For the past twelve years there have been two Ferrari museums in Italy for the fans and enthusiasts to enjoy. The larger and longer established of the pair is to be found in Maranello, the proverbial stone’s throw away from the factory complex and the Fiorano test track. Needless to say, it attracts a vast number of visitors who come to what would otherwise be a small Italian town some 12 km south of Modena that, whilst attractive enough, would probably not feature on many travel itineraries. Over the years the museum has been developed, expanded and remodelled a number of times and these days it is kept fresh by fairly frequent changes of the displays. In the 76 years of the Ferrari company there is a rich heritage of both road and race cars and so it is only ever possible to include a relatively small set of the treasures of this much loved marque in displays. Both museums adopt a policy of adopting one or more themes for the displays at any one time, meaning that you if you keep going back to the museums, as I do, you are likely to see a subset of some of the same cars from the factory collection but in different combinations, and there are also cars loaned in private owners and collectors to complete special exhibitions. As Maranello and Modena are only 12 km, or about 30 minutes, apart, it is perfectly feasible to visit both museums in the same day and still have time to do other touristic things, and that is exactly what I did during my June 2024 trip to the area. Unlike the Casa Enzo Ferrari in Modena where the entire display changes on an annual basis, at the Galleria Ferrari I found that some of the displays were different and some the same as on my last visit to the museum in June 2022, and indeed also in September 2020, but there were also some new displays, and anyway, where’s the problem in seeing these lovely cars one more time?

THE MAKING OF A FERRARI

First of the displays showed some of what goes into the construction of the body of a Ferrari, with a couple of pairs of cars, one complete and one the “body in white” as well as numerous photos on the walls of the gallery area.

Older of the pairing was a 250LM. At the November 1963 Paris Auto Show, Ferrari introduced the 250 LM (Le Mans). It was developed as a coupé version of the 250 P and was ostensibly a new production car intended to meet FIA homologation requirements for the Group 3 GT class. The intention was for the 250 LM to replace the 250 GTO as Ferrari’s premier GT-class racer. However, in April 1964 the FIA refused to homologate the model, as Ferrari had built considerably fewer than the required 100 units. The 250 LM thus had to run in the prototype class until it was homologated as a Group 4 Sports Car for the 1966 season. 32 total 250 LM chassis were built from 1963 to 1965, with all but the first chassis (s/n 5149, the Paris Auto Show car with a 250 P engine) powered by 3.3-litre 320 bhp engines as used in the 275 P. According to Ferrari naming convention, the 3.3 litre cars should have been designated “275 LM”, however Enzo Ferrari insisted that the name remain 250 LM in order to facilitate the homologation process. The 250 LM shared fully independent double wishbone suspension, rack and pinion steering, four wheel disc brakes and 5-speed transaxle with the 250 P, however the tubular space frame chassis was significantly strengthened with the roof structure, additional cross-bracing and heavier gauge tubing. The interior was trimmed out as a nod to the ostensible production status of the car, but ultimately it was little different from a prototype racer. The 250 LM was successfully raced around the world by both factory-supported and privateer racers. Unlike the 250/275/330 P cars, new 250 LMs were sold to private customers and campaigned by privateer teams. From 1964 through 1967, 250 LMs were raced by Scuderia Ferrari, NART, Maranello Concessionaires, Ecurie Filipinetti, Ecurie Francorchamps and others, even when this model was no longer competitive with the latest factory prototypes. Notably, a 250 LM (chassis 5893) entered by the North American Racing Team won the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans driven by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory. This remains Ferrari’s last overall victory in the endurance classic. This car is now owned by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and was displayed at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The 250 LM is highly sought-after by serious auto collectors and individual cars are often featured at auctions, car shows and historic racing events. 250 LMs typically sell for more than $10 million USD and auction records for this model have been repeatedly broken in the past 10 years.

The second car represented was from the current range, the 812 Superfast, the 2-seater sports GT which took the place of the F12 Berlinetta at the top of the “regular” range in 2018, and the most powerful car in Ferrari’s current family of road cars.

IL COMMENDATORE at WORK

This is a recreation of the desk at which Enzo Ferrari would have worked when on site in Maranello.

