Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speciale Tre Posti / Guida Centrale
Two recovered 365 P chassis received special bodywork and this white supercar, built on chassis 8971 was one of Sergio Pininfarina’s first designs. It was built in a pair of cars ordered by Fiat Boss Gianni Agnelli, and one was prematurely displayed at the 1966 Paris Motor Show without its full running gear on Pininfarina’s stand.
The 365 P was a radical platform for a new design study as it was intended as a Le Mans contender. Located midship, the 4.4 liter V12 which powered this car, produced 380 horsepower, and that was in detuned form.
Internally at Pininfarina the car was known as Coupe Ferrari 3 Posti for its unique three seat design. Much like the McLaren F1, it has a central driver’s position with two seats at each side of the driver. This layout is advantageous because it gives a high level of visibility to the driver and maximizes interior space.
Pininfarina’s exterior design lent many traits from the Dino prototypes which were shown in 1965. Because of its numerous similaries, and hefty engine, the 365P Speciale can be seen as one of the father cars to the 206/246 production cars.