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116-460: Ferrari S.p.A. ( / f ə ˈ r ɑːr i / , Italian: [ferˈraːri] ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello . Founded in 1939 by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988), the company built its first car in 1940, adopted its current name in 1945, and began to produce its current line of road cars in 1947. Ferrari became a public company in 1960, and from 1963 to 2014 it
232-448: A V12 engine placed in the front of the car , and it presaged Ferrari's full embrace of mid-engine architecture, as well as V6 and V8 engines, in the 1970s and 1980s. Enzo Ferrari died in 1988, an event that saw Fiat expand its stake to 90%. The last car that he personally approved—the F40 —expanded on the flagship supercar approach first tried by the 288 GTO four years earlier. Enzo
348-467: A World Championship Grand Prix with a Ferrari car. Ferrari supplied cars complete with V8 engines for the A1 Grand Prix series, from the 2008–2009 season. The car was designed by Rory Byrne and is styled to resemble the 2004 Ferrari Formula one car. Ferrari currently runs a customer GT program for a racing version of its 458 and has done so for the 458's predecessors, dating back to the 355 in
464-500: A brand image built around racing heritage, luxury, and exclusivity. As of May 2023, Ferrari is also one of the largest car manufacturers by market capitalisation , with a value of approximately US$ 85.5 billion. Enzo Ferrari , formerly a salesman and racing driver for Alfa Romeo , founded Scuderia Ferrari , a racing team, in 1929. Originally intended to service gentleman drivers and other amateur racers, Alfa Romeo's withdrawal from racing in 1933, combined with Enzo's connections within
580-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),
696-409: A definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally,
812-400: A new water pump was used. The dynamo on the prior versions was replaced by an alternator . The Colombo V12 was substantially reworked for 1967's 275 GTB/4 . It still used two valves per cylinder, but dual overhead cams were now used as well. In a departure from previous Ferrari designs, the valve angle was reduced three degrees to 54° for a more-compact head. The dual camshafts also allowed
928-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,
1044-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like
1160-609: A rainbow of colours, and one 250 GT SWB , used as a test mule for the 250 GTO, was a rare non-red factory-backed car: it raced in blue. In a particularly noteworthy case from 1964, while protesting the FIA 's homologation requirements, the company moved its racing assets to the North American Racing Team , an affiliated team based in the United States. As a result, Ferrari and the driver John Surtees won
1276-424: A range of categories including Formula One and sports car racing , though the company has also worked in partnership with other teams. The earliest Ferrari entity, Scuderia Ferrari , was created in 1929—ten years before the founding of Ferrari proper—as a Grand Prix racing team. It was affiliated with automaker Alfa Romeo , for whom Enzo had worked in the 1920s. Alfa Romeo supplied racing cars to Ferrari, which
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#17327652943211392-463: A significant update of this philosophy. The Tailor Made programme allows clients to work with designers in Maranello to make decisions at every step of the process. Through this program almost any trim, any exterior colour or any interior material is possible. The program carries on the original tradition and emphasizes the idea of each car being unique. The 1984 288 GTO is considered by some to be
1508-419: A three-digit unitary displacement of an engine cylinder with an additional suffix representing the purpose of a vehicle. Therefore, Ferrari 125 S had 1.5 L (1,496.77 cc) V12 engine with a unitary displacement of 124.73 cc; whilst S-suffix represented Sport. Other race cars also received names invoking particular races such as Ferrari 166 MM for Mille Miglia. With the introduction of road-going models,
1624-459: A two-stage supercharger. This combination gave the car better top-end performance and the resulting 280 PS (276 hp; 206 kW) gave it five Grand Prix wins. Development continued the following year, but the problematic superchargers were dropped in favor of larger displacement and Lampredi's 275 engine superseded the original Colombo design. Applications: The early 166, 195, and 212 cars used Colombo V12s of varying sizes. All shared
1740-629: Is a one-make racing series for the Ferrari 458 . The FXX is not road legal and is therefore only used for track events. The first vehicle made with the Ferrari name was the 125 S . Only two of this small two-seat sports/racing V12 car were made. In 1949, the 166 Inter was introduced marking the company's significant move into the grand touring road car market. The first 166 Inter was a four-seat (2+2) berlinetta coupe with body work designed by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera . Road cars quickly became