SUPERCARS – THE EVOLUTION OF UNIQUENESS

The next large gallery contains a display of some of the most special super- and hypercar Ferrrari models. These are among the most popular cars for man of the visitors and so the core of this display has been running since May 2019, though just as in June 2022 when one of the exhibits in here was different from my previous visit in September 2020, so there had been one change again this time. As well as the real, full-sized cars there were some scale models presented at one side of the room. Every one of these was nice, combined they made for a very impressive assembly in their own right.

First of these, and still my personal favourite, was the 1984 288 GTO. The GTO was built to compete in the new Group B Race series and a minimum of 200 cars were required for homologation. However, after the death of Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto in the 1986 Tour de Corse, the FIA disestablished the class, leaving just the Group A Rally championship. As a result, the GTO never raced and all 272 cars built remained purely road cars. Some of the GTO’s styling features were first displayed on a 308 GTB design exercise by Pininfarina shown at the 1977 Geneva Salon. The 288 GTO started out as a modified version of the 308/328 to hold down costs and to build the car quickly, but little of the 308/328 was left when the 288 GTO was finished. Easily noticeable differences were the GTOs bulging wing flares, larger front/rear spoilers, large “flag-style” outside mirrors and four driving lights at the far sides of the grille. Retained from the original 250 GTO were slanted air vents, put in the GTO’s rear wings to cool the brakes. The GTO also had wider body panels than the 308’s because they had to cover much larger Goodyear tyres mounted on racing wheels. The suspension’s height could be set higher for road use and lower for racing on tracks. Bodywork material was new and lighter for better acceleration and handing. The GTO’s weight was only 2,555 pounds, compared to 3,085-3,350 for the 308/328. Steel was used just for the doors because major body panels were made from moulded fibreglass. Kevlar was used for the engine cover, and the roof was made from Kevlar and carbon fibre. The “288” refers to the GTO’s 2.8 litre V8 engine as it used a de-bored (by 1 mm) V8 with twin IHI turbochargers, intercoolers, and Weber-Marelli fuel injection. The 2855 cc engine capacity was dictated by the FIA’s requirement for a Turbocharged engine’s capacity to be multiplied by 1.4. This gave the GTO a theoretical engine capacity of 3997 cc, just under the Group B limit of 4.0 litres. Unlike the 308’s 2926 cc engine, the GTO’s 2855 cc engine was mounted longitudinally, using the 308’s rear boot space. This was necessary to make room for the twin turbochargers and intercoolers. The racing transmission was mounted to the rear of the longitudinal engine, moving the rear differential and wheels aft. The arrangement also let the GTO use a more conventional race-car engine/transmission layout for such things as quick gear ratio changes for various tracks. As a result, the wheelbase was 110 mm (4.3 in) longer at 2,450 mm (96 in). The track was also widened to accommodate wider wheels and tyres to provide increased cornering and braking performance and the ability to apply 400 hp and 366 lb·ft of torque to the ground. The GTO was an impressive performer, with 0-60 mph times around 5 seconds. Ferrari claimed 0-125 mph (201 km/h) in 15 seconds flat and a top speed of 189 mph (304 km/h), making it the first street-legal production car to reach 300 km/h.

