14/03/2012
NEWS STORY
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The legendary 'Sharknose' was perhaps the most beautifully proportioned F1 car ever built, and is clearly one of the most important in the history of Grand Prix racing.
Other than Stirling Moss' win in the Lotus-Climax at Monaco, widely recognised as one of, if not the, finest drives of an illustrious career, the 1961 season was dominated by the Ferrari 156, known, for reasons which are obvious, as the 'Sharknose'.
The 'Sharknose' which won races at the hands of Wolfgang von Trips, Phil Hill and Giancarlo Baghetti, was dominant largely due to the superb 120 degree V6 engine that was developed specifically for the car by Carlo Chiti from the 65 degree Dino engine.
None of the original cars survive but Amalgam's extensive research into archive drawings and photographs along with privileged access to one of the two surviving engines has made it possible to model accurately for the first time ever the fully developed late season car with the 120 degree engine.
This limited edition (only 199 will be produced) is deeply detailed and shows the car exactly as it was driven to victory by Phil Hill at Monza, though the Wolfgang von Trips version is also available.
Pitpass editor, Chris Balfe, has previously admitted that it was seeing a picture of a 'Sharknose' on the wall of his class at school was what first attracted him to motor racing. It was also to lead to his love affair with Monza, the circuit that was to play a major role in the history of the car and the tragedy of the sport.
Still salivating following the delivery of his 1:8 scale Porsche 917 - as driven by Pedro Rodriguez in the 1970 BOAC 1000kms, to this date the greatest drive he has ever witnessed in the flesh - editor Balfe is already clearing space for the car that kickstarted his love of the sport.
"I feel embarrassed calling them models," he said, "for they are much, much more than that. They are works of art, small scale sculptures that somehow capture the excitement, danger and passion of the sport. Even friends who have little or no interest in the sport are absolutely blown away when they see these beauties."
Check out our Amalgam 'Sharknose' gallery here.
For more details, or to check out other amazing products from Amalgam, click here