, a Ferrari GT used a mid-engine architecture, in this case using the race-derived 4.4-litre V12. In fact, the mechanics were taken largely from the racing Ferrari 365 P2. US importer, Luigi Chinetti, bought the white model, selling it and buying it back twice. It was auctioned in 2014 with 7900 km on the clock, but an offer of nearly USD 23 million was rejected! Gianni Agnelli kept his version for a few years, before selling it in the US. One of the two cars was repainted, first in metallic blue and then red, but the original colours of the two specimens are white and metallic grey. Gianni Agnelli said of the car: “You didn’t have time to stop before people were immediately around it. But it was fun. It had monstrous acceleration. You just had to get used to the driver’s seat in the middle, because it gave an ideal any reference points to either side, right or left.”

1966 Masterpieces