1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta
- Engine
- 4.1L 60-degree V12 (Tipo 340), three Weber 40 DCF carburettors, ~218 bhp at 6,500 rpm
Ferrari 340 America Barchetta, chassis 0116/A, was assembled early in 1951 with coachwork by Carrozzeria Touring and delivered in June of that year to Pierre Louis-Dreyfus, a decorated wartime aviator and racing driver who competed under the pseudonym 'Helde'. The car raced at Le Mans in both 1951 and 1952, co-driven on the first occasion by Grand Prix legend Louis Chiron. After passing through notable French and Italian ownership, including the Mas du Clos collection of Pierre Bardinon, it competed in multiple Mille Miglia editions across several decades and was displayed at Villa d'Este in 2008. The car has since been fully restored to its 1951 Le Mans specification.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €7,280,000 (≈ $8.01M)
- 1951-06-16 →Factory deliveryPierre Louis-Dreyfusfull documentation
Paris-based owner who took delivery directly from Ferrari and immediately entered the car at Le Mans 1951 and 1952, with Luigi Chinetti managing the car for both events.
- → 1958-10-01Acquisition unknownAutomobiles Charles Pozzipartial documentation
Parisian dealership that offered the car for sale in October 1958.
- 1958-11-25 → 1960-11-01Private saleMaurice Teisserncfull documentation
Wood tradesman in the Landes department of France; registered the car under plate 921 CA 40.
- 1960-11-01 → 1964Private saleJacques Alexander Lengletfull documentation
Resident of Romainville who exchanged a Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante as part of the transaction; re-registered the odometer reading at 9,360 km during his ownership.
- 1964 → 1974Private salePierre Bardinonpartial documentation
Noted Ferrari collector who kept the car in his Mas du Clos collection and had it restored in Modena.
- 1974 → 1982Private saleGiuseppe Medicipartial documentation
Italian politician based in Reggio Emilia.
- 1982 →Private saleEnnio Gianarolipartial documentation
Prominent Italian collector residing in Belgium who actively campaigned the car in historic events throughout the 1990s, including multiple Mille Miglia entries and Ferrari anniversary gatherings.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownRené Marchandpartial documentation
Entered the car at the Coupes du Salon in October 1952; no further details on tenure duration or acquisition circumstances.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownRecent Italian ownerpartial documentation
Entered the car in five further Mille Miglia editions, the Gran Premio Nuvolari, the Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti, and presented it at the Villa d'Este concours in 2008; subsequently had the car fully restored to its 1951 Le Mans specification.
Competition
- 1951-06-231951 Le Mans 24 HoursDriver: Louis ChironDNF — black-flagged after 29 laps for an illegal refuelling stop outside pit lane
Co-driven by Pierre Louis-Dreyfus; the car was entered as #16 and managed by Luigi Chinetti. Despite early retirement, the car still held the 11th fastest lap at the end of the full 24-hour period.
- 19521952 Le Mans 24 HoursDriver: René DreyfusDNF — clutch failure after roughly five hours
Again entered as #16 and managed by Chinetti, co-driven by the owner Louis-Dreyfus; the car featured added air scoops behind the doors for improved brake cooling. Qualified 15th and briefly ran as high as 14th.
- 1952-10-01Coupes du Salon 1952
Entered by René Marchand.
- 1990Mille Miglia Storica1990 Mille Miglia
Entered by Ennio Gianaroli as car #149.
- 1992FF40 Meeting 1992
Entered by Ennio Gianaroli.
- 1997Ferrari 50th Anniversary — Rome
One of two Ferrari anniversary gatherings attended by the car in 1997 under Gianaroli's ownership.
- 1997Ferrari 50th Anniversary — Modena
Second of two 1997 anniversary events attended while owned by Gianaroli.
- 1998Mille Miglia Storica1998 Mille Miglia
Entered by Ennio Gianaroli as car #297.
- 2008Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este — Carrozzeria Touring Display
Car exhibited as part of a dedicated Carrozzeria Touring showcase at the Villa d'Este concours in Italy.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1951BodyworkCarrozzeria Touring
Barchetta coachwork designed and fitted by Carrozzeria Touring after the rolling chassis left the Ferrari works.
Car returned to Ferrari by 14 June 1951 for a test drive prior to delivery.
- 1951MaintenanceFerrari factory
Engine assembly completed and subsequently dyno-tested, yielding just over 217 bhp at 6,500 rpm. The chassis was noted in factory records as having a reinforced front leaf spring.
Engine testing finalised on 2 May 1951; car left the factory on 7 May for coachwork fitment.
- 1952Modification
Bespoke air scoops were fitted behind the doors to improve ventilation to the rear drum brakes ahead of the 1952 Le Mans entry.
- —Restoration
Car was sent to Modena for restoration during Pierre Bardinon's ownership as part of his Mas du Clos collection.
Work took place after Bardinon acquired the car in 1964 and before he sold it in 1974; specific year within that window not stated.
- —Restoration
Full restoration carried out to return the car to its 1951 Le Mans specification.
Completed under the most recent Italian owner; exact date not specified.
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