Introduced in 1968, the Ferrari 365 GTB/4—unofficially known as the “Daytona” in tribute to the American circuit and its 24-hour endurance race, in which Ferrari achieved a storied 1-2-3 finish in 1967—instantly reinvigorated Maranello’s grand tourer lineup. Power came from a front-mounted 4.4-litre “Colombo” V-12 mated to a five-speed manual transmission, but this long-proven configuration was enhanced by sleek, modern bodywork penned by Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina. However, the execution of Fioravanti’s design for the 365 GTB/4’s production series was handled by Scaglietti at its factory in Maranello.

The Daytona’s top speed was around 5 km/h faster than Lamborghini’s Miura P400, making it the world’s fastest production car at its unveiling. Four-wheel independent suspension, all-wheel disc brakes, and 50/50 weight distribution contributed to excellent handling. Yet this did not come at the cost of comfort, thanks to a tastefully appointed, leather-swathed, two-seat cabin.

When new, the Daytona was praised by both customers and the motoring press alike. Perhaps one of the most well-known quotes about the Daytona’s performance came from noted racing driver and later automotive journalist Paul Frère. After reportedly taking the Daytona over 280 km/h on the Italian autostrada in 1969, he commented that the radio was useless past 190 km/h. He further noted that: ‘if you go faster, it’s the engine that makes the music, the finest music of all to the ears of the enthusiast, and the music he can enjoy in a well-sprung car, fitted with such amenities as electric window lifters, air-conditioning…and a really capacious luggage locker—a grand touring car par excellence.’

The example offered here, chassis 16351, was marked as complete by the Maranello factory in December 1972. It left the production line finished in the desirable shade of Marrone, which was complemented by a Beige leather interior. The Daytona was sent to Crepaldi, the Ferrari dealer for Milan, and the car is believed to have stayed in Italy thereafter. In recent private ownership, which began in April 1987, the Ferrari was registered in the Varese region of Italy, where it wore the targa “VA A52119”. The earlier Italian ownership of chassis 16351 is documented in the accompanying estratto cronologico, available to view on file. Today, the Ferrari is presented in resplendent red, matched by a red and black leather interior. It is offered for sale with its Ferrari folio containing books and manuals, further to a leather tool bag, and a car cover. At the time of cataloguing, the car had been inspected by Ferrari Classiche, with “Red Book” certification in the application stage.

The sale of this 365 GTB/4 presents a tantalising opportunity for all discerning Ferrari collectors.