Ferrari is a household name for supercars, but it didn’t start like that. Initially, Enzo Ferrari, the founder, was focused on developing racing cars before they introduced commercial vehicles.
In this blog post, we’ll look at 10 interesting facts you might not know about Ferrari.
1. The ‘Prancing Horse’ Logo
The Ferrari logo honours World War I Veteran Count Francesco Baracca, who was known as one of the best Italian fighter pilots.
Initially, Count Francesco Baracca painted the logo on the side of his fighter plane, and after he died in 1918, Count Francesco Baracca’s mother gave Enzo Ferrari the emblem.
The symbol remained largely unchanged, except for the background, which was changed from white to yellow to recognise Enzo’s Italian homeland.
2. Fiat Ownership
Fiat owns a significant stake in the company.
In 1969, Ferrari became a part of the Italian automobile giant Fiat. However, Fiat focused on road-legal models, while Enzo Ferrari remained at the helm of the racing division.
3. One Hundred Formula 1 Victories
Ferrari started competing in the first Formula 1 race in 1950 and has been the oldest and most successful Formula 1 team since then.
The 100th win for the manufacturer came in July 1990 at the Paul Ricard Circuit in Le Castellet. The driver at the time was Alain Prost.
4. Ferrari Customisation
Through Ferrari’s Personalisation Program, buyers can customise the Ferrari model they purchase, from colour right down to accessories and finishes.
5. Licensing and Merchandise
Ferrari is more than just a car manufacturer and has positioned itself as a global brand. Licensing and merchandise are big business for Ferrari
Ferrari makes a big chunk of its revenue from various branded accessories sold worldwide. These can range from anything, such as clothes, to games and toys.
6. Ferrari Red
Ferrari is well known for its red colour. However, this wasn’t Enzo’s choice.
Red was the traditional colour of the Ferrari racing team and was the colour that the International Automobile Federation assigned to all Italian Grand Prix race cars in the early years of auto racing.
The colour stuck, and so became their signature colour. It is still the most popular colour for Ferrari, with 45% of Ferraris sold in red.
7. Ferrari Streetcars
Enzo Ferrari’s original mission was to build race cars, and the streetcars were only made to ‘finance’ the racing division.
Over time, streetcars began to take on their own identity and eventually overshadowed race cars for recognisability.
8. Ferrari Racetrack
Ferrari owns a racetrack called The Pista di Fiorano.
In 1972, Enzo developed the racetrack to escape regulations at their standard testing track.
The circuit is closed to the public, but they occasionally invite customers to test their newly-purchased models on the track.
9. Ferrari World
Based in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World is a primarily indoor amusement park and home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster.
10. The Ferrari F40
Enzo passed away aged 90 in August 1988, and the F40 was the last car that he built.
If you have enjoyed our 10 facts about Ferrari, then check out our other similar posts:
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