Ferrari
166 Inter

Why it matters

The 166 Inter was the road-going version of the 2-litre Ferrari sports racers. It was one of the first Ferraris to do well outside Italy and helped build the marque's reputation in the American market. Because each body was hand-built by an outside coachbuilder, nearly every car differs in detail.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The 166 Inter was built between 1948 and 1950 on a 2,420 mm tubular steel chassis, carrying the odd chassis numbers used for Ferrari's road cars. Most were coupes. Carrozzeria Touring built the largest number, followed by Vignale and Stabilimenti Farina, with single cars by Ghia and Bertone.

The mechanical layout followed the 166 competition cars: a 2-litre V12, a five-speed gearbox and a rigid rear axle, but with twin-distributor ignition and a single twin-choke carburettor as standard. A triple twin-choke set-up could be ordered for extra performance. Although they were road cars, many owners also used them in competition.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

The register lists 38 cars with odd, S-suffixed chassis numbers from 005S to 0079S. Bodies by Touring (coupe and berlinetta), Vignale, Stabilimenti Farina (coupe, berlinetta and cabriolet), Ghia and Bertone are recorded. The Inter was the only Ferrari road model of its period offered with disc road wheels as an alternative to wire wheels; both types used splined hubs. Bumpers were standard: light rubber-faced blades on Touring cars and heavy chromed bumpers on the Ghia, Farina and Finale-bodied cars.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   166 Inter - Register Level B barchetta.cc

   • Total 38
   • Front longitudinal 60° V12, light alloy cylinder block and head
   • 166.25 / 1,995 cc
   • Bore and stroke 60 x 58.8 mm
   • Compression ratio 7.5:1
   • 110 bhp at 6,000 rpm; 55 bhp/litre
   • 110 bhp at 6,000 rpm
   • 5-speed gearbox + reverse
   • Chassis Elliptical-section steel tubes
   • Wheelbase, front and rear track 2,420/1,250/1,200 mm
   • 2,420/1,250/1,200 mm
   • Kerb weight 800 kg
   • Top speed 170 km/h
   • Fuel tank 80 litres

   Accessed 2026-11-13
2. 2
   Ferrari 166 Inter (past models) Level A Ferrari S.p.A.

   • single overhead camshaft per bank, two valves per cylinder
   • fitted with a single twin choke carburettor as standard
   • 5-speed gearbox driving through a rigid rear axle
   • independent, unequal-length wishbones, transverse leaf spring
   • live axle, semi-elliptic springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, anti-roll bar

   Accessed 2026-11-13