By all expert accounts, this 1966 Tre Posti may be one of the most important Ferrari road cars ever made.

It contains a number of racing technologies that took decades longer to reach actual Ferrari road cars — and not just this Paris Auto Show concept.

— Mid-engine V12

— Central driving position flanked by two outer seats (a la the McLaren F1 much later)

— Lightweight plexiglass roof

— Shrouded headlamps, ultra-wide and super-low proportions

This car can be thought of as Ferrari’s Miura rival — but far more incomplete in many ways. The overall biggest reason that the Tre Posti was a no-sale at $22.5-million is its design and style.

The design is unpleasant versus the Miura, with a gigantic rear deck and flying buttress pillars that are far less elegant than the Lamborghini solution.

Tre Posti is also hobbled by Dino-style looks from all angles. Most will not know this is a rare, important and significant LaFerrari predecessor; they will just think it is a white Dino.

All of these factors hurt the Tre Posti. As a result, bidding vastly undershot some estimates and did not meet the seller’s minimum reserve.

1966 Ferrari 365P Tre Posti

 

Tre Posti: A Mid-Century Masterpiece

The 1966 Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 23, 2014) – Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble
Beach Concours d’Elegance, is honored to announce that it will be presenting a bespoke 1966 Ferrari 365 P
Berlinetta Speciale at its Pebble Beach Auctions on August 16 and 17.  Known as Tre Posti due to its
groundbreaking front three-seat layout, this exceptional Ferrari represents the intersection of three great
names working at the height of their careers: Enzo Ferrari, Sergio Pininfarina, and Luigi Chinetti. 

Presented
in wonderfully original condition and boasting just 7,900 km, the automotive masterpiece has captivated
admirers since it was first introduced with its striking and glamorous Gardenia White exterior, black
upholstery with bright red carpets, and distinctive moon roof. Never before offered at public sale, Tre Posti
has been consigned for auction directly from the Chinetti Family.

David  Gooding,  President:  “The  Tre  Posti  stands  alone.   This  work  of  automotive  art  represents  the
ultimate in 1960s sports car design. In my opinion, Tre Posti is an extraordinary coachbuilt tour de force and
by all respects one of the most important and valuable Ferraris ever designed.  Its competition underpinnings
and special provenance make it one of the finest Ferraris in existence.”
Luigi Chinetti Sr.

Luigi Chinetti  Sr. was an Italian-born racecar driver  who was instrumental in introducing the Ferrari marque
to the world. He  famously  arranged a groundbreaking deal with Enzo Ferrari to become the first, and for
many  years,  the  only,  Ferrari  Factory  dealer  in  the  US.  A  larger-than-life  figure,  Chinetti’s  awards  and
accolades included  three wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, two  outright victories  at  the Spa 24 Hours race,
and  served  as captain of the North American Racing Team (NART).  He  won both Ferrari’s first and  its  last
victory at Le Mans in 1949 and 1965.  Chinetti’s love for automobiles and racing, as well as his appreciation
of technology  and engineering  drove  his  business  choices.  Under his guidance  he  directed the  cultivation of
many outstanding Ferrari  collections,  only occasionally keeping  a select few gems, including  Tre Posti, for
himself.

Tre Posti in Detail
The culmination of visionary ideas of proportion and detail resulted in one of the most exquisitely-executed
Ferraris of all time. Tre Posti, a powerful three-passenger sporting coupe was a prototype based on the racing
Ferrari 365 P2.  One of the most distinguishing features and a central  element of the design  was the Ferrari’s
three-seat cockpit layout, which places the driver in the center of the car,  slightly in front of a passenger seat
flanking each side. It is surely among the most remarkable  layouts  ever created for an automobile. 

Tre Posti
also boasts a lavish interior with  a seamlessly integrated chrome roll bar, competition pedal box, and gated
shifter, which are further hints at  the Tre Posti’s thoroughbred bloodline. In addition, the Ferrari is enhanced
with numerous unique characteristics including an expansive moon roof with state-of-the-art bronze-tinted
glass  and  other  signature  Pininfarina  styling  cues  such  as  covered  headlamps,  classic  egg-crate  grille  and
Media contact: Jannelle Grigsby, (310) 526-0584, jannelle@goodingco.com

sweeping rear  sails.  From one’s first look, the 365 P Berlinetta Speciale is  in the pinnacle of  a long line of
coachbuilt Ferraris and leads the most elegant and enduring sports car designs of the 1960s.

Significant History
Tre Posti is the result of a unique collaboration between Enzo Ferrari, Sergio Pininfarina, and Luigi Chinetti.
Constructed at the height of the P car program in 1966, the 365 P Berlinetta Speciale, chassis 8971, was the
first mid-engine 12-cylinder Ferrari designed specifically for use as a road car. Tre Posti is a prototype model
based on the Ferrari 365 P2, a model that was successfully campaigned by Chinetti’s NART.  According to
Pininfarina, the 365 P Berlinetta Speciale has the distinction of being the last car made by the firm for a
private client.  Before it was purchased by Chinetti Motors, this car was unveiled at the 53rd International
Paris Motor Show as the key Pininanfarina show car.

A global tour in 1966 and 1967 followed, including
engagements at key auto shows in Brussels, London and Los Angeles. Dubbed “a world-wide novelty” in a
Pininfarina press release from October 16, 1966, Tre Posti was met with great fanfare on the show circuit
and was prominently featured in numerous magazines and publications.  Since its delivery to Chinetti Motors
in 1967, the car has only been sold twice to important Ferrari clients but returned to Chinetti family
ownership in 1969, where it has remained ever since.

By any standard, Tre Posti is among the most important Ferraris of all time. Gooding & Company is honored
to offer such a  powerful mechanical  treasure  during our Pebble Beach Auctions  this August. (estimate upon
request)

The Pebble Beach Auctions
Dates: Saturday, August 16 at 5:00 pm PST and Sunday, August 17 at 6:00 pm PST
Location: Equestrian Center, Corner of Stevenson Drive and Portola Road, Pebble Beach
Public preview: August 13-17
Auction catalogues:  $100, includes admission for two to the viewing and the auctions
General admission: $40, includes admission for one to the viewing and the auctions
Live auction broadcast: www.goodingco.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GoodingCompany
Twitter:  @GoodingCompany
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About Gooding & Company
Gooding & Company, internationally celebrated for its world-class automotive auctions producing record-breaking
results, provides unparalleled service in the collector car market, offering a wide range of services including private and
estate sales, appraisals, and collection management.  In addition to the annual The Pebble Beach Auctions on August 16
and 17, we will present The Scottsdale Auctions on January 16 and 17, 2015 and the Amelia Island Auction on March
13, 2015.  Gooding & Company is pleased to be the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
®
.
Preceding each auction, a complete catalogue is made available online at www.goodingco.com and the sale is broadcast
live on our website.  For additional vehicle information and up-to-the-minute results, follow Gooding & Company on
Facebook and Twitter @GoodingCompany.
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