Ferrari

The first Ferrari road car – the 125 Sport – was built by Enzo Ferrari in 1947 to instant acclaim, and Ferrari cars quickly became a mark of excellence and prestige. Since the company’s earliest days, Ferrari has been very active in motorsports and is well-known for its achievements in Formula One racing. Ferrari enjoyed great success in racing and in sales until 1961, when internal politics threatened to derail the company completely. Disagreements with the strong-willed Enzo prompted the resignation of a number of top-level employees, who quickly formed rival company ATS. Despite early difficulties, however, Ferrari flourished under the guidance of new engineer Mauro Forghieri, and the 1960s became the company’s most successful decade to date, producing legendary models such as the Ferrari 250 GTO, the 275 and the Daytona. Before his death in 1988, Enzo oversaw the launch of the Ferrari F40, which - building on the success of its predecessor, the Ferrari Testarossa - became one of the most famous supercars ever produced. The value of used Ferraris and sales of new models continued to rise throughout the 1990s, assisted by the appointment of Michael Schumacher as a driver and the racing triumphs of the F1 team. Sporting success continued into the 21st century, with an unprecedented five consecutive World Driver’s Championship titles for Schumacher and Ferrari. Today, the company produces the mid-rear engine 459 Italia, the Ferrari California convertible, the 612 Scagletti and the high-performance Ferrari 599 GTB.