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]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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As a teenager , I was able to convince my parents to veer off of their intended path to visit Maranello,one of my best childhood memories. My brother and I were doing the driving that trip anyway, so we did have a say. My dad never liked driving in Italy as his family didn't own a car and he didn't learn until his 20s in the US.We had rented the only car that could fit a family of 5 with reasonable comfort, an E34 520i. My brother and I had never driven a German luxury car before and the talkative steering and composure at 80mph of the E34 was a revelation. I'd love to take my son there if he's interested.He's only 3 now
I wish Ferrari would build something like the silver or green cars at the bottom photo, cars that are less "severe" than a 488. But... I guess they would be called Maseratis these days.