The History of Ferrari

Ferrari's instantly recognizable logo is a prancing horse on a yellow background. It first appeared on company documents in 1929, but the rearing stallion was only put on the cars later. Most Ferraris are painted red, though it is not the only color available.

Ferrari's founder, Enzo Ferrari, was a racing driver, engineer and test driver for Alfa Romeo. Until 1946, cars built by his company were, under an agreement, sold under the Alfa Romeo name. The first car to wear the Ferrari badge was the Ferrari 125. It was meant to be an everyday road car with the performance of a sports car, without sacrificing comfort for the driver. In 1948 Ferrari won the famous Mille Miglia and Targa Florio races, and a year later the team scored several more notable racing victories.

This decade brought many successful new Ferrari models, such as the 375 America and the 250 Europa (1953). By 1954, Enzo Ferrari was building about two hundred exclusive road cars and 250 sports cars for racing. He wanted every Ferrari road car to look different from the one before, and he succeeded. In 1958, working with the design house Pininfarina, the 250 GT received an unusual, angular body. Its powerful 12-cylinder engine was matched by a distinctive look that expressed strength, along with predictable handling that was as easy as possible for the driver. The 410 Super America was exclusive, and was owned only by the rich and powerful (just 14 were built worldwide).

At the Tourist Trophy in 1960, the Ferrari 250 GT California won decisively. Its aggressive design stayed in car enthusiasts' memories for a long time.

In these years Ferrari created some of its most memorable, elegant and fast cars, such as the iconic 250 GTO (1964). Ferrari's three-liter engines made 300 horsepower and could push the car past 283 km/h (176 mph). In 1968 the celebrated Daytona arrived, with a 352 hp engine and a top speed of 282 km/h (175 mph).

The Dino (1970s) became almost a separate brand from Ferrari, and was fitted with V6 engines, unusual for the "prancing horse," in the 246 GT. Until the early 1980s, the most popular Ferraris were the elegant models styled by Pininfarina and powered by V8 engines. These cars were based on the well-known Berlinetta Boxer (1971).

The flat-12 Boxer engine, the heart of the 512BB, was installed in the Testarossa sports car. The result was a powerful machine that could reach 274 km/h (170 mph), and it appealed to professional drivers and the company's exclusive clients alike. 

In 1987, Enzo Ferrari himself, who had been there at the company's start in the 1930s, led the team of engineers who developed the F40 as Ferrari's calling card and a summing-up of the company's efforts over its entire history. In essence the new car was a race car, so its astonishing technical abilities came with a lack of comfort. Still, the founder's final creation was beautiful and ferociously powerful.

In 1989 Ferrari finally became part of the Fiat group, which had controlled production since 1969. Many Ferraris from that era are now rarities, and each one has its own legendary story.

In 1992 Ferrari gave the world the new super-fast 456 GT/GTA sports coupe, which quickly became a success. New models kept appearing almost every year, and the F355 (1994) became the most affordable and popular Ferrari.

The most powerful production car in Europe at the time was the Enzo Ferrari, named after the company's famous founder and meant to remind the world of Ferrari's outstanding achievements and famous Formula 1 victories. Its engine made 650 hp, and its top speed was over 350 km/h (217 mph). The bold bodywork was, as tradition dictates, designed by Pininfarina. Production was expected to be limited to no more than 349 cars, all going to the company's most loyal customers.

The story of the legendary Ferrari goes on. In 2012 two stylish, technically advanced supercars appeared: the Ferrari F12berlinetta and the Ferrari F150/F70.