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I N T R O D U C T I O N

the badge of the “Prancing Horse,” none more representative of the character of its creator. “My cars may not be perfect,” Ferrari once remarked, “but they are unique.” His influence and reputation were truly international. It is now eight years since the passing of Sgr. Ferrari, and the company that bears his name is still guided by his vision. The expense and competition of motorsports is now light years beyond what Enzo Ferrari faced in the 1950s and ’60s, when his teams were most successful, but meaningful results have been achieved by both the Formula One Grand Prix and sports car rac- ing efforts. And the company’s newest production GT, the F555 Daytona, takes both its name and styling cues from what is, for many, the quintessen- tial Ferrari—the Daytona 250 GTO of 1962. Contemporary aficionados manifest their Ferrari appreciation in different ways. The tifiosi still fill the stands of the world’s racing circuits. Those who can afford to purchase the products of Maranello enjoy a superlative motoring experience, even if they aren’t among the growing number of customers who participate in their own special factory-sponsored racing program. Then there are some who, enamored more by the car’s history and reputation than they are of its capabilities, garage their purchases in the name of speculation. Indeed, it was the coveting of the marque following Enzo Ferrari’s death in 1988 that created a boom (and subsequent fallout) in the entire collectible car market. Life after Enzo Ferrari actually started five years before he died, as he spent this time shaping projects that would be fulfilled after his death. With such a strong legacy, some enthusiasts wonder whether the company’s history might be diluted down the road. But current executives do respect the compa- ny’s traditions. The company started out building racing cars, and will contin- ue to do so. Its racing heritage, more than anything else, defines Ferrari as something special, almost irreplaceable. That essence will always drive inter- est in the marque.

FOLLOWING PAGE: At its introduction, Enzo Ferrari described the F40 as being “a sum- mary of all the efforts of Ferrari over the years.”

The 250 GTO delivered GT-class championships to Ferrari in 1962, 1963, and 1964. The “O” stood for “omologoto,” or homologation, the production run mandated for the car to compete.

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