The F40 of 1987 was the successor to the 288 GTO. It was designed to celebrate Ferrari’s 40th anniversary and was the last Ferrari automobile personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. At the time it was Ferrari’s fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car for sale. As soon as the 288 GTO was launched, Ferrari started the development of an evolution model, intended to compete against the Porsche 959 in FIA Group B. However, when the FIA brought an end to the Group B category for the 1986 season, Enzo Ferrari was left with five 288 GTO Evoluzione development cars, and no series in which to campaign them. Enzo’s desire to leave a legacy in his final supercar allowed the Evoluzione program to be further developed to produce a car exclusively for road use. In response to the quite simple, but very expensive car with relatively little out of the ordinary being called a “cynical money-making exercise” aimed at speculators, a figure from the Ferrari marketing department was quoted as saying “We wanted it to be very fast, sporting in the extreme and Spartan,” “Customers had been saying our cars were becoming too plush and comfortable.” “The F40 is for the most enthusiastic of our owners who want nothing but sheer performance. It isn’t a laboratory for the future, as the 959 is. It is not Star Wars. And it wasn’t created because Porsche built the 959. It would have happened anyway.” Power came from an enlarged, 2936 cc version of the GTO’s twin IHI turbocharged V8 developing 478 bhp. The F40 did without a catalytic converter until 1990 when US regulations made them a requirement for emissions control reasons. The flanking exhaust pipes guide exhaust gases from each bank of cylinders while the central pipe guides gases released from the wastegate of the turbochargers. Engines with catalytic converters bear F120D code. The suspension was similar to the GTO’s double wishbone setup, though many parts were upgraded and settings were changed; the unusually low ground clearance prompted Ferrari to include the ability to raise the vehicle’s ground clearance when necessary. The body was an entirely new design by Pininfarina featuring panels made of Kevlar, carbon fibre, and aluminium for strength and low weight, and intense aerodynamic testing was employed. Weight was further minimised through the use of a plastic windscreen and windows. The cars did have air conditioning, but had no sound system, door handles, glove box, leather trim, carpets, or door panels. The first 50 cars produced had sliding Lexan windows, while later cars were fitted with wind down windows. The F40 was designed with aerodynamics in mind. For speed the car relied more on its shape than its power. Frontal area was reduced, and airflow greatly smoothed, but stability rather than terminal velocity was a primary concern. So too was cooling as the forced induction engine generated a great deal of heat. In consequence, the car was somewhat like an open-wheel racing car with a body. It had a partial undertray to smooth airflow beneath the radiator, front section, and the cabin, and a second one with diffusers behind the motor, but the engine bay was not sealed. Nonetheless, the F40 had an impressively low Cd of 0.34 with lift controlled by its spoilers and wing. The factory never intended to race the F40, but the car saw competition as early as 1989 when it debuted in the Laguna Seca Raceway round of the IMSA, appearing in the GTO category, with a LM evolution model driven by Jean Alesi, finishing third to the two faster space-framed four wheel drive Audi 90 and beating a host of other factory backed spaceframe specials that dominated the races. Despite lack of factory backing, the car would soon have another successful season there under a host of guest drivers such as Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Jacques Laffite and Hurley Haywood taking a total of three second places and one third. It would later be a popular choice by privateers to compete in numerous domestic GT series. Although the original plan was to build just 400 cars, such was the demand that in the end, 1311 were built over a 4 year period.

Fans who wanted to see what Ferrari would do next did not have too long to wait, as the next hypercar, the F50 appeared 4 years later, in 1995. This could almost be seen as a Formula 1 car for the road, as this mid-engined two seat roadster with a removable hardtop had a 4.7 litre naturally aspirated 60-valve V12 engine that was developed from the 3.5 litre V12 used in the 1990 Ferrari 641 Formula One car. Only 349 cars were made, of which 301 were red. Just 4 of them were black, making it, along with silver the least produced colour of the limited palate offered. The last F50 was produced in July 1997. These days this is the rarest of the quintet.

There was a bigger gap before the next car came along. Widely rumoured to be called the F60, Ferrari surprised everyone at its 2002 unveiling by giving it the name Enzo. This car was built using even more Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission, and carbon fibre-reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC) ceramic composite disc brakes. Also used were technologies not allowed in F1 such as active aerodynamics and traction control. After a downforce of 7600 N (1700 lbf) is reached at 300 km/h (186 mph) the rear wing is actuated by computer to maintain that downforce. The Enzo’s F140 B V12 engine was the first of a new generation for Ferrari. It was based on the design of the V8 found in Maserati’s Quattroporte, using the same basic design and 104 mm (4.1 in) bore spacing. The Enzo formed the basis for a whole array of other very special cars, including the FXX and FXX Evoluzione cars and the Maserati MC12 and MC12 Evoluzione as well as the Ferrari P4/5 and the Millechilli. Originally, 349 of these were going to be produced, but Ferrari decided to add another 50 to the total, meaning 400 in total were produced up until 2004.

If you wanted the most recent in the series, the 2013 LaFerrari, it was almost a pre-requisite that you had bought one of all the others, and probably a few other Ferraris as well. Launched at the 2013 Geneva Show, along with the Porsche 918 Spyder and McLaren P1, the LaFerrari has the distinction of being the first mild hybrid from Ferrari, which ensures that as well as providing the highest power output of any Ferrari, fuel consumption can be decreased by up to 40 percent. Owners may not care, but regulators certainly do! LaFerrari’s internal combustion engine is a mid-rear mounted Ferrari F140 65° V12 with a 6262 cc capacity producing 800 PS (789 bhp) @ 9000 rpm and 700 N·m (520 lbf·ft) of torque @ 6,750 rpm, supplemented by a 163 PS (161 bhp) KERS unit (called HY-KERS), which will provide short bursts of extra power. The KERS system adds extra power to the combustion engine’s output level for a total of 963 PS (950 bhp) and a combined torque of 900 Nm (664 lb/ft). Ferrari claims CO2 emissions of 330 g/km. It is connected to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and the car is rear-wheel drive. 499 units were built, each costing over $1million.

