By 1951, Italian automaker Ferrari was in its fifth year of existence, and finally coming into its own as a manufacturer of high-performance sports cars. The 166/195 series took Ferrari’s hard-won racing experience and applied it to their customer cars, with the 195 Inter proving to be both a comfortable gran turismo and a competitive entry for privateer racers.

The stunningly presented Ferrari offered here, chassis 0129S, is reportedly one of 25 Ferrari 195 Inter Coupes built, the 11th of only 36 Ferraris bodied by Carrozzeria Ghia, and one of approximately nine built to this two-place design, making this car one of the most exclusive variants of all coachbuilt, road-going Ferraris. For the 195, the Colombo-designed V-12 engine was enlarged nearly 25% from the previous 166 model, now displacing a healthy 2,341 cc. As with the 166 Inter before it, the standard induction on the 195 was a single twin-choke Weber carburetor, but some examples received a setup of three such carburetors. Many 195s, so equipped, found their way into competition at both amateur and professional levels, and 0129S was upgraded to a three Weber carburetor setup some years ago.

Such performance must have appealed to the first owner of this Ghia-bodied Coupe, legendary Ferrari factory driver Luigi “Gigi” Villoresi. Born to a prosperous Milanese family, Villoresi competed alongside his brother Emilio in the 1000 Miglia and Coppa Ciano, first in a Lancia Lambda and later in a Fiat Balilla, on his way to winning the Italian 1,100 cc championship in 1935.

From there, Villoresi privately campaigned for Maserati, becoming a full member of the Maserati factory team by 1938. Interned as a prisoner of war during WWII, he returned to win the championship in 1946 and 1947, before joining crosstown rival Ferrari for the 1949 season, promptly winning the Dutch Grand Prix that July. Villoresi stayed with Ferrari for the 1950 season and the advent of Formula 1, placing him in the inaugural lineup for what would become one of the winningest dynasties in motor sports history.

Villoresi’s tenure of ownership of 0129S is not known. However, according to the accompanying report by Marcel Massini, the car left Italy for Switzerland in 1955, and remained there until 1961, when it came to the US by way of Mr. Cowden of Dallas, before passing to John Profit, also in the US. By 1988, it was sold to José Segimon of Madrid. In 1991, the car was restored by renowned Ferrari expert Bob Houghton in England, and for the next eight years remained in the UK before returning to the US in 1998, where it appeared at the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance in California. The car was shown at the 36th Ferrari Club of America Annual Meeting held at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Georgia, the following May.

In January 2000, the Ferrari was exhibited at the Cavallino Classic in Palm Beach, Florida, where it was awarded the Judge’s Cup, followed by the award of Best Ferrari at the Greenwich Concours in June that same year. By May 2002, chassis 0129S was acquired by Perry Lewis of Connecticut, who would enjoy it for nearly two decades.

The June 2001 issue of European Car magazine published a feature on 0129S, writing: “Everyone who has seen the car has been charmed by its physical presence. Its lines are sensually dramatic in a subtle sort of way, from its rakish windshield angle to the sinuous taper of its fender lines. It’s wonderful to observe the smiles, the exclamational and the emotional responses of people who see the car. The car’s aura is pervasive. From the Art Deco gauges to the intricate handiwork in all the interior appointments, all exuding yet another unique dimension of the Ferrari mystique.”

The award-winning Automotive Restorations Inc. of Stratford, Connecticut, serviced 0129S for Mr. Lewis for over 17 years. Under the current ownership, according to an invoice on file, recent attention has been paid primarily to the gearbox, clutch, lubrication, electrical, and charging systems by the respected Santo Spadaro and his team at Dominick’s European Car Repair Inc. of White Plains, New York, further refining this important, very early Ferrari.

Wonderfully presented throughout, 0129S is accompanied by a tool roll, spare, and a substantial history file. This remarkable Ferrari, a proven concours contender with rare Ghia coachwork, is presented in its beautiful color scheme of Avorio (Ivory), which, according to its Massini report, is the car’s originally delivered color. It is accented by the modified sport-style seats, trimmed with tan leather, and the dashboard’s elegant Bakelite switchgear.

This veteran Ferrari exudes all the elegance and performance befitting one of Scuderia Ferrari’s very first drivers, and is among the first road cars to proudly wear the Ferrari name.