When car enthusiasts and collectors talk about genuine Ferrari classics, the name “Daytona” is always mentioned. The 365 GTB/4, as the “Daytona” is called in the official Ferrari language, is an icon of Italian automobile history not only because of its stylishly designed body and the twelve-cylinder V-engine typical of Ferrari. Anyone who has ever seen the 365 GTB/4 in the wild feels scenically transported directly to Emilia Romagna. Narrow cobbled streets, a trattoria hidden behind vines, market stalls where the “venditore” advertise their fresh wares on the streets of Maranello. All this only exists on the other side of the Alps? Not at all!
The people of WĂĽrttemberg are generally said to have a certain closeness and affinity to the Italian lifestyle. From the mid-1950s onwards, families and married couples increasingly set out to cross the mountain passes to the south in summer. The economic miracle had broken out and after getting their first car, they could gradually afford their first holiday. Admittedly, this rarely happened in a Ferrari. Instead, an avalanche of Beetles and Kadetts pushed its way over the Brenner Pass.
Today, travelling has changed. And not least because of the holiday offers in this country and the Covid pandemic, holidays at home have become en vogue in recent years. Because often the good things are so close, the narrow streets and the charm of northern Italy right on the doorstep. Pizza, pasta, gelato and spumante are also available in excellent quality and abundance in Swabia, bringing the “Dolce Vita” of Italy to life in the middle of small southern German towns.
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 is, of course, the main actor in this Italo-Swabian scenery
The light bronze paint of the 365 shimmers in an incomparable way in the midday sun. In the midday sun, the V12 engine puffs quite a bit, but is not easily impressed by the heat. After all, as a true southerner, it is used to the high temperatures. For the driver, however, the occasional break at the side of the road is just what he needs. How good it is that here, too – just like in Italy – there are opportunities to take a break, or rather to “sosta”. The 365 is a general delight. And not only those of the Italian ice cream parlour owner, but also those of the locals.
“But this is a well-kept oldie,” echoes from a garage where a hard-working Swabian is going about his “business”. Keyword “well-kept”: The Swabians are known for caring for their “Heilig’s Blechle” with great passion and dedication. So of course many passers-by notice the immaculate condition of our 365. It’s a good feeling, after all we put a good two weeks of manual work into the preparation of the paintwork alone. But the technology and design of the Ferrari are also impressive. Insiders will notice that our 365 must be a later model. This is unmistakable from the front headlights. Early models still had a front plexiglass band running around the car, which merged flush with the bonnet and connected the two indicator lights. From 1971 onwards, this design violated the new US safety regulations. Ferrari then experimented with various solutions. Finally, from autumn 1971 onwards, all GTB/4 were equipped with folding headlights. Considerations to limit the production with flip-up headlamps only for the American market were discarded due to the simplification of the production, so that from then on all GTB/4 received the new headlamp design.
After a short espresso break, the Daytona pushes on through narrow passages and past inns and cafĂ©s. What is needed now is a piece of Italy for home. How fortunate that here in Swabia there are also a number of high-class Italian delicatessens. The Vesuvian apricot, by the way, is considered the best in Italy and is handed to us directly to taste through the open driver’s window. This inevitably leads to the question: Is eating and drinking actually allowed in the vehicle? At least not for connoisseurs and aficionados. If a mishap does occur, however, tomato splashes and red wine residue can be removed without leaving any residue with special leather and interior treatments. The spritz wine is alcohol-free on this day. We don’t drink and drive!
In the end, we get help loading the small but for these purposes sufficiently sized boot of the 365. The selection is classic: Lemons from the Amalfi Coast and ham from Parma. In this country, as in Italy, you definitely can’t go wrong with that. Buon Viaggio!
Maintained, serviced and sold – the SML CarGroup from Eberdingen near Stuttgart specialises in looking after special vehicles. This 365 GTB, which has received all-round care from the SML CarGroup, is undoubtedly one of them. Are you also looking for such a vehicle or would you like to sell one of your automotive treasures? We are happy to be your competent and trustworthy contact and look forward to hearing from you.
Contact:
Thomas Hientz hientz.t@sml-cargroup.com
Member of the Management Board +49 7042 27099-0
Publisher/Photos:
SML CarGroup® Frederik Dulay-Winkler
Max-Eyth-Strasse 9 Pfaffenweg 45a
D-71735 Eberdingen-Hochdorf D-70180 Stuttgart
info@sml-cargroup.com info@frederikdulay.com
www.sml-cargroup.com www.frederikdulay.com
