1956 Ferrari 500 TR

Owner: Richard Martin

Testa Rossa – a sequence of letters more often associated with the 1980s supercar, yet its origins lie in this 2.0-litre, four-cylinder sports racing machine. Designed for handling and reliability, the 500 TR was a successful privateers’ contender. The name comes from the red ‘crackle’ finish of the cylinder heads.

The 13th of 17 500 TRs built, chassis no. 0640 MDTR was originally a Ferrari-owned car that was used by Franco Cortese through the 1956 season. Cortese notched up overall victories at the Grand Prix Adriatico in Yugoslavia and the Circuito di Caserta in Sicily, with several class podiums proving to be the highlights towards the end of the year. For 1957 and 1958, Cortese shared duties behind the wheel with other drivers across Europe, before the Ferrari was exported to Brazil.

By the time it returned to Europe from South America in the late 1970s, it had lost its original engine. A year after being sold to AJ and Derek Lees in 1979, another powerplant was sourced from the warehouse of famed US Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti.

In 2004 the 500 TR changed hands again, with the UK’s Richard Martin taking stewardship. The car has since been restored by a combination of ex-Ferrari artisans in the Modena area, with highly respected specialists Hall & Hall and GTO Engineering taking care of the engine and gearbox.

Power: 177bhp | Top speed: 152mph | 0-60mph: N/A