Introduced at the 1968 Paris Salon, the 365 GTB/4 "Daytona" was an obvious winner from the start, and a noteworthy successor to the 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta it had replaced. The Daytona used underpinnings similar to the 275 GTB's chassis and suspension, but with vastly improved braking. Ferrari finally dispensed with the substandard Dunlop discs that had been used since the 250 series. The new four-cam, 4.4-liter, V12 engine was fitted with six Weber 40 DCN carburetors and produced an impressive 355 hp at 7500 rpm.
Pininfarina had produced some of the most attractive bodywork for the prototype, which also helped give the new Ferrari an aggressively exciting look. The best part was that it had performance to match. It would eventually go on to be one of the last great, front-engined Berlinettas with bodywork by Scaglietti.
The 170-plus mph performance of the Daytona was not exceeded by a front-engined Ferrari until fairly recently-certainly one attribute that makes the car both legendary and extremely desirable. The first production examples reached US shores in 1970 and featured a slightly different nose treatment than their European counterparts. European Daytonas had headlamps fitted behind a transparent, full-width plastic cover, whereas the US versions featured retractable headlamps under two flush-fitting panels. Other differences included hexagonal-type wheel nuts and a leather-rimmed steering wheel on the US version, versus three-eared knock-off wheel nuts and a wood-trim steering wheel on the European models.
Wildly successful in coupe form, a Spyder version of the Daytona was introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show in the fall of 1969. Known outside the US as the 365 GTS/4, the Spyder was again an instant success with both the motoring press and the public. Despite this popularity, only a handful of factory-built Spyders were produced. In fact, only 121 Daytona Spyders were built, 96 of them finding their way into the hands of US customers. Many owners had the tops of their Berlinettas removed to convert them to Spyders, making the opportunity to acquire an original Spyder a rare occasion. The vehicle featured here, S/N 14565, is one of the original Pininfarina, factory-built Spyders. Finished in Fly Yellow with black leather interior, the car has been pampered and maintained without regard to cost. This is one vehicle that runs and drives as if it were new and considering that it has accumulated a mere 12,798 miles on its odometer, it is perhaps one of the finest low-mileage Ferrari Daytonas offered in a long time.
SCM Analysis
The car described here sold for a high bid of $376,200, including commission, at the RM Classic Cars Auction held in Amelia Island, Florida on March 11, 2000.
Continuing last year’s trend, “big” Ferraris are selling for very respectable figures, especially when offered through the larger auctions. Daytona Spyders are not a common sight in the auction arena and this has kept the prices fairly stable due to the relatively small numbers of sellers and buyers; an imbalance would have most likely driven the market up or down. The retail asking price for the Spyder has been pegged in the mid- to high-$300,000 bracket for over two years now. At least one buyer in 1989 paid in the neighborhood of $1.5 million for a top-notch example. Today, that same freshly restored car is worth $425-450,000.
This can be said for all Ferraris; the run-up in the late ’80s produced sale prices for serial production cars that have yet to be regained. Today’s smarter and more cautious buyer isn’t likely to get caught in any Ferrari feeding frenzies but still, there is a fair amount of enthusiasm for the more desirable cars, consequently the auction figures for the balance of 2000 should see increases across the board.
This $376,200 result for a low-mileage, well-maintained example is sure to bolster the auction consignment ranks as the year progresses and might establish a new baseline for good, original, low-mileage cars like this one.