| Ferrari 375 MM | |
|---|---|
#0320AM winning 1953Pescara Grand Prix | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ferrari |
| Production | 1953–1955 26 made (four were converted from 340 MM)[1] |
| Designer | Pinin Farina |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Race car |
| Body style | |
| Layout | Front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Power output | 340 PS |
| Transmission | 4-speedmanual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,600 mm (102.4 in) |
| Curb weight | 900 kg (1,984 lb) (dry) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ferrari 340 MM |
| Successor | Ferrari 375 Plus |
TheFerrari 375 MM, was asports racing car produced byFerrari from 1953 to 1955. It was named "375" for the unitary displacement of one cylinder in the 4.5 L V12 engine, and the "MM" stood for theMille Miglia race. In total 26 units were made, including four converted from the 340 MM.[2]
The first prototype was aVignale Spyder and three next cars werePinin Farina Berlinettas, all converted from theFerrari 340 MM. Majority of the cars would be bodied by Pinin Farina in a spider style.[3]
The engine was based on itsFerrari 375 F1 counterpart, but with shorter stroke and bigger bore, for the customer cars and unchanged for the factory ones.[1]
Perhaps the most known 375 MM is the Pininfarina "Bergman Coupé", s/n 0456AM, commissioned in 1954 by directorRoberto Rossellini for his wife, actressIngrid Bergman. Rossellini also owned another 375 MM spyder, s/n 0402AM, which sustained a crash and was rebodied into a coupe by Scaglietti. The Scaglietti coupe was subsequently bought by the Microsoft executiveJon Shirley and restored by Ferrari specialist Butch Dennison. It later became the first postwar Ferrari to win Best of Show at thePebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.[4][5]
The list of notable examples also includes a coupé created byCarrozzeria Ghia to aGiovanni Michelotti design.[6] It was the last Ferrari ever to be bodied by this Turinesecoachbuilder. The car was presented at the Torino Motor Show and the New York Auto Show, both in 1955.[7]
The 375 MM was available with two different engines, both of around 4.5 L capacity. One was for customer cars and the other for the factory teams. Factory race drivers received a straight derivative of theFormula One unit from the375 F1. Designated as thetipo 102, it had the same total capacity of 4493.73 cc from the same internal measurements as the 375 F1, at 80 by 74.5 mm (3.1 by 2.9 in) of bore and stroke. The new updated engine, codenamed as thetipo 108, was reserved for the customer cars. The engine had a changed capacity of 4522.68 cc, thanks to its 84 by 68 mm (3.3 by 2.7 in) of bore and stroke, and would also be mounted in the375 America road car. Both versions used threeWeber 40IF/4C or 42DCZ carburettors and could produce 340 PS (250 kW; 335 hp) at 7000 rpm.[1]
The chassis was of atipo 102 designation and was derived from its predecessor, the340 MM, also made out of welded steel tubes. Wheelbase was slightly longer than before, now at 2,600 mm (102.4 in). The suspension setup was also inherited from the 340 MM, but with an addition of theHoudaille-type hydraulic shock absorbers in the front and rear.[8]
Although intended for the Mille Miglia, the 375 MM was also raced with limited success in theCarrera Panamericana, scoring fourth place in 1953 and finishing second in 1954.[9] Other major successes in 1953 included overall wins atSpa 24 Hours, driven byGiuseppe Farina andMike Hawthorn duo,[10]12 Hours of Pescara with Hawthorn andUmberto Maglioli[11] and12 Hours of Casablanca, won by Farina andPiero Scotti.[12] The 375 MM withAlberto Ascari andLuigi Villoresi, was contesting the1953 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside its 4.1-litre siblings, to no avail due to a clutch problems.[13] In the1000 km Nürburgring race of 1953, the 375 MM scored another victory with Giuseppe Farina, this time aided byAlberto Ascari.[14] This race along with Spa 24 Hours counted towards the1953 World Sportscar Championship, won for Ferrari in due honour to the 375 MM.
In 1954 in Argentina, Giuseppe Farina with Umberto Maglioli won the1000 km Buenos Aires, that was a championship race.[15] On 760 km track ofCoppa della Toscana, Piero Scotti won in the 375 MM ahead of Gordini.[16] Later, the 375 MM competed in races in Europe, South and North Americas, winning many of them.[17] The car did not score any more championship points as it was replaced by a bigger displacement derivative, the375 Plus.[18]
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