The SF90 XX Stradale/Spider is the track focused version of the SF90 Stradale/Spider. Unlike the track-only Ferrari FXX, 599XX, and FXX-K models, the SF90 XX is road legal, although it is track focused. The SF90 XX is designed to provide one of the most efficient aerodynamic performance of any road-legal car in Ferrari’s history. The hybrid powerplant used in the SF90 XX Stradale/Spider has a total power output of 1,030 PS (1,016 bhp) and over 804 Nm (593 lb/ft), of which 797 PS (786 bhp) are delivered by the V8 ICE and 233 PS (230 bhp) by the electric motor. Ferrari will build 799 units of the XX Stradale and 599 units of the XX Spider and all have been pre-allocated to customers

PERSONALISING YOUR FERRARI

Few owners will specify their new Ferrari in absolutely standard spec, and even if they do, then they still need to choose such things as the colour of the paintwork and the upholstery. Ferrari produce lengthy lists of generally very pricey optional extras and most owners tick lots of boxes from what is available. But you can go further with a wide range of personalisation options called Tailor Made, where the limits are more or less down to your imagination and your bank balance. Illustrating the sort of choices that go up to make a new Ferrari was this display which included an 812 Superfast to illustrate the point.

If that is not special enough, you could always commission your own Ferrari. Late in 2023, Ferrari revealed the latest in its series of Special Projects cars, and this one is certainly special. It’s called the SP-8, named and built to celebrate that rather special award-winning V8 lurking underneath. It’s spun off the F8 Spider, Ferrari design maestro Flavio Manzoni and his Styling Centre squad working to the Taiwanese client’s request to completely remove the roof. Which of course, required a thorough reworking of the F8’s aero in order to create a proper roadster. Indeed the removal of the roof meant the designers could “radically restyle” the entire rear section, giving it – says Ferrari – “a full volume with a taut belt line”. There’s unpainted carbon fibre at the front wrapping around to that new rear, both sections connected by a central functional area featuring the side air intakes and engine vent. The entire aluminium grille was 3D-printed, says Ferrari, and designed to better channel air flow to the front radiators. Even the headlights were redesigned, featuring special masks and lenses, rear lights pinched from the gorgeous Roma, and exhaust pipes “given the same treatment as the 296 GTB’s”.  Further nods to other Ferraris comes in the form of the five-spoke wheels, exclusive to this one-off, said to be a modern take of those used on something called an ‘F40’. Yeah, never heard of it either. In any case they’re said to be lightweight. What isn’t lightweight of course, is that engine: the same 3.9-litre twin turbo V8 that has won countless engine of the year awards, packing the old 488 Pista’s power (710bhp) and quite staggering acceleration. Yep, it’s ‘Special’ alright.

THE AEROAUTODROMO DI MODENA

New since my last visit was this exhibition on the history of the Modena street circuit, in use from the 1950s to the last motorcycle Grand Prix in 1976. These were years of fervent passion for motorsport and Modena, a place already a major hub that attracted the interest of drivers, artists, actors and aristocrats fascinated by the cars’ exclusivity and the rush of adrenalin generated by the masterpieces produced in the ‘Motor Valley’ before it had acquired the name. The Aerautodromo di Modena opened on the 7th May 1950, to meet the need of local car manufacturers looking for a place to conduct their sporting and testing activities. In the area between Via Emilia and Strada Formigina, the circuit hosted many sporting and club events, fine-tuning cars ahead of the most demanding competitions such as Grands Prix, Mille Miglia and Targa Florio, involving specialists and enthusiasts with a shared enjoyment of riding fast motorbikes and cars, supplemented by aviation activity. With a collection of extraordinary images and hitherto unseen archive video content, the exhibition tells the story of the Modena circuit nicknamed ‘the little Indianapolis’ because of its then international prominence, due also to the frequent appearances of drivers, celebrities and the most popular brands of the time. Besides the wealth of vintage content, visitors can see two iconic Ferraris: the 1948 166 MM, whose various versions from the 1950s onwards were tested before races on this very circuit in Modena, and the 1957 315 S, which completed its first tests on this track before winning the last Mille Miglia with Piero Taruffi.