1856-526: Is always presented either as a shield, with the Italian tricolour above the horse and the initials SF (" Scuderia Ferrari ") below; or as a rectangle, replacing "SF" with the word "Ferrari" rendered in the company's trademark typeface. Enzo Ferrari offered an account of the horse's origins. In his story, after a 1923 victory in Ravenna , the family of Francesco Baracca , a deceased flying ace who painted
1972-452: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and
2088-422: Is done by Ferrari, sometimes in cooperation with external design houses such as Pininfarina or Fioravanti , and the vehicles receive full homologation to be road legal. Since the creation of Ferrari's in-house styling centre in 2010 though, the focus has shifted away somewhat from outside coachbuilders and more towards creating new in-house designs for clients. The first car to be completed under this programme
2204-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in
2320-622: Is the Ferrari Driver Academy . Begun in 2009, the initiative follows the team's successful grooming of Felipe Massa between 2003 and 2006. Drivers who are accepted into the Academy learn the rules and history of formula racing as they compete, with Ferrari's support, in feeder classes such as Formula Three and Formula 4 . As of 2019, 5 out of 18 programme inductees had graduated and become F1 drivers: one of these drivers, Charles Leclerc , came to race for Scuderia Ferrari, while
2436-485: Is the Lampredi V12 , which it far outlived, the last Lampredi being made in 1959. Colombo, who had previously designed Alfa Romeos for Enzo Ferrari , placed bore centres at 90 mm apart, allowing for significant expansion. Displacements ranged from the diminutive 1,497 cc (1.5 L; 91.4 cu in) debut that powered the 125S racer to the 4,943 cc (4.9 L; 301.6 cu in) unit in
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#17327652943212552-569: Is the series' single oldest and most successful. Scuderia Ferrari has raced since 1929, first in Grand Prix events and later in Formula One, where since 1952 it has fielded fifteen champion drivers , won sixteen Constructors' Championships , and accumulated more race victories, 1–2 finishes, podiums, pole positions, fastest laps and points than any other team in F1 history. Historically, Ferrari
2668-691: The 125 F1 , was first raced at the 1948 Italian Grand Prix , where its encouraging performance convinced Enzo to continue the company's costly Grand Prix racing programme. Ferrari's first victory in an F1 series was at the 1951 British Grand Prix , heralding its strong performance during the 1950s and early 1960s: between 1952 and 1964, the team took home six World Drivers' Championships and one Constructors' Championship . Notable Ferrari drivers from this era include Alberto Ascari , Juan Manuel Fangio , Phil Hill , and John Surtees . Ferrari's initial fortunes ran dry after 1964, and its began to receive its titles in isolated sprees. Ferrari first started to slip in
2784-414: The 125 S , which was the marque's first car, and many subsequent Ferraris. The company saw success in motorsport almost as soon as it began racing: the 125 S won many races in 1947, and several early victories, including the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1951 Carrera Panamericana , helped build Ferrari's reputation as a high-quality automaker. Ferrari won several more races in the coming years, and early in
2900-589: The 1964 Formula One season in American colours—blue, with a white racing stripe . By the early 2010s, red had also become less common on Ferrari's road cars, fighting with newly popular colours such as yellow, silver, and white. Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in
3016-445: The 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship , Ferrari, in partnership with AF Corse , fielded two 499P sports prototypes. To commemorate the company's return to the discipline, one of the cars was numbered "50", referencing the fifty years that had elapsed since a works Ferrari competed in an endurance race. The 499P finished first at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans , ending Toyota Gazoo Racing 's five-year winning streak there and becoming
3132-520: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,
3248-541: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over
3364-623: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as
3480-454: The Ferrari 125 S —also the first Ferrari-branded sports car—became the first to wear it. For many years, rosso corsa ( ' racing red ' ) was the required colour of all Italian racing cars. It is also closely associated with Ferrari: even after livery regulations changed, allowing race teams to deviate from their national colours , Scuderia Ferrari continued to paint its cars bright red, as it does to this day. On Ferrari's road-going cars,
3596-520: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This
