Ferrari Museum Exhibitions Mark Enzo Ferrari 120th Birthday, Showcase Bevy of Ultra-rare Italian Steel

To mark the 120th anniversary of the birth of Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari, the Ferrari Museum in Maranello is launching two new exhibitions showcasing the man and the machines he was particularly fond of.

The first display is a photographic journey entitled “Passion and Legend,” which follows Enzo’s life and times at Ferrari. However, the second exhibit, called “Driven by Enzo,” looks to be the more interesting of the two. It features the various four-seater models driven personally by Ferrari. While Enzo was known to test every vehicle the company produced, his penchant for the more-practical 2+2 frequently resulted in them becoming his daily driver. Interesting, considering the man supposedly only built road-going cars to fund his love of racing.

Ferrari’s official museum is said to possess Enzo’s personal 1960 250 GT 2+2, which would be incredible to see in person. Other four seaters graced by Papa Ferrari’s sacred posterior include a 400 GT i and 412. Meanwhile, the Passion and Legend exhibit also plays host to various models that Enzo gave special attention to, or were significant in advancing the company.

Of course, it’s all in service of celebrating the man behind the brand and his lengthy legacy. Were it not for the ineffaceability of time, il Commendatore would have been 120 this year. The various displays include images depicting Enzo at various stages of his life — everything from childhood and early racing career, to his time as the patriarch of one of the world’s best-known automakers.

“It seems incredible to think that Enzo Ferrari was born in the 19th century,” said the late chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne of the man. “His lesson is more relevant than ever and his modernity unquestionable. He was a man with extraordinary vision and ability to manage people and resources as well as a strong entrepreneurial spirit and exceptional courage. One wonders what he could have achieved if he had had access to today’s technical resources and knowledge. The mark that he left on the world remains a source of pride for all of us at Ferrari and for the whole of Italy.”

If you’re vacationing in Italy and happen to be a Ferrari fan, you might want to visit Maranello to check out what sounds like one of the better car exhibits in recent memory. The factory museum has said the displays will be available to the public through May of next year. And, if you’re hungry for more automotive history, Enzo’s birthplace and the Lamborghini museum are both about a 30 minute drive away.

[Images: Ferrari]