Photos by GTM member Matteo Fontana.
Ferrari Celebrated it’s 75th Anniversary last year, and for most of us, seeing a Ferrari is a big deal. They’re often tucked away in fabulous garages, collections or museums. Unless it’s the mass-produced 308 from the late seventies / early eighties made popular by the hit show MAGNUM P.I. starring Tom Selleck, you just don’t see many Ferraris in the wild. You have to seek them out, so why not go for the gusto and visit with Ferrari’s where they’re born?
To really appreciate Ferrari, you have to go back to the beginning. To a small town called Maranello, in the province of Modena, located about 31 miles (50 kilometers) west of Bologna. But more importantly to one man, Enzo Ferrari who many might not realize was born in 1898… yes, you read that right… EIGHTEEN-98. Coming up alongside the birth of the automobile itself. Cars at that time, were what we would consider today “space-age tech” especially during the height of the industrial revolution in Europe. And as a young boy Enzo was there to sponge it all in.
As Enzo got older, he moved away from the family business of carpentry into the world of automobile manufacturing starting out at C.M.N. (Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali) in Modena, then moving to FIAT in Turin for a short stint, before moving to Alfa Romeo in Milan as both driver and then race director. Enzo won his first race in 1923, and that’s where his taste for racing began to flourish. It took 6 more years before he was able to build up a race team of superstar drivers, including Giuseppe Campari and Tazio Nuvolari. Founded in 1929, this team became known as Scuderia Ferrari and acted as a racing division for Alfa Romeo until 1937 where it was dissolved into Alfa Corse.
With WW2 looming on the horizon, Enzo parted ways with Alfa Romeo officially in 1939. And it would take another 8 years before Ferrari decided to start making cars bearing his name, and founded Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947 at the same location where the Museo Ferrari stands today.
The outward appearance of the Museo Ferrari Maranello retains the original facia of the 1947 Ferrari Factory, but the insides have been completely modernized and given “white space” for a brilliant ambiance for the stark contrasts of vibrant reds, glowing yellows and deep charcoals that these gorgeous vehicles paint in the room. At first it doesn’t seem like much, but as you spend more time, your attention is completely transfixed on the masterpieces presented. This location is a tribute to the legacy and determination of Enzo Ferrari to build “the best” cars, whether they were for the street or the racetrack.
Ferraris aren’t as utilitarian as say a Porsche, or as flamboyant as a Lamborghini, Ferrari’s have always been and continue to be the gold standard in performance, quality and design. Can you name one manufacturer that doesn’t list Ferrari as their competition in some way?
Today, you can visit a second Ferrari Museum, located in Modena City, about 12 miles (20km) from the factory, close to Enzo’s birthplace. Founded in 2003, this location, known as “Museo Enzo Ferrari Modena,” celebrates the rich history of Ferrari Formula 1 (Scuderia Ferrari) and houses racecars from all eras.
“What’s behind you, doesn’t matter.” – a quote from Il Commendatore Enzo Ferrari himself. He would give this line to his racing drivers, as say a “pep talk,” but in the case of the Museo Ferrari, “what’s behind us” tells an amazing and rich story of what’s to come. Each unique evolution in the Ferrari portfolio stands to push the rest of the automotive world forward, and it’s because of Enzo’s passion that we relish the announcement of whatever Ferrari comes up with next.
If you’re making plans to visit Ferrari Headquarters one day (or plan to return), remember that there are so many things to do in this area of Italy, you’re in the breadbasket of the country with what some would argue is the best food on the planet. For some, it’s all about the wine, cheeses, castles and rich history… but for us, it’s the Factory Tour, laps around the Autodromo (Ferrari Test Track) in a Ferrari, visits to the Museums and more!
