The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona marked the end of an era.

While the Lamborghini Miura had ushered in the mid-engined revolution, the Daytona was resolutely traditional in its conception the last in a line of legendary front-engined V-12 grand tourers from Maranello that stretched all the way back to the 250 GTs of the mid-1950s.

Launched at the 1968 Paris Motor Show, the 365 GTB/4 soon became universally referred to as the Daytona in honour of the Scuderia s one-two-three result at the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours.

It featured the latest 4,390 cc Tipo 251 development of Gioacchino s Colombo famous V-12.

With a 9:1 compression ratio 8.8:1 on US-spec cars plus dry-sump lubrication and six Weber carburettors, it was good for 352 horsepower at 7,500 rpm.

Pininfarina s Leonardo Fioravanti came up with a design that remains instantly recognisable more than 50 years later, and beneath that Scaglietti-built body was Ferrari s Tipo 605 chassis.

The 2,400 mm wheelbase was the same as on the 275 GTB...