Description
Furlonger are delighted to offer one of the most significant Ferraris delivered to the U. K. ;Ferrari 365 GTB/ 4 chassis no. 12545, the very first ‘Daytona’ into the country.
Chassis no. 12545 was ordered in October 1968 by and for Colonel Ronald J. Hoare CBE, the founder and then owner of Ferrari’s UK concessionaires, Maranello Sales. As Ferrari was yet to have built a right-hand drive 365 GTB/ 4, the colonel made the strategic decision to order a left-hand drive car via Garage Francorchamps in Belgium. This was due to the colonel’s intention of securing a demonstrator as quickly as possible, with the newly launched Lamborghini Miura generating a profound level of interest and outselling the ageing 365 GTC.
This Ferrari 365 GTB/ 4 was configured in Azzuro Hyperion over a Pelle Blu Scuro and Grigio upholstered interior, the same specification it wears today. Order no. 385, as confirmed by the car’s documentation, was a very early production example; number 15 to be to completed on the production line and the first to reach the shores of the U. K. as confirmed by Ferrari’s archives.
Temporarily imported into the UK, likely due to tax reasons, and subsequently returned to Belgium once a right-hand drive 365 GTB/ 4 arrived, chassis no. 12545 was then to be sold by Jacque Swaters. The car joined a Norwegian gentleman’s collection based in the U. K. and was then officially imported. Present within the car’s history file are letters of correspondence explaining this situation, to wit a resolution was met, but with some difficulty.
Some years later the car would reside in France where it spent a large portion of its life, passing through the hands of various collectors. The car was then purchased by Mr Nicolas Todt in 2007, a name synonymous within F1. Nicolas, still managing a Ferrari F1 driver at the time, understandably had a very close connection with Ferrari, with his father, Jean who formerly managed the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team and was their CEO between 2004 and 2008. Mr Todt commissioned Ferrari Classiche to comprehensively restore chassis no. 12645 with Zanasi. Conducting a no-expense-spared restoration, the car was returned to its original specification and presents exceptionally well in all regards today.
Our sales and workshop team are well acquainted with this 365 GTB/ 4, having sold the car and preparing it for its two previous custodians, both of whom have used the car diligently and sought to preserve its condition. Furlonger have been fortunate to handle the sale and maintenance of many Ferrari 365 GTB/ 4s, but few, if any can contend with the provenance, ownership history and presentation of chassis no. 12545. The car is accompanied by Classiche Certification, a scrupulously assorted history file, with letters of correspondence between Ferrari S. P. A., Maranello Sales, and Garage Francorchamps, original order form and invoices. Further, still present are the handbooks, leather wallet and parts manual.
Now offered for sale, this Ferrari 365 GTB/ 4 poses a remarkable opportunity to purchase what is arguably one of the most significant and collectable historic Ferraris in the U. K. today.