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3712-565: The Mille Miglia , and two victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans , among many other races These races were ideal environments for the development and promotion of Ferrari's earlier road cars, which were broadly similar to their racing counterparts. This luck continued into the first half of the 1960s, when Ferrari won the WSC's 2000GT class three consecutive times and finished first at Le Mans for six consecutive years. Its winning streak at Le Mans
3828-464: The "HY-KERS Concept", Ferrari's hybrid system adds more than 100 horsepower on top of the 599 Fiorano's 612 hp. Also in mid-2014, the flagship LaFerrari was put into production featuring a hybrid system. Ferrari introduced their first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model in 2019 with the SF90 Stradale , followed by the 296 in 2021. From the beginning, the Ferrari naming convention consisted of
3944-520: The "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States
4060-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among
4176-495: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after
4292-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by
4408-477: The 1950s and 1960s, Ferrari supplied Formula One cars to a number of private entrants and other teams. One famous example was Tony Vandervell 's team, which raced the Thinwall Special modified Ferraris before building their own Vanwall cars. The North American Racing Team 's entries in the final three rounds of the 1969 season were the last occasions on which a team other than Scuderia Ferrari entered
4524-633: The 1950s its road cars were already a favourite of the international elite. Ferrari produced many families of interrelated cars, including the America , Monza , and 250 series, and the company's first series-produced car was the 250 GT Coupé , beginning in 1958. In 1960, Ferrari was reorganized as a public company . It soon began searching for a business partner to handle its manufacturing operations: it first approached Ford in 1963, though negotiations fell through; later talks with Fiat , who bought 50% of Ferrari's shares in 1969, were more successful. In
4640-499: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as
4756-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro
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4872-596: The 1986 412i grand tourer . Significant updates were made in 1963 for the 330 series , featuring a redesigned block with wider, 94 mm, bore spacing. Enzo Ferrari had long admired the V12 engines of Packard , Auto Union , and Alfa Romeo (where he was long employed), but his first car, the 1940 Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 , used a Fiat derived straight-8 . Development of the V12 Colombo engine continued long after Colombo had been replaced by Aurelio Lampredi as
4988-506: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with
5104-400: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Ferrari Colombo engine The Ferrari Colombo engine is a petrol fueled , water cooled , carburetted 60° V12 engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo and produced in numerous iterations by Italian automaker Ferrari between 1947 and 1988. The maker's first homegrown engine, its linear successor
5220-645: The Centro Stile Ferrari for the design of all its road cars. The Ferrari F12 was the last Ferrari production model to feature Pininfarina design, although Ferrari has stated that they will continue to collaborate with Pininfarina on special projects. The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is the first-ever Ferrari to feature PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) architecture which sees the internal combustion engine integrated with three electric motors, two of which are independent and located on
5336-465: The Constructors' Championship in 1982 and 1983. Following another drought in the 1980s and 1990s, Ferrari saw a long winning streak in the 2000s, largely through the work of Michael Schumacher . After signing onto the team in 1996, Schumacher gave Ferrari five consecutive drivers' titles between 2000 and 2004; this was accompanied by six consecutive constructors' titles, beginning in 1999. Ferrari
5452-532: The February 1967 24 Hours of Daytona with the 330 P4 . Only in the 1973 Daytona 24 Hours, a 365 GTB/4 run by NART (who raced Ferraris in America) ran second, behind a Porsche 911 . The various Dino models were named for Enzo's son, Dino Ferrari, and were marketed as Dinos by Ferrari and sold at Ferrari dealers – for all intents and purposes they are Ferraris. In the mid-1990s, Ferrari added
5568-478: The Italian military; the contracts for these goods were lucrative, and provided the new company with a great deal of capital. In 1943, under threat of Allied bombing raids, the company's factory was moved to Maranello . Though the new facility was nonetheless bombed twice, Ferrari remains in Maranello to this day. In 1945, Ferrari adopted its current name. Work started promptly on a new V12 engine that would power
5684-468: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include
