Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1968, the 365 GTB/4 succeeded the 275 GTB/4 as Ferrari’s top-of-the-line, two-seat gran turismo. Almost immediately, it became unofficially known as the “Daytona,” commemorating Ferrari’s celebrated podium sweep at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. It also represented the final front-engine, V-12 GT model developed before Fiat acquired an interest in Ferrari in 1969.
\nAlthough it retained the general chassis layout, wheelbase, independent suspension, and rear-mounted transaxle of its predecessor, the Daytona departed dramatically from the 275 GTB/4 in appearance. Its bold, angular form was conceived by Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti and rendered in steel and aluminum by Carrozzeria Scaglietti. Beneath the hood was an enlarged version of Ferrari’s four-cam, dry sump V-12, displacing 4.4 liters and fed by six Weber carburetors. Producing 352 bhp at 7,500 rpm, the Daytona ranked among the fastest production cars of its era, capable of exceeding 170 mph.\n\nPeriod road testers were effusive. Le Mans-winning driver and noted journalist Paul Frère, who reportedly reached 176 mph on the Italian autostrada while testing the model for Autocar, described the Daytona as “a Grand Touring car par excellence.”
\nWhile conceived as a luxurious road car, the Daytona’s competition-derived engineering made it remarkably effective in endurance racing. Specially prepared examples achieved class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972, 1973, and 1974. Most famously, Daytonas occupied the first five places in the GT category at Le Mans in 1972, emphatically demonstrating that Ferrari’s traditional front-engine flagship remained a formidable competition car in the emerging mid-engine era.
\nAccording to research compiled by historian Marcel Massini, chassis 16109 was completed on July 12, 1972. Of particular interest, Massini identifies this Daytona as a factory prototype for the 1973 North American version, an unusual distinction that accounts for its comparatively early production date.
\nDestined for Canada, chassis 16109 was delivered in September 1972 to official Ferrari dealer Yonge Steeles Motors in Thornhill, Ontario. It left the factory in the striking color scheme of Giallo Fly (Fly Yellow) over Nero (Black) leather and was equipped with desirable amenities including air-conditioning and power windows. This vibrant original livery is particularly well suited to Fioravanti’s dramatic design, emphasizing the Daytona’s sharp contours and purposeful proportions.
\nIn 1993, the Ferrari was acquired by Michael Butler, who commissioned a comprehensive restoration by Toronto’s Maranello Motors, today Ferrari of Ontario. Returned to its factory color scheme, the Daytona subsequently earned a Platinum Award at the 1998 Ferrari Club of America National Meet, attesting to the quality of its presentation.
\nIn 2000, chassis 16109 was sold to Steven Butler of Chicago, under whose ownership it remained for approximately 16 years. Since 2020, the Daytona has resided in a well-regarded Florida-based collection comprising some of the finest postwar sports and GT cars.
\nPresented in its distinctive original colors and accompanied by a tool roll, chassis 16109 is particularly appealing for its specification and unusual prototype status, award-winning restoration, and history of discerning ownership. More than half a century after its introduction, the Daytona remains one of Ferrari’s defining road cars: a magnificent expression of the front-engine V-12 gran turismo, equally suited to concours presentation, club events, and the fast, long-distance touring for which it was created.
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