Nicknamed the Daytona for Ferrari’s success at the famed 24-hour race at the Floridian circuit with the 330 P3/4, the 365 GTB/4 would prove to be both a beginning and an end for the famed marque. While the body was clothed in an extraordinary design by Leonardo Fioravanti of Pininfarina, the 365 GTB/4 would prove to be the last of a line of two-seat, front-engined V-12 Ferraris with a lineage that can be traced to the beginning of the company.

Fioravanti’s design was a remarkable departure from soft, undulating lines of earlier Ferraris. While overseeing a project to counter Lamborghini’s futuristic Miura, the 365 GTB/4’s design treads the fine line between staying true to Ferrari’s design ethos and breaking convention with something truly original. Today, the Pininfarina-designed body is unmistakeably Ferrari and belies its 1960s inception.

Despite looking quite unlike its predecessor, the 365 GTB/4 was directly developed from the 275 GTB/4. Two prototypes left the factory to demonstrate the evolution between the two models, yet underneath the skin was a similar chassis. The engine capacity had been increased by over a litre and the quad-cam timing, six twin-choke Weber carburettors, and dry-sump lubrication remained, which were all features derived from Ferrari’s dominant success on the race circuit. The 275’s outstanding weight distribution remained thanks to the continued use of the transaxle layout.

This 365 GTB/4, chassis number 16331, is one of only 158 Daytonas produced in right-hand drive. Delivered new in February 1972, the car was originally ordered by one Mr Heryet through Maranello Concessionaires but he cancelled his order, so the Daytona went to its first owner the Honorable John Dawnay, known by his title as Viscount Downe. Dawnay was a fascinating character who entered cars including the Aston Martin DP214, Nimrod, Ferrari 250 GTO, and Ford GT40 into major sportscar races. This 365 GTB/4 was ordered in the stunning colour combination of Argento Auteuil over a Nuvola leather interior, with several desirable options including Cromodora wheels, a bumper bar, and air conditioning.

Shortly after registering the car, Dawnay sold this Daytona through Maranello Concessionaires to Sir Raymond Johnstone CBE, a well-known Scottish businessman. Johnstone kept his Daytona until 1980, when it passed into the hands of another well-known car enthusiast, David Lomas. During Lomas’s ownership, this Daytona shared garage space with a 250 SWB, 275 GTB/4, a Jaguar C-Type and D-Type, and an Aston Martin DB4 GT. Such was Lomas’s care for this Daytona that he kept a logbook of every journey, mileage and notes. Along with the logbook is a significant number of invoices from workshops such as Graypaul and DK Engineering, while the outstanding bare metal respray by RS Panels carried out in 1993 is fully documented as well. Lomas passed away in 1998 and his last note in the logbook clearly shows how much he enjoyed this Ferrari, reading ‘Back at Moss Cottage, car perfect’.

This Daytona formed part of a private collection until 2007 and it only covered 900 miles during this ownership. Between 2007 and 2010 it was owned by Gareth Richardson before passing to Ian Tandy and then Chris Evans before moving into the ownership of Neil Ewin. Between 2011 and 2017 it was maintained by Italia Autosport of West Yorkshire, with prior invoices from SMDG Performance Cars and DK Engineering. Later in 2017, this 365 GTB/4 became part of a significant collection.

This Ferrari would be attractive enough simply for its stunning colour combination, but further to this it is accompanied by a remarkable history file, detailing its excellent provenance from new. Presenting with its matching-numbers body, engine, and gearbox, this outstanding right-hand-drive 365 GTB/4 Daytona would make a wonderful addition to any collection.