5800-462: The bulk of Ferrari sales. The early Ferrari road cars typically featured bodywork designed and customised by independent coachbuilders such as Vignale , Touring , Ghia , Pininfarina , Scaglietti and Bertone . The original Ferrari road cars were typically two-seat front-engined V12s. This platform served Ferrari well through the 1950s and 1960s. In 1967, the V6 powered Dino 206 GT was introduced as
5916-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for
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#17327652943216032-443: The car powered by it, the 125 S sports racer, were derived from the tiny 124.73 cc (7.6 cu in) 55 mm (2.17 in) by 52.5 mm (2.07 in) cylinders . The single overhead camshaft 60° V design had one cam on each cylinder bank , two valves per cylinder, and three 30DCF Weber carburetors . A 7.5:1 compression ratio yielded 118 PS (116 hp; 87 kW) at 6800 rpm. First appearing May 11, 1947,
6148-439: The colour has always been among the company's most popular choices: in 2012, 40 per cent of Ferraris left the factory painted red, while in the early 1990s the figure was even higher, at 85 per cent. Some Ferrari vehicles, such as the 288 GTO , have only been made available in red. Although rosso corsa is the colour most associated with Ferrari, it has not always been the colour of choice. Ferraris raced by privateers have run in
6264-514: The company "Auto Avio Costruzioni", and headquartered it in the facilities of the old Scuderia Ferrari; due to a noncompete agreement with Alfa Romeo, the company could not use the Ferrari name for another four years. The company produced a single car, the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 , which participated in only one race before the outbreak of World War II . During the war, Enzo's company produced aircraft engines and machine tools for
6380-571: The company's F2 programme led directly to the creation of the Dino engine , which came to power various racing and road Ferraris. The final non-F1 formula in which Ferrari competed was the Tasman Series , wherein Chris Amon won the 1969 championship in a Dino 246 Tasmania . At least two water speed record boats have utilized Ferrari powertrains, both of them 800kg-class hydroplanes from
6496-518: The company's marquee engine designer. Although the Lampredi V12 was a real force for the company, it was Colombo's engine which powered Ferrari to the forefront of high-performance automobiles through the 1950s and 1960s. The first Ferrari-designed engine was the 1,496.77 cc (1.5 L; 91.3 cu in) V12 125 , the work of Gioacchino Colombo and assistants Giuseppe Busso and Luigi Bazzi [ it ] . The engine's name, and
6612-504: The company, turned Scuderia Ferrari into its unofficial representative on the track. Alfa Romeo supplied racing cars to Ferrari, who eventually amassed some of the best drivers of the 1930s and won many races before the team's liquidation in 1937. Late in 1937, Scuderia Ferrari was liquidated and absorbed into Alfa Romeo, but Enzo's disagreements with upper management caused him to leave in 1939. He used his settlement to found his own company, where he intended to produce his own cars. He called
6728-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although
6844-489: The early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise
6960-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including
7076-423: The early 1950s. Neither boat was built by or affiliated with Ferrari, though one of them, Arno XI , had its engine order approved directly by Enzo Ferrari. Arno XI still holds the top speed record for an 800kg hydroplane. Since 2019, Scuderia Ferrari has participated in sim racing . Throughout its history, Ferrari has supplied racing cars to other entrants, aside from its own works Scuderia Ferrari team. In
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#17327652943217192-564: The early 1990s, Ferrari followed a three-number naming scheme based on engine displacement and a number of cylinders: Most Ferraris were also given designations referring to their body style. In general, the following conventions were used: This naming system can be confusing, as some entirely different vehicles used the same engine type and body style. Many Ferraris also had other names affixed (such as Daytona) to identify them further. Many such names are actually not official factory names. The Daytona name commemorates Ferrari's triple success in
7308-490: The emblem on his airplane, paid him a visit. Paolina de Biancoli, Francesco's mother, suggested that Ferrari adopt the horse as a good luck charm: he accepted the request, and the Prancing Horse was first used by his racing team in 1932, applied to their Alfa Romeo 8C with the addition of a canary yellow background—the "colour of Modena ", Enzo's hometown. The rectangular Prancing Horse has been used since 1947, when
7424-432: The engine allowed the company to claim six victories in 14 races that year. Colombo and Ferrari had designed the engine with Formula One regulations in mind, and introduced it the next year in the company's first F1 car, the 125 F1 . This time, it was supercharged , in accordance with F1 dictates, for a total output of 230 PS (227 hp; 169 kW) at 7,000 rpm. However, the single-stage Roots-type supercharger