166MM: Ferrari’s first production racing car, the 166 MM, was introduced late in 1948. In the following years the model evolved into the 195 Sport, 212 Export, 225 Sport and finally the 250 MM. For anyone familiar with Ferrari nomenclature, it will not come as a surprise that each of these cars had a slightly larger version of the Colombo V12 engine. Starting in the 166 MM at a displacement of 2 litre (a unitary displacement of 166 cc), the engine grew in size to 3 litre (250 cc) within five years. The chassis remained virtually unchanged, while the various coachbuilders added plenty of variety. The origins of the single overhead camshaft engine lay with designs penned by Gioacchino Colombo way back in 1946. With Grand Prix racing in mind the initial displacement was just 1500 cc. In Naturally Aspirated form the big successes came once the V12 was enlarged to two litres with victories at Le Mans and in the Mille Miglia. This gain in cylinder size was achieved by increasing both the bore and the stroke to 60 mm and 58.8 mm respectively. The bore would grow further, but the stroke remained the same in all future applications of the Colombo engine. The first evolution came in 1950 with the displacement lifted to 2.3 litre on four existing 166 MMs to create the 195 S. The following year the bore was raised to 68 mm for a swept volume of just under 2.6 litre. Fitted to the 212 Export chassis, it was good for a healthy 150 bhp. A total of 27 examples were constructed and during the year a shift in favoured coachbuilder became apparent. All but five of the 166 MMs were bodied by Touring, yet less the Milanese carrozzeria worked on less than half of the 212s. Vignale of Turin handled as many cars as Touring and that trend would continue with the next customer racing Ferrari.In 1951 there also was a slight evolution in the chassis design. The original elliptical-section tubular frame was, for a select few models, replaced by a smaller diameter tubular frame with additional cross braces. Known as the ‘Tuboscocca’, the new chassis was slightly lighter and more rigid. What remained the same was the very short wheelbase, the double wishbone front suspension with a transverse leaf spring and the live rear axle. Stopping power was provided by drum brakes all around and the engine’s horses were transferred to the rear wheels by a five-speed gearbox. Competition from other manufacturers as well as the larger engined Ferrari Works cars had really picked up in the early 1950s. The smaller customer cars were now rarely in contention for overall victories in major events, but still remained highly competitive in local races, particularly in Italy. In 1952 the cylinders were bored out a further 2 mm, raising the displacement to 2.7 litre. Compression was also increased, which helped bump the power to a very impressive 210 bhp figure for the 225 S. With the exception of a single Touring Barchetta, all 2.7-litre engined cars received coachwork from Vignale. Ferrari’s annual increase in engine size ended that year. The company’s engineers settled on a bore and stroke of 73 mm and 58.8 mm respectively, which yielded a displacement of 2953 cc. This engine was first fitted to the 1952 Mille Miglia winning 250 S, which would form the basis for a whole range of Ferrari road and racing cars that would win every major race. So the 166 MM, 195 S, 212 Export and 225 S were not only a commercial and competition success for the fledgling company, they also laid the foundation for a very bright future for Ferrari.

315S: The Ferrari 315 S is a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1957. The model served as the replacement of the Ferrari 290 MM, which had won the 1956 Mille Miglia and was an effort to dethrone the ever powerful Maserati 450S. The 315 S employed a front mounted evolution of the 60° Jano V12 engine with two valves per cylinder, six Weber 42 DCN carburettors and four chain-driven overhead camshafts, for a total displacement of 3,783.40 cc. Maximum power output was rated to 360 PS at 7,800 rpm in addition to an increase in power output, the engine was also 9 kg (20 lb) lighter than its previous iteration. This allowed for an estimated top speed of 290 km/h (180 mph). The Ferrari 315 S drivers took the first two positions at the 1957 Mille Miglia in the hands of Piero Taruffi which ended up being the final race of his career, followed by Wolfgang von Trips. In addition the 315 S finished sixth and seventh at Sebring, third at the Nürburgring and fifth at Le Mans but was then largely replaced by the 335 S. The victory of a Ferrari 335 S in Venezuela and the retirement of the Maseratis granted Ferrari the World Sports Car Championship in 1957. The change in regulations for the World Sports Car championship to a 3-litre engine limit for 1958 meant the 315 S was replaced by the 250 Testa Rossa. Only one unit of the 315 S was built from scratch with two converted from a 290 S and 290 MM. They are as follows: 1. Chassis 0656. Originally a 290 S at Buenos Aires in January 1957, upgraded to 315 S for the May Nürburgring race and later repaired by the factory with pontoon fenders when raced in the US. 2. Chassis 0674. Originally a 1956 290 MM renumbered and re-engined as a 315 S for Sebring 1957. In June 1957 re-engined as a 335 S for Hawthorn/Lusso at Le Mans. Converted to pontoon fender bodywork by the factory for the Venezuela GP in 1957, later converted back to correct Scaglietti 335 S configuration. 3. Chassis 0684. Built new as a 315 S, raced twice as such by the factory and only briefly in period in the US without modification before long-term storage and careful restoration.

