Beschreibung:

"It's a hard muscled thoroughbred, the Daytona - easily the most awesome and yet disciplined road-going Ferrari in that firm's brilliant quarter century of existence. The Daytona isn't fast - it's blinding. It will eat up a quarter-mile of asphalt in 13.2 seconds at 110mph and scream out to 175mph - or it will slug through traffic at 1,500rpm with the Sunday manners of a FIAT. It is the perfect extension of its driver. You can cut and weave through shuffling traffic with the agility of a halfback, or lope down the freeway with the piece of mind that comes from knowing you can contend with anyone's incompetence. To say, after you've driven it, that the Daytona is desirable doesn't begin to sum up your feelings - you would sell your soul for it." - Car & Driver, January 1970. Every Ferrari is, to a greater or lesser extent, a 'landmark' car, but few of Maranello's road models have captured the imagination of Ferraristi like the 365GTB/4 - the 'Daytona' name was unofficial, bestowed by the press in honour of Ferrari's 1-2-3 victory at that circuit's 24-hour race in 1967. At the time of its introduction in 1968 the Daytona was the most expensive production Ferrari ever and, with a top speed in excess of 170mph was also the world's fastest production car. Deliveries commenced in the second half of 1969 and the Daytona would be manufactured for just four years; not until the arrival of the 550 Maranello in 1996 would Ferrari build anything like it again. One of Pininfarina's countless masterpieces, the influential shark-nosed body style combined muscularity and elegance in equal measure. An unusual feature of early Daytonas was a full-width transparent panel covering the headlamps, replaced by electrically operated pop-up lights late the following year to meet US legislation. One of those desirable early ‘plexiglass’ nose Daytonas sought-after by collectors thanks to their rarity and period styling, this is infact the earliest Daytona we have ever offered. Sold new in July 1969 to a Signor Zuccoli in Florence, Italy by Ferrari agent Renato Nocentini’s Garage La Rotonda, chassis ‘12705’ was ordered in a handsome combination of blu scuro (dark blue) with beige leather upholstery rarely seen these days. According to factory records this was the 38th Daytona assembled, whilst options included a radio and air conditioning. First registered ‘FI 494687’, the car returned to Ferrari in 1971 for servicing at 36,001km and again the following year at 37,200km by which time it had been sold to Milan, where it was registered ‘MI P35949’. By February 1977 the car had been repainted red and retrimmed in black leather and was sold to a Mr Schaeffer in Bern, Switzerland, from whom it passed the following year to Michel Lepeltier for the princely sum of SFr 65,000. Now with 77,871km recorded, this fascinating early Daytona is fitted with the optional 9” rear wheels and features a period Blaupunkt radio/ cassette recorder. For any enthusiast considering the purchase of a Daytona (and they are still superb value) this very early ‘plexiglass’ example is worthy of consideration, and would look even more sensational in its original livery.