7540-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In
7656-418: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,
7772-435: The first Ferrari in 58 years to win the race. Ferrari repeated this feat at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans , marking its first consecutive victory at the race since 1965. From 1932 to 1935 Scuderia Ferrari operated a motorcycle racing division, which was conceived as a way to scout and train future Grand Prix drivers. Instead of Italian motorcycles, the team used British ones manufactured by Norton and Rudge . Though Ferrari
7888-468: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in
8004-725: The first in the line of Ferrari flagship "supercars". This pedigree is considered to extend through the F40 , F50 , Enzo and the LaFerrari . These are sometimes referred to by collectors as the "Big 5". Ferrari has produced a handful of concept cars such as the Modulo , Mythos , and Pinin . Some of these were quite radical and never intended for production, while others showed styling elements that were later incorporated into production models. Most of Ferrari's concept cars have been collaborations with design studio Pininfarina . The most recent concept car to be produced by Ferrari themselves
8120-423: The first production rear mid-engined car built by Ferrari. The 206 GT was sold under the lower cost Dino marque, named after Enzo Ferrari's late son, and sold in greater numbers than any previous Ferrari model. The first rear mid-engine model to be sold under the Ferrari name came in 1973 with the flat 12 powered Berlinetta Boxer . This rear mid-engine layout would go on to be used in many Ferraris continuing into
8236-573: The front axle, with the third at the rear between the engine and the gearbox. In the 1950s and 1960s, clients often personalized their vehicles as they came straight from the factory. This philosophy added to the mystique of the brand at the time. Every Ferrari that came out of Maranello could be built to an individual customer's specification. Ferrari formalized this concept with its earlier Carrozzeria Scaglietti programme. The options offered here were more typical such as racing seats, rearview cameras, and other special trim. In late 2011, Ferrari announced
8352-711: The hiring of Michael Schumacher and Jean Todt ), and the production of three more flagship cars: the F50 , the Enzo , and the LaFerrari . In addition to his leadership of Ferrari, Montezemolo was also the chairman of Fiat proper between 2004 and 2010. After Montezemolo resigned, he was replaced in quick succession by many new chairmen and CEOs. He was succeeded first by Sergio Marchionne , who would oversee Ferrari's initial public offering and subsequent spin-off from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles , and then by Louis Camilleri as CEO and John Elkann as chairman. Beginning in 2021, Camilleri
8468-573: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and
8584-399: The late 1960s, when it was outclassed by teams using the inexpensive, well-engineered Cosworth DFV engine. The team's performance improved markedly in the mid-1970s thanks to Niki Lauda , whose skill behind the wheel granted Ferrari a drivers' title in 1975 and 1977; similar success was accomplished in following years by the likes of Jody Scheckter and Gilles Villeneuve . The team also won
8700-596: The late 1990s. Such private teams as the American Risi Competizione and Italian AF Corse teams have been very successful with Ferrari GT racers over the years. This car, made for endurance sportscar racing to compete against such racing versions of the Audi R8 , McLaren MP4-12C , and BMW Z4 (E89) has proven to be successful, but not as successful as its predecessor, the F430 . The Ferrari Challenge
8816-505: The letter "F" to the beginning of all models (a practice abandoned after the F512 M and F355 , but adopted again with the F430 , but not with its successor, the Ferrari 458 ). Ferrari's symbol is the "Prancing Horse" ( Italian : Cavallino Rampante , lit. ' little prancing horse ' ), a prancing black horse on a yellow background. Minor details of its appearance have changed many times, but its shape has remained consistent: it
8932-518: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)
9048-537: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since
9164-488: The most common Colombo engines is the 250 , which debuted in 1952 in the 250S and lasted through the 1963 330 America . It used a 73 mm (2.87 in) bore with the common Colombo stroke of 58.8 mm (2.31 in) for a total of 2,953 cc (3.0 L). Beginning with the famous 250 TR, "Testa Rossa" racing car, Ferrari began a new series of modifications to the Colombo 250 engine. The spark plugs were moved to
9280-544: The most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1
9396-809: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899
9512-527: The other four signed to other teams. Non-graduate drivers have participated in racing development, filled consultant roles, or left the Academy to continue racing in lower-tier formulae. Aside from an abortive effort in 1940, Ferrari began racing sports cars in 1947, when the 125 S won six out of the ten races it participated in. Ferrari continued to see similar luck in the years to follow: by 1957, just ten years after beginning to compete, Ferrari had won three World Sportscar Championships , seven victories in
9628-477: The outside of the cylinder head, near the exhausts. This enabled Ferrari to introduce separate individual intake ports to use with the six two barrel Weber carburetors. Four cylinder head bolts per cylinder were introduced (instead of three) to cope with the added power. These changes eventually were incorporated into the Ferrari road cars, beginning with the 250 GT SWB and the 250 GT Series II Pininfarina cars. The final 58.8 mm (2.31 in) Colombo Ferrari
9744-456: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911
9860-473: The present day. Current Ferrari road cars typically use V8 or V12 engines, with V8 models making up over half of the marque's total production. For a time, Ferrari built 2+2 versions of its mid-engined V8 cars. Although they looked quite different from their 2-seat counterparts, both the GT4 and Mondial were closely related to the 308 GTB. The company has also produced several front-engined 2+2 cars, culminating in
9976-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in
10092-408: The recent V12 model Lusso and V8 models Roma , Portofino and Lusso T . The California is credited with initiating the popular current model line of V8 front-engined 2+2 grand touring performance sports cars. Starting in the early 2010s with the LaFerrari , Ferrari shifted its focus away from using independent coachbuilders, most notably Pininfarina , to instead relying on in-house design from
10208-439: The same 58.8 mm (2.31 in) stroke , with 60, 65, and 68 mm (2.68 in) bores giving displacements of 1,995 cc (2.0 L; 121.7 cu in) in the 166 , 2,341 cc (2.3 L; 142.9 cu in) in the 195 and 2,563 cc (2.6 L; 156.4 cu in) in the 212 , respectively. Output ranged from 105 PS (104 hp; 77 kW) to 165 PS (163 hp; 121 kW). One of
10324-436: The second half of the decade, Ferrari also produced two cars that upended its more traditional models: the 1967 Dino 206 GT , which was its first mass-produced mid-engined road car, and the 1968 365 GTB/4 , which possessed streamlined styling that modernised Ferrari's design language. The Dino in particular was a decisive movement away from the company's conservative engineering approach, where every road-going Ferrari featured
10440-558: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired
10556-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as
10672-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as
10788-491: The suffix Inter was added, inspired by the Scuderia Inter racing team of Igor Troubetzkoy. Popular at that time 166 -series had 2.0 L (1,995.02 cc) engines with 166.25 cc of unitary displacement and a very diverse 250 -series had 3.0 L (2,953.21 cc) of total displacement and 246.10 cc of unitary. Later series of road cars were renamed Europa and top-of-the-line series America and Superamerica. Until
10904-431: The team then tuned and adjusted to their desired specifications. Scuderia Ferrari was highly successful in the 1930s: between 1929 and 1937 the team fielded such top drivers as Antonio Ascari , Giuseppe Campari , and Tazio Nuvolari , and won 144 out of its 225 races. Ferrari returned to Grand Prix racing in 1947, which was at that point metamorphosing into modern-day Formula One. The team's first homebuilt Grand Prix car,
11020-570: The valves to be aligned "correctly" (perpendicular to the camshaft) instead of offset as in SOHC Ferraris. It was a dry-sump design with a huge 16 L (17 US qt) capacity. The engine retained the bore and stroke dimensions of the 275 model for 3,286 cc (3.3 L; 200.5 cu in) of displacement. Output was 330 PS (325 hp; 243 kW) at 8000 rpm and 240 lb⋅ft (325 N⋅m) of torque at 6000 rpm with six 40 DCN 9 Weber carburetors. The 330 Colombo engine
11136-478: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type
11252-436: Was 340 to 400 PS (335 to 395 hp; 250 to 294 kW) with triple Weber carburetors. Although the 1963 330 series also used a 3,967 cc (4.0 L; 242.1 cu in) engine with the same bore and stroke as the 400 Superamerica, this 300 PS (221 kW; 296 hp) engine was quite different. It used a wider bore spacing, paving the way for future displacement increases. The spark plugs were moved and
11368-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with
11484-571: Was a subsidiary of Fiat S.p.A. It was spun off from Fiat's successor entity, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles , in 2016. The company currently offers a large model range which includes several supercars , grand tourers , and one SUV . Many early Ferraris, dating to the 1950s and 1960s, count among the most expensive cars ever sold at auction . Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing , especially in Formula One , where its team, Scuderia Ferrari ,
11600-489: Was also highly active in sports car racing , where its cars took many wins in races such as the Mille Miglia , Targa Florio and 24 Hours of Le Mans , as well as several overall victories in the World Sportscar Championship . Scuderia Ferrari fans, commonly called tifosi , are known for their passion and loyalty to the team. Ferrari is one of the world's strongest brands , and it maintains
11716-684: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won
11832-627: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in
11948-443: Was broken by Ford in 1966, and though Ferrari would win two more WSC titles—one in 1967 and another in 1972 —poor revenue allocation, combined with languishing performance in Formula One, led the company to cease competing in sports car events in 1973. From that point onward, Ferrari would help prepare sports racing cars for privateer teams, but would not race them itself. In 2023, Ferrari reentered prototype sports car racing. For
12064-464: Was enlarged with an 81 mm (3.19 in) bore to 4,390.35 cc (4.4 L; 267.9 cu in) for 1966's 365 California , retaining single overhead cams and wet sump lubrication. A reworked engine with four camshafts was used in the GT/4 models. The 365 GTB/4 Daytona was the only 365 engined car featuring dry sump lubrication. Applications: The wet sump, four-cam, 365 Colombo engine
12180-417: Was especially dominant in the 2004 season , where it lost only three races. After Schumacher's departure, Ferrari won one more drivers' title—given in 2007 to Kimi Räikkönen —and two constructors' titles in 2007 and 2008. These are the team's most recent titles to date; as of late, Ferrari has struggled to outdo recently ascendant teams such as Red Bull and Mercedes-Benz . Ferrari's junior driver programme
12296-485: Was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture
12412-531: Was incapable of producing the high-end power required to compete with the strong eight-cylinder Alfa Romeo 158 and four-cylinder Maserati 4CLT . Nevertheless, strong driving and a nimble chassis allowed the company to place third in its first outing, at the Valentino Grand Prix on September 5, 1948 and the company persevered in racing. For 1949, the engine was further modified with dual overhead camshafts (though still two valves per cylinder) and
12528-694: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for
12644-675: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as
12760-405: Was replaced as CEO by Benedetto Vigna , who has announced plans to develop Ferrari's first fully electric model. During this period, Ferrari has expanded its production, owing to a global increase in wealth, while becoming more selective with its licensing deals. Since the company's beginnings, Ferrari has been involved in motorsport. Through its works team , Scuderia Ferrari , it has competed in
12876-455: Was replaced in 1991 by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo , under whose 23-year-long chairmanship the company greatly expanded. Between 1991 and 2014, he increased the profitability of Ferrari's road cars nearly tenfold, both by increasing the range of cars offered and through limiting the total number produced. Montezemolo's chairmanship also saw an expansion in licensing deals, a drastic improvement in Ferrari's Formula One performance (not least through
12992-424: Was successful on two wheels, winning three national titles and 44 overall victories, it was eventually pushed out of the discipline both by the obsolescence of pushrod motorcycle engines and broader economic troubles stemming from the Great Depression . Ferrari formerly participated in a variety of non-F1 open-wheel series. As early as 1948, Ferrari had developed cars for Formula Two and Formula Libre events, and
13108-476: Was the 275 . It used a 3,286 cc (3.3 L; 200.5 cu in) variant of the V12 with a wide 77 mm (3.03 in) bore for up to 300 PS (296 hp; 221 kW). The 1960 400 Superamerica replaced the previous model's Lampredi engine with a 3,967 cc (4.0 L; 242.1 cu in) Colombo. It diverged from the standard 58.8 mm (2.31 in) stroke with a 71 mm (2.80 in) stroke and 77 mm (3.03 in) bore. Output
13224-486: Was the 2008 SP1 , commissioned by a Japanese business executive. The second was the P540 Superfast Aperta , commissioned by an American collector. The following is a list of Special Projects cars that have been made public: An F430 Spider that runs on ethanol was displayed at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show . At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show , Ferrari unveiled a hybrid version of their flagship 599 . Called
13340-715: Was the 2010 Millechili . A number of one-off special versions of Ferrari road cars have also been produced, commissioned to coachbuilders by wealthy owners. Examples include the P4/5 and the 612 Kappa . The Special Projects programme, also called the Portfolio Coachbuilding Programme, was launched in 2008 as a way to revive the tradition of past one-off and limited production coachbuilt Ferrari models, allowing clients to work with Ferrari and top Italian coachbuilders to create bespoke bodied models based on modern Ferrari road cars. Engineering and design
13456-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of
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