RACE CAR GALLERY

One of the most striking displays in the museum is the gallery for Formula 1 and other race cars. Behind you as you walk in is a wall that is lined with trophies won by the Ferrari in a long and highly successful career on the track, and facing you is a raised and sloping semi-circular plinth on which a number of cars are displayed, all pointing down so you get a really good view of them. The layout has been the same for many years now, but the cars that are displayed do change as part of the annual museum update. On this occasion the emphasis was on the more recent Formula 1 championship-winning cars as had been the case on my 2020 visit.

This is the F2007, with which Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro competed during the 2007 Formula One season, it being the fifty-third single-seater car which the team have built to use in Formula One. The chassis was designed by Aldo Costa, Nikolas Tombazis and John Iley with Mario Almondo playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the team’s director of operations and Gilles Simon leading the engine design. The car is best known for providing Kimi Räikkönen with his first World Championship title and the team with its first Constructor’s title since Michael Schumacher helped them win both in the 2004 Formula One season and the most recent World Drivers’ Championship win for the team as of the end of the 2019 Formula One season. The car was unveiled to the public on January 14, 2007 at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in Maranello.

The 2004 Ferrari F2004 had a 3.0-litre V-10 putting out a thumping 865 hp @ 18,300 rpm. The winning-est Ferrari ever, piloted by Michael Schumacher, had an engine that weighed just 200 pounds. Originally conceived as a qualifying car with frequent pit stops, the F2004 ran very hot and required a transmission with a titanium-fusion box surrounded by a carbon skin to protect it from the searing exhaust gases coming from the chimneys.

The Ferrari F2003-GA was a highly successful car used by Scuderia Ferrari in the 2003 Formula One World Championship. The chassis was designed by Rory Byrne, Aldo Costa and Nikolas Tombazis with Ross Brawn playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the team’s Technical Director and Paolo Martinelli leading the engine design. Its development was based on the previous Ferrari F2002, but featured new bulbous sidepods and a lengthened wheelbase to aid aerodynamics. The engine and gearbox were developed versions of the previous model. The car was designated “GA” as a mark of respect to Gianni Agnelli, the recently deceased head of Fiat. The car was introduced just before mid season in 2003, as the F2002 was seen as good enough to be competitive whilst the F2003-GA was developed further. The car was fast and competitive as it won 3 out its first 4 races, but had a tendency to overuse its tyres, which led to several late race tyre problems in mid seasons, causing a slight drop in form during the unusually hot European summer. As a result, Williams and McLaren were able to mount a consistent challenge to Ferrari and push Michael Schumacher for the championship. After Bridgestone engineers discovered Michelin were using tyres which changed construction, causing the French tyre maker to provide remoulded tyres late in the season. Ferrari became competitive again as it won the final 3 races of the season, and were able to hold off both Williams and McLaren for the Constructors’ Championship, whilst Schumacher snatched his sixth Drivers’ title, breaking Juan Manuel Fangio’s record which had stood for 46 years. The car won seven races, five pole positions, and five fastest laps before being replaced with the dominant F2004 in 2004, a car which was almost identical to its predecessor. Schumacher’s fastest lap at the Red Bull Ring is still the lap record as of 2018.

The Ferrari F2002 was one of the most successful Formula One car designs of all time that the Ferrari team competed with for the 2002 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Rory Byrne, Aldo Costa and Nikolas Tombazis with Ross Brawn playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the