1953 Ferrari 340 MM

The Ferrari 340 and 375 MM were produced in 1953. The engine was an Aurelio Lampredi designed, naturally aspirated, 4.5 liter V12. The cylinder block and heads were cast from light alloy, a metal that was strong but lightweight.

The Lampredi engine, producing 375 horsepower, was first fitted into a 375 F1 and prepared for the 1951 Formula One season. The engines produced by Alfa Romeo were far superior, producing more horsepower and ultimately winning Alfa Romeo the championship. The Lampredi, though underpowered, was a strong contender due to its lightweight and fuel efficiency.

Rule changes in 1952 left the Lampredi engine obsolete for Grand Prix racing. This was the end for these engines in Grand Prix racing, but the start of their road-going career. Ferrari created a limited number of vehicles powered by the Lampredi engine, dubbed the 340 and 375 MMs. The first of these vehicles were outfitted with the Tipo 102 engine configuration, the same that had been used in the Grand Prix cars. These were powerful but fairly unreliable. To correct this issue, the bore and stroke were changed slightly, the result was the Tipo 108.

Pinin Farina was tasked with creating the coachwork for 26 of the 375 MMs, the most common configurations were the Berlinetta and Spyder. Most of the 340 and 375 MM vehicles were actively raced in the 1950's by their owners.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019