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The 365 GTB/4 Daytona was the last of Ferrari's front-engined GT's

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If there's one thing more saleable than a rare classic car, it's one with a history - and this one has certainly been around.

It's a 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona with connections including the Prince of Wales, former international Automobile Federation Federation president Max Mosley and even the BBC's Top Gear series.

The fastest production road car of its time, it's also ultra-rare; this is one of only 158 right-hand drive examples built, and started life as the UK distributor's demo model. Soon after its arrival from Italy, however, it was loaned to Prince Charles for a week, before being sold for £9250 (then about R18 500) later in 1973.

In the 1980's it was belonged to John Coombs, the famed “patron” of the 1960's and 1970's racing Jaguars and Ferraris, and was later bought by Max Mosley, who kept the Daytona - the last of Ferrari's front-engined GT's - until 2005.

In November 2008, BBC TV's Top Gear programme made it this car the star of race from Portofino to Saint Tropez. James May in an XSR 48 powerboat eventually beat Richard Hammond in the Daytona, but Hammond was left in no doubt which he would rather travel in, commenting: “The Daytona is the absolute essence of pure European supercar.”

Before the race Top Gear put the car, then 35 years old with 42 050km on the clock, on a dyno, where it recorded an output of 262kW - identical to that claimed by the factory when it was new!

This is one of only 158 right-hand drive examples of this model

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This car will be auctioned at Brooklands on May 18 and, with such an intriguing history, it's expected to fetch offers in the region of £180 000 - £210 000 (R2 million - R2.3 million).