Children talk about growing up and owning a Ferrari as it will mean they’re successful. Some of those children do grow up to own one and others understand what it means, it’s a benchmark of success. That success has been cultivated by Ferrari over the past 70 years. Since its first victory in 1947 with the 125 S at the Rome Grand Prix, Ferrari has lived up to their motto: “Excellence that makes the world dream.” The evolution of this car company and its fine cars has been the thing of childhood fantasies, especially these notable models over the course of the past 70 years.
Sharing the same engine as the formula one racer, the Ferrari 125S was the first car to bear the famous name. With hydraulic power drum brakes, a steel tube-frame chassis, double wishbone suspension, Enzo Ferrari insisted that the 125S employed a five-speed gearbox. The design of the car paid off, the 125S won 14 races in 1947.
The 1957 Ferrari 335S Spider Scaglietti made its biggest mark in 2016 when it sold at auction for $35.7 million. The high sale price was due to the fact that only four of these models were ever produced. They sported a 400 horsepower, 4.1-litre V12 engine with a top speed of 190 miles per hour – quite groundbreaking for 1957.
Only three Ferrari Thomassimas were ever manufactured. The Thomassima I was destroyed in a flood and the Thomassima III is in the Ferrari museum in Modena, Italy. The Thomassima II (pictured above), however, showed up on eBay for sale a couple years ago. The price? Just $9 million. What makes the Thomassima model unique is the fact that it was designed by Tom Meade from California and built as a Ferrari, but it is arguably not since it was never given a Ferrari-issued chassis number. So, how did it make it on this list? It’s an interesting piece of history.
The 1970s ushered in a long line of sports cars that provided much of the design inspiration we still see today. The Ferrari 308 GTB was first introduced to us at the 1975 Paris Motor Show and was produced initially from 1976 to 1979. The 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB, pictured above, features a 255 horsepower 3.0-liter quad-cam dual distributor 90-degree V-8 engine.
As one of the most recognizable models, the Ferrari F40 was the final model to be introduced by Enzo Ferrari himself. He died just 14 months later. With aerodynamics at the forefront of the car’s design, the 1987 F40 broke the 200 miles per hour barrier with its 478 horsepower, twin turbo V8 engine.
Moving into a more contemporary and sleek design, the Ferrari F355 Spider made its debut in 1995 and was produced from 1994 until 1999. The most-produced model of its time, the F355 Spider had a total production of 11,273 units. This distinction would be passed onto the 360 and later the F430. With a 6-speed manual transmission and a 3.5-litre, V8 engine, the beauty under the hood is as apparent as the beauty over the hood, as evidenced in this photo of the 1997 F355 Spider.
Based on the some of the technology that was developed by Enzo Ferrari himself, the design and specifics of the FXX is a closely guarded company secret. Elements of the car actually have been incorporated from their F1 team. With a 6.3-litre engine and a 6-speed semi-automatic transmission, the FXX is a track car and a development prototype. However, 38 were produced from 2005-2007 and the 2007 model is pictured above.
The addition of “Superfast” to the name of the 2017 Ferrari 812 indicates that the stage is set for power. The style of today’s car is a perfect representation of the past 70 years of design. The performance of this model is also one of the company’s best. The 2017 Ferrari 812 Superfast debuted this year at the Geneva Motor Show and was well-received. Its “Superfast” moniker is due to its 6.5-litre, V12 engine and its 7-speed dual clutch transmission.
With the success the brand has seen over the past 70 years, they’re certain to be around for another 70. As long as they keep producing the quality we’ve come to expect, they will maintain the status of success in being an owner of such a fine car. If the Ferrari isn’t for you, perhaps you’ll enjoy the Aston Martin DB6. So which of these models is your favorite?
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