Mythical, magic, unique: Ferrari turns 70 in style

The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Friday, March 29, 2024


Mythical, magic, unique: Ferrari turns 70 in style
People look at Italian Ferrari automobiles on display at the Corso Sempione in Milan before taking to the road towards Maranello, the home of Ferrari, to celebrate the Prancing Horse's 70th anniversary, on September 8, 2017. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP.

by Céline Cornu



MILAN (AFP).- It's the black prancing horse's 70th birthday and gleaming Ferraris are out in force in Italy this weekend to celebrate.

Some 500 sleek, purring sports cars are gathering in Milan on Friday before the festivities move to Modena, where founder Enzo Ferrari was born, and end with an exclusive party in Maranello, where Ferraris have been made since World War II.

"Ferrari is a mythical brand: it has had a fabulous track record in speed and represents the pinnacle of the sports car," automotive historian and enthusiast Patrice Verges told AFP.

For luxury motor fanatics and punters alike, there is something "magic" about Ferraris and their distinctive sound.

"Having a Ferrari and being watched is part of the game," Verges says.

It all started when Enzo Ferrari, a racing driver, formed the "Scuderia Ferrari" ("Ferrari Stable") in 1929 and prepared and fielded Alfa Romeo racing cars.

It was not until 1947 that the first Ferrari (125 S) was born -- designed by Ferrari, produced at the Maranello factory and bearing the brand's symbol, a black horse on a yellow background, bordered by the colours of the Italian flag.

The stallion, rearing up on its back legs, its tail swept upwards, was chosen as a tribute to Francesco Baracca, a World War I Italian air force ace who used to paint a prancing horse on the side of his planes.

The pilot's mother suggested Ferrari use it as a good luck symbol, and he added the canary yellow background as it was the colour of his hometown of Modena.

'Happy few'
The Ferraris soon took the luxury world by storm. The cars were, and still are, reserved for a "happy few" willing and able to shell out at least 150,000 euros ($180,000) -- or over one million euros for limited series editions.

Patience is a must: Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne said last year the waiting list for a Ferrari 488 was three years.

The brand, which split from Fiat Chrysler (FCA) in 2015 and is now listed in Milan and New York, boasts enviable results: 3.1 billion euros turnover in 2016 for 8,014 cars delivered, and a net profit up 38 percent to 400 million euros.

Its success lies in its ability to combine "industrial craftmanship of the highest quality" with "an extremely close dialogue with its customers," says Carlo Alberto Carnevale Maffe, professor of strategy at Milan's Bocconi University.

The personalisation options are extensive -- from steering wheels, to seats and dashboards -- and customers are welcome to visit the factory, where all requests are welcome as long as they don't alter the car's safety or engineering.

'Dream factory'
Carnevale Maffe is of the opinion that Ferraris have to be "earned".

"You have to belong to the club. There are so many social climbers, nouveaux riche who want to be admitted but they are looked at with some suspicion," he said.

Ferrari used to be "a brand for enthusiasts: it needed to be because its cars kept breaking down all the time, though of course no-one admitted it," says Verges.

Today, "it's more a mark of the wealthy middle class" who buy the motors as investments, he says.

The myth may have taken a hit, but the fact remains that the most expensive car ever sold at auction is a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Scaglietti, sold at auction in 2016 in Paris for 32 million euros.

On the circuits too, the oldest Formula One "stable" is still king. And it's after the best birthday present of all, with driver Sebastian Vettel in with a chance of winning the world title against Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes.

After 68 seasons, the Scuderia holds an impressive track record of 228 Grand Prix victories, 16 Most Constructors' Championships and 15 Most Drivers' Championships.

Ferrari "is not a car factory", it's "a dream factory", said Carnevale Maffe.


© Agence France-Presse










Today's News

September 10, 2017

Groundbreaking LGBTQ art show opens at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei

Mythical, magic, unique: Ferrari turns 70 in style

'The Shape of Water' by Mexico's Guillermo Del Toro wins Venice Golden Lion

Works by American Modernists and Abstract Expressionists on view at Paul Kasmin Gallery

Rare bust of Queen Victoria by master sculptor at risk of leaving the UK

Comprehensive exhibition dedicated entirely to a group of crucifixes by Lucio Fontana opeens

Mary Boone Gallery opens solo exhibition of works by Peter Saul and Will Cotton

Exhibition offers a rare opportunity to view major works by Janet Fish produced from 1980 to 2008

Minneapolis Institute of Art opens first-ever exhibition to focus on view paintings as depictions of contemporary events

'Referencing Alexander Calder: A Dialogue in Contemporary Chinese Art' opens at Klein Sun Gallery

Photo exhibition at the Michener documents protests and social change

Old Toy Soldier Auctions offers prestigious collections from US and Denmark, Oct. 14

Exhibition of paintings by Alex Sewell opens at TOTAH

Butler exhibition reflects plight of the mountain gorilla

William Monk's mysterious paintings on display at Grimm Gallery's New York space

Garis & Hahn re-locates to Los Angeles with inaugural exhibition of new works by Mike Perry

Boundless connections in nature revealed in 'Ana England: Kinship' at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Janet Biggs documents sulfur workers in new video installation at the Neuberger Museum of Art

Sally Saul's first solo exhibition in New York opens at Rachel Uffner Gallery

Museum of Glass opens exhibition of glass and steel sculptures by Albert Paley

Exhibition offers an overview of some of the most important examples of the "art of immersive experiences"

Jennifer Packer presents new and recent paintings at the Renaissance Society

Exhibition presents the work of 40 contemporary artists who explore the border as a physical reality

Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State reopens with new look in the galleries




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful