Ferrari N.V. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello. It was Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of Alfa Romeo’s race division as Auto Avio Costruzioni, the company manufactured its first car in 1940. However the company’s inception as an auto manufacturer is usually recognized in 1947, when the first Ferrari-badged car was finished. Its headquarter is situated in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Ferrari was rated the world’s most powerful brand by Brand Finance in 2014. The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO became the most expensive car in history in May 2012, selling in a private transaction for US$38.1 million to American communications magnate Craig McCaw.
Established
13 September 1939; 77 years ago
Headquarters
Maranello, Italy
The company has been well-known for its continued participation in racing, especially in Formula One, where it is the most successful racing team, holding the most constructors championships and having produced the highest number of winning drivers. Ferrari road cars are generally seen as a sign of speed, luxury and wealth.
History
Enzo Ferrari not initially interested in manufacturing road cars when he developed Scuderia Ferrari in 1929, with headquarters situated in Modena. Scuderia Ferrari literally means “Ferrari Stable” and is usually used to mean “Team Ferrari.” Ferrari purchased, prepared, and fielded Alfa Romeo racing cars for gentleman drivers, functioning as the racing division of Alfa Romeo. In 1933, Alfa Romeo withdrew its in-house racing team and Scuderia Ferrari took over as its works team: the Scuderia received Alfa’s Grand Prix cars of the latest specifications and fielded many famous drivers such as Tazio Nuvolari and Achille Varzi. In 1938, Alfa Romeo brought its racing operation again in-house, forming Alfa Corse in Milano and hired Enzo Ferrari as manager of the new racing department; therefore the Scuderia Ferrari separated.
The first Ferrari-badged car
The first Ferrari-badged car was the 1947 125 S, powered by a 1.5 L V12 engine; Enzo Ferrari unwillingly manufactured and sold his automobiles to fund Scuderia Ferrari. The Scuderia Ferrari name revived to denote the factory racing cars and distinguish them from those fielded by customer teams. In 1960 the company reformed as a public corporation under the name SEFAC S.p.A. Early in 1969, Fiat took a 50 percent stake in Ferrari. An immediate result was an increase in available investment funds, and work started at once on a factory extension intended to transfer production from Fiat’s Turin plant of the Ferrari engined Fiat Dino. New model investment further up in the Ferrari range also received a boost.
In 1988, Enzo Ferrari oversaw the launch of the Ferrari F40, the last new Ferrari to introduced before his death later that year. From 2002 to 2004, Ferrari manufactured the Enzo, their fastest model at the time, which launched and named in honor of the company’s founder, Enzo Ferrari. On 29 October 2014, the FCA group, resulting from the merger between manufacturers Fiat and Chrysler, declared the split of its luxury brand, Ferrari. The intention is to turn Ferrari into an independent brand which 10 percent of stake will be sold in an IPO in 2015.
Motorsport
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari has participated in several classes of motorsport, though it currently only officially involved in Formula One. It is the only team to have competed in the Formula One World Championship continuously since its inception in 1950. José Froilán González gave the team its first F1 victory at the 1951 British Grand Prix. Ferrari would win one final title, the 1972 World Championship of Makes before Enzo decided to leave sports car racing after 1973 and allow Scuderia Ferrari to concentrate solely on Formula One. Scuderia Ferrari no longer participated in sports cars after 1973.
Road cars
Ferrari’s first vehicle was the 125 S sports/racing model. The Ferrari 166 Inter was launchediIn 1949. The presentation of this car marked the company’s first move into the grand touring market, which continues to make up the bulk of Ferrari sales to the present day. The Dino was the first mid-engined Ferrari. This layout would go on to used in most Ferraris of the 1980s and 1990s. Ferrari entered the mid-engined 12-cylinder fray with the Berlinetta Boxer in 1973. The later Testarossa remains one of the most famous Ferraris.
Identity
The famous symbol of the Ferrari race team is the Cavallino Rampante (“prancing horse”) black prancing stallion on a yellow shield, usually with the letters S F (for Scuderia Ferrari), with three stripes of green, white and red (the Italian national colors) at the top. The road cars have a rectangular badge on the hood and optionally. The shield-shaped race logo on the sides of both front wings, close to the door. Ferrari has used the cavallino rampante on official company stationery since 1929. Since the Spa 24 Hours of 9 July 1932. The cavallino rampante used on Alfa Romeos raced by Scuderia Ferrari.
