A laconic man, Enzo Ferrari, once quipped, ‘I believe most things can be said in a few lines’. However, when it comes to Ferrari history, which spans more than 75 years, we could dedicate thousands.
In the third instalment of our On Your Marques! series, we explore the history of Ferrari, its most impactful cars, and celebrate the colossal influence and legacy of the Prancing Horse.
Image: Ultimate Driving Tours
A brief history of Ferrari
From feuds with Ford to Formula 1 glory, it’s been an eventful eight decades for Ferrari. Here are some of the highlights.
1920: Enzo Ferrari joins Alfa Romeo
Ferrari history actually begins at Alfa Romeo, which employed young car enthusiast Enzo Ferrari as a test driver in 1920. Nine years later, Enzo founded Scuderia Ferrari, which acted as a racing division for Alfa Romeo.
1939: The end of an era
Following a disagreement between Enzo Ferrari and Alfa Romeo’s managing director, Enzo left the company and founded Auto-Avio Costruzioni, which supplied parts to other racing teams. With the outbreak of war in 1939, he undertook war production for Mussolini’s government.
1947: Ferrari S.p.A. is born
The official history of Ferrari began in 1947, when Enzo Ferrari founded Ferrari S.p.A. The early brand focused on producing high-performance sports cars, unveiling the iconic 125 S as its first road car. In the original Ferrari colour of ‘Rosso Barchetta’, the 125 S gave Ferrari its first race victory at the 1947 Grand Prix of Rome.
1952: First Formula 1 championship
In 1952, two years after making its debut, Ferrari won its first Formula 1 season. Legendary Ferrari drivers this season included Alberto Ascari, Giuseppe Farina and Piero Taruffi.
1963: Ferrari vs. Ford
After becoming a public company in 1960, Ferrari began the search for a partner to handle its manufacturing operations and inject essential funds. In 1963, a deal between Ferrari and Ford almost went through – until Ferrari pulled out at the last minute. This started an ugly rivalry between the two marques. Ferrari eventually sold half of its shares to Fiat in 1969.
1975: Back on top
After more than a decade without a Formula 1 championship, Ferrari once again enjoyed great success, with Niki Lauda sealing two F1 championships in 1975 and 1977, then with Jody Scheckter in 1979.
1988: The age of icons
The 1980s saw a plethora of iconic Ferrari models released, including the 288 GTO, the F40, and the definitive ‘80s car, the Testarossa. Sadly, 1988 also saw the loss of the company’s legendary founder, Enzo, who died at the age of 90. Afterwards, Fiat would expand its stake in the company to 90%.
1991: The Montezemolo reign
In 1991, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo became president of Ferrari, bringing an upturn in fortunes. Over 13 years, he increased the profitability of Ferrari’s road cars, expanded licensing deals, and completely revolutionised Ferrari’s Formula 1 performance.
2004: Five in a row
As the new millennium settled in, Ferrari was in a position of total Formula 1 domination – claiming five World Constructors’ championship titles from 2000 to 2004. Michael Schumacher secured five consecutive World Drivers’ championships in this period and became one of the most decorated drivers of all time.
2023: The electric era
After multiple changes at the top, as of 2023, Ferrari is overseen by CEO Benedetto Vigna. The marque endured an extended dry spell in F1, with over 16 years without a championship. In 2021, Ferrari announced plans to release its first fully electric model (due to arrive in 2025).
Image: www.ferrari.com
Enzo Ferrari, the founder of Ferrari
Born in 1898, Enzo Ferrari developed a reputation for being cold, calculating, courageous, arrogant, stubborn, self-aware and a true genius – this, it seems, was the perfect personality to grow one of the greatest car marques in history.
Despite his demigod status in Italy, Enzo was a reserved man. He rarely gave interviews, seldom left the town of Maranello and was usually only seen in public at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. It’s reported that he never flew in an aeroplane or set foot in a lift.
Yet despite his cautious attitude to much of life, he was endlessly ambitious, which is embodied by his success with Ferrari. As Enzo himself once said, ‘If you can dream it, you can do it.’
As a driver, he won 12 races with Alfa Romeo, but his split from Alfa gave him scope to create his own marque. Enzo turned Ferrari into both an automotive giant and a cultural icon. Between 1948 and his death in 1988, Ferrari cars won over 5,000 races and claimed around 20 world titles. Enzo was rightly inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1994.
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What is an interesting fact about Ferrari?
If you’re like us, dinner party conversation almost always turns towards incredible supercars – meaning Ferrari is rarely far away.
Want to offer up some interesting facts about Ferrari? You could mention that the famous prancing horse logo was used on Ferrari cars as a tribute to famed World War I pilot Francesco Baracca, who was killed in action in 1918. Baracca initially used the emblem on his plane.
Another interesting Ferrari fact is that the marque has its own theme park. Ferrari World, located in Abu Dhabi, opened in 2010 and is home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster, the Formula Rossa, which reaches approximately 150 mph.
How many cars does Ferrari make a year?
The exact number of cars Ferrari makes each year is shrouded in mystery, although it is believed to be around 8,400. As for sales, this is more widely reported, and in 2022, Ferrari set a new company sales record by delivering 13,221 vehicles. The exact number of current and prior-year models included in this figure is unclear.
