1954 Ferrari 375 Mille Miglia Pinin Farina

To many observers, this is one of the greatest of Pinin Farina designs. Created as a racing car, with all the functional aerodynamics implied by that purpose, it is also supremely elegant in form, a true grand-touring car. Farina was experimenting with forms here. Notice how the front wing graduates from the perfect circle of the headlight, set behind a plastic shield to protect the glass lens, to a triangular section from the wheel centreline rearwards. This bevel reduces frontal area; and the result is a beautifully controlled highlight along the body flank. As a weight-reduction measure the glass area is minimized, and the windscreen takes an unusual form: straight and horizontal across its top, dropping down at the outside edge of the scuttle. The two-piece windscreen was appropriate for racing, being easier and cheaper to replace should gravel break one part.

The rear wing form stands only slightly proud of the body surface and begins with a straight line at the rearmost edge of the door. In typical Italian fashion the bottom of the body on the sides is higher than the chassis, and the lower part of the nose drops well below that level, smoothing airflow at the centre of the front end. The front end peak is just at the level of the headlights. Proportions and stance are visually perfect, if not actually so.

These extracts are taken from Auto Legends: Classics of Style and Design by Michel Zumbrunn, text by Robert Cumberford which was published in October by Merrell