The 60’s saw the introduction of the revolutionary Lamborghini Miura, which to this day, is considered to be the first supercar ever made. Ferrari had to answer to the threat from Sant’Agata Bolognese by introducing their, for that time, most expensive and fastest road-going car. Officially named 365 GTB/4, their flagship model was presented at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968, and was, as intended by Ferrari, a sensation. With its stunning body design signed by Pininfarina and its powerful 353-bhp Lampredi four-cam V12 engine, it conquered the hearts of the media and people. Not only was it striking to look at, but with a top speed of 174 mph, it was also the fastest car ever built. It surpassed the Miura in every way imaginable, and went on racing, proving itself through the 1970’s. Of the 1,284 Ferrari Daytona’s ever made, only about 530 left the factory with the plexiglass nose, making it to this day one of the most coveted Daytona versions.

Our car in question, chassis #12419, is an extremely early Daytona, namely the second car to roll out of the factory. Our vehicle was completed as a desirable plexi example in April 1969 and delivered to official Ferrari dealer Auto Becker in Düsseldorf, Germany. Besides being one of the first 365 GTB/4’s ever built, #12419 has an interesting and rich history, as it was displayed at the 44th IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt in September of the same year. The car surely attracted the crowds, finished in its striking body color of Giallo Fly (20-Y-191) over a Nero (VM 8500) leather interior, one can assume it was the star of the show. The car was, in period, professionally converted to a Spider by the famous Carrozzeria Bachelli & Villa in Modena, Italy, and subsequently repainted in red with a black and red interior. The original Coupe roof section was of course conserved, and later in 2015, professionally reunited with the car in question by Carrozzeria Egidio Brandoli in Montale.

In the next few years, the car would be owned by Giancarlo Gagliardi, and then by a Gérard Boireaux in Belgium in the 80’s, where it was displayed at Autoretro in 1989, and then handed over to Eric Hamdi, owner of MMC Watch boutique in France, who kept the car for 15 years. Over the next few years, #12419 would find home in Paris in 2011, and then Modena in 2014, before joining the collection of its current German owner.

Today, chassis #12419 is back to its original colors and fully restored. According to Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, the engine is matching to the chassis number. The code AP/8 is engraved on the engine block, which, according to sources from Ferrari, could refer to the abbreviation of a prototype department. The body is in stunning condition, as is the interior and the running gears. A truly exquisit example of one of Ferrari’s most famous gran tourers, in its coveted plexiglass nose iteration, with an interesting and significant history.