Regardless of record years, Ferrari is a brand built on exclusivity. The factory’s meticulous production process is extremely hands-on; finished models roll off the Maranello line at a far slower rate than most car brands. Ferrari is also very particular about who ends up with one of its cars, adding to the sense of exclusivity.
Our picks: the 5 best Ferrari cars
Picking our five best Ferrari models is a tough task when considering the catalogue’s pedigree. Still, here goes.
Image: www.ferrari.com
Ferrari 250 GTO
Talk about icons. The 250 GTO is regarded as one of the world’s most important and desirable cars. This multi-championship-winning car truly embodies Ferrari’s performance and design excellence, not to mention its exclusivity. Built in 1962, and with only 36 made, buyers can expect to pay upwards of £40 million in the rare event that one is put up for sale.
Image: www.ferrari.com
Ferrari Testarossa
Love it or hate it, nobody can deny that the Testarossa is a motoring superstar. This menacing Ferrari is so distinctive, perhaps because it lacks the classic elegant lines, even though it was still designed by Pininfarina. Its monster flat-12 engine and ultra-aggressive lines made a splash in the 1980s and the car’s appeal endures to this day.
Image: www.ferrari.com
Ferrari Enzo
No prizes for guessing who this track-ready beast was named after. One of Ferrari’s most discussed models, the Enzo was a thrilling limited series, with only 400 produced between 2002 and 2004. Inspired by the latest Formula 1 tech at the time, and capable of 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds, the Enzo pushed the envelope of what was possible in a roadworthy car.
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Ferrari 488 GTB / Spider
It would be remiss of us to exclude a Ferrari from our own fleet. Simply put, driving a 488 Spider in the Italian countryside, something you can experience as part of our Tuscan supercar driving tour, is one of those magic moments that never leaves your memory. It’s an excellent choice for open-air motoring thanks to its slick retractable hard top. With a turbocharged V8 power plant, this supercar will propel you from 0-62 mph in just three seconds. Fast, responsive and drop-dead gorgeous – quintessentially Ferrari.
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Ferrari 812 Superfast
Another of the modern iterations from the illustrious marque (and another favourite from our fleet), the Superfast’s name couldn’t be more apt. Its epic V12 produces 800HP and a magnificent noise as it demolishes the 0-62 mph sprint in 2.9s on its way to a top speed of 211 mph (340 km/h). The marque calls it ‘the fastest and most powerful Ferrari yet’ – and that’s saying something.
What are the best-sounding and best-looking Ferraris, respectively?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – which is our way of saying the best-looking and best sounding Ferrari are entirely subjective.
However, many enthusiasts agree that the modern Ferrari 812 GTS produces the best sound, with an intoxicating and refined V12 engine note. For V8 models, the ‘90s legend F355 offers a purity of sound that remains unmatched, revving up past 8500 rpm.
Regarding looks, our list above includes some of our favourite designs – although pushed for an answer, we may well vote for the slender Ferrari 250 GTO, which remains one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
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Ferrari as a brand: the associations and mystique
The Ferrari brand markets itself as ‘Italian excellence that makes the world dream’. The brand is ingrained into global culture and is lusted after, like few others, as the embodiment of wealth, success and luxury.
Much like other supercar marques, including Porsche, Ferrari is associated with quality and high performance, but Ferrari adds extra exclusivity that only amplifies its allure.
Owning a Ferrari car may be reserved for a tiny percentage of the planet. Still, we fear the brand risks diluting its rarified mystique should it continue to stamp its marque on clothing and other merchandise as it has been inclined to in recent decades.
Is Ferrari a car or a luxury brand?
First and foremost, Ferrari is a car brand with its roots firmly in motor racing. When you think of gorgeous road cars or Formula 1 titans, it is natural to think of Ferrari.
However, over the past 75 years, Ferrari has also been able to evolve its identity into being more than ‘just’ a car; it is also a luxury brand and some may say, the ultimate status symbol. In fact, the late Sergio Marchionne, former CEO of Ferrari, said in 2014, ‘I actually think cars are almost incidental to Ferrari. It sounds sacrilegious. But it is truly a luxury brand’.
Which brand is better: Ferrari or Lamborghini?
You’re asking us to choose between two of our favourite marques here… it’s a tough call. On the face of it, there is little separating the two Italian brands – they both produce ultra-luxe cars with bombastic performance.
But delve a little deeper, and you can see that while a Ferrari will always pack raw power and performance – stemming from the brand’s racing history – the aesthetics and overall package remain sleek and elegant.
Conversely, Lamborghini wasn’t established as a racing brand but as a luxury car marque. In its recent Audi-owned history, Lamborghinis have become the epitome of performance, refinement and luxury – with enough power to go toe-to-toe with any Ferrari.
As with many life debates, the answer to ‘which brand is better, Ferrari or Lamborghini’ will come down to your preference. To help you decide, we suggest checking out our Ferrari vs. Lamborghini rivalry article.
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Experience Ferrari in Italy with Ultimate Driving Tours
Love Ferrari? Perhaps, like us, you always dreamt of driving one of these sublime cars in its natural environment, Italy. If so, there’s no finer way to experience Ferrari than on our Italian supercar driving tour.
This bucket-list tour of Italy allows you to drive multiple supercars on some of the finest driving roads in the country while enjoying phenomenal food and spellbinding luxury residences each evening. Speak to our team today to learn more.
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