Coys Auction - The Festival Auction
Incorporating The Excellence of Porsche
Brands Hatch
Kent

Sunday 25th May 2008

Collectors'' Items: 2.30pm
Motor Cars: 4.30pm

Putting the engine behind the driver became the winning trend in racing in the early 1960s after being pioneered by Cooper. Ferrari experienced the advantages of the design first hand, winning the 1961 Grand Prix champion-ship with the 156 F1 and, two years, later fielding the first mid-engined car to win Le Mans, the 250 P. So it was that Sergio Pininfarina and a number of Ferrari dealers began pushing Enzo to make a mid-engined road car.

"He kept insisting it was too dangerous," the effervescent coachbuilder recalled. "While he felt it was fine for racing and professional drivers, he was against making mid-engined sports cars for customers. He was afraid of the safety, of building a car that was too dangerous." Ferrari finally relented in 1965. "When Mr