In the late 1950s, Ferrari had the notion to craft asmaller, more accessible GT car, and by 1959, thisidea materialized into reality. Enzo Ferrari extensivelyused it as his personal car for testing before a secondversion was presented on Bertone's stand at the1961Turin Motor Show. Dubbed the "1000", thedesign was executed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and theengine, a 1,032cc 4-cylinder, featured typical Ferrariengineering, resembling roughly two-thirds of a 250GT engine. The prototype bore no logo, indicatingthat Ferrari ultimately did not wish to associate itsname with it. Indeed, Niccolò de Nora, son of aprominent Milanese industrialist and a client ofthe marque, acquired the rights to manufacture andmarket the 1000. He then established the ASA(Autocostruzioni, Società per Azioni) company, andthe production prototype was showcased at the1962 Turin Motor Show as the ASA 1000 GT, withGiotto Bizzarrini among the engineers contributingto the design of the tubular chassis. Despite theseefforts, commercial success proved elusive, withfewer than 100 units produced before the companyceased operations in 1967. The concept of a truesmall Ferrari built in Maranello likely emergedshortly after the ASA's release, with the ASA serving as a precursor to the eventual Dino model.

Six units were delivered to France in 1965, with thisparticular one having been under the sole ownershipof its current owner for the past 50 years.