The History of Ferrari

When Enzo Ferrari created his company Scuderiato excellent performance but also thanks to their
Ferrari in Italy in 1929 his intentions was to sponsorstylish elegance. Pininfarina, Bertone, Ghia, Scagliette,
amateur race car drivers and invent racing cars, andTouring and Vignale are all examples of design houses
it would take more than 15 years before Ferrarithat have worked with Ferrari.
began to create their own road cars in 1946. Ferrari isIn November 1961 a dispute between Enzo Ferrari
still devoted to the creation of racing cars and highand his sales manager, Girolamo Gardini, turned into a
performance sports cars and do not create othercrisis. Girolamo Gardini threatened to leave the
types of cars. Scuderia Ferrari is still the widespreadcompany. Enzo Ferrari responded to the threat by
name for Gestione Sportiva, the part of the Ferrarithrowing out Girolamo Gardini, and several employees
company that works with racing. Scuderia is an Italianwho agreed with Girolamo Gardini were also ousted.
word and means "stable", but Scuderia Ferrari isAmong them were Romolo Tavoni, manager for
sometime also translated as Team Ferrari.Scuderia Ferrari, Giotto Bizzarrini, the chief of the
During the early years, Scuderia Ferrari sponsoredexperimental sports car development, and Carlo Chiti,
race car drivers that were driving Alfa Romeo cars.the chief engineer. This was naturally a huge loss for
Scuderia Ferrari would prepare Alfa Romeo carsthe Ferrari company and the crisis deepened when
before the race, and in 1938 Enzo Ferrari becamethose who had been thrown out formed their own
officially employed by Alfa Romeo's racingcompany - Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS). ATS
department. Two years later Enzo Ferrari found outeven managed to take over Scuderia Serenissima, a
that Alfa Romeo was planning to absorb Scuderiavery successful racing team, from Ferrari.
Ferrari, a plan which Enzo Ferrari strongly opposed. HeA younger engineer, Mauro Forghieri, and an
instantly left his job at Alfa Romeo, but his contractexperienced racing bodyman, Sergio Scaglietti,
restricted him from being involved with racing forassumed responsibility and tried to finish the projects
several years. He changed Scuderia Ferrari into "Autothat the leaving employees had left behind. One of
Avio Costruzioni Ferrari" and officially manufacturedthe most important tasks was to finish the
aircraft accessories for a few years. Enzo Ferrari diddevelopment of 250 GTO; a new 250-based model
however create a race car during this restrictedthat could compete with the Jaguar E-type. The 250
period. The Tipo 815 debuted at the Mille Miglia race inGTO was finished in time to participate in the Sebring
1940, but the race was hampered due to World Warrace and place itself first in class, driven by Phil Hill.
II and Tipo 815 encountered no real competition. InThroughout 1962, the 250 GTO continued to win the
1943 Enzo Ferrari moved his factory to Maranello inraces and it is still one of the most well known race
Italy and one year later the factory was bombed.cars in history. The crisis turned out to be something
After the end of World War II, Enzo Ferrari rebuiltgood for Ferrari and the 1960s became a very good
his factory and now the Ferrari factory was capabledecade for the company.
of construction road cars as well.Until the 1980s when Ferrari began to use fuel
Ferrari constructed its first road car in 1947. Theinjection in the road cars, the Ferraris were known as
1947 125 S Ferrari had a 1.5 L V12 engine and therather temperamental cars. They could be very
whole car was considered very beautiful and wellunreliable, but would still attract a large group of
designed. Enzo Ferrari was still more interested indedicated fans that viewed this unpredictability as
race cars and the Ferrari road cars was merely a"character" rather than a problem. Today, FIAT
way for him to fund his work with the Scuderiacontrols 56 percent of the Ferrari stocks. The rest of
Ferrari. His distaste for the road car customersstocks owned by Enzo's con Piero Ferrari and by
became famous and he even accused them ofCommerzbank, Mediobanca and the Lehman Brothers.
buying Ferrari cars only as status symbols. It is trueMaranello is still the home town for Ferrari.
that the Ferrari road cars grow to fame not only due