Enzo Ferrari: 24 Years After His Death

There are certain names linked to the automotive industry that even people who do not care about cars know. These names include Henry FordFordUnited States of America, 1903 > present92 models
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, the three generations of Ferdinand PorschePorscheGermany, 1931 > present43 models
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and Enzo Ferrari. On August 14 1988 Enzo Ferrari died at the age of 90. 

FerrariFerrariItaly, 1947 > present233 models
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is certainly one of the most recognizable men in the automotive world. He brought racing success to post-war Italy and built some of the greatest road and racing cars ever made.

Ferrari was also famously mercurial. In racing, he would pit his drivers against one another and encourage competition among them. A driver's space was never safe when racing at Ferrari. At the same time he loved his drivers or at least appeared to outwardly. When his drivers began dying, he stopped going to races because he could not bear to see it. Ferrari would wait by the phone for reports about how his cars performed. 

Ferrari built a company that put racing first. He sold high performance road cars to the wealthiest people in the world to fund his racing endeavors. He was not always willing to bend to change. His racecars stuck with drum brakes after discs became the norm. He also was against creating mid-engined cars citing that wagons are pulled from the front, not pushed from the rear. 

“We should remember the example set by our Founder, first and foremost for the youngest people. Enzo Ferrari was always able to look ahead, even in the most difficult situations. He realized his dream, pursuing it with determination and extraordinary passion, qualities that today are imbued in the men and women who work in the company that bears his name. I am sure he would be proud of those who represent Ferrari in the twenty first century, a major force in industry and motor racing which produces dream cars and is still at the pinnacle of motor sport, bringing joy to millions of fans of the marque, in all four corners of the world,” said Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo.

Ferrari began racing in 1920 in an Alfa RomeoAlfa RomeoItaly, 1910 > present108 models
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with mixed success. In 1929, he founded Scuderia Ferrari and raced Alfa Romeos. The 30s were a rough time for Ferrari. The Silver Arrows from Auto UnionAuto-UnionGermany, 1932 > 19647 models
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and MercedesMercedes-BenzGermany, 1924 > present197 models
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dominated the era, but Tazio Nuvolari won the 1935 German Grand Prix against stiff competition. In 1950, Ferrari became one of the first teams to compete in Formula 1, but it scored its first win in 1951 at the British Grand Prix.

Through the 50s, Ferrari began to build its cache. It built its first road car in 1949 and built race wins in sports car racing and Formula 1 through the era. Ferrari dominated Le Mans in the early 60s until Ford entered competition in the mid 60s. Ford had attempted to buy Ferrari but was rebuffed at the last moment. That spurred Ford to beat Ferrari on track if it could not own them. 

Ferrari had two children. His first son Dino died of muscular dystrophy in 1956, but to commemorate him the Dino name was used on six-cylinder Ferraris. Ferrari's other son Piero was born to his mistress and was not acknowledged until his wife's death in 1978. Piero is not a vice president at Ferrari. 

The final Ferrari released before Enzo's death was the F40Ferrari F40Italy, 1987 > 199218 photos
that celebrated 40 years of road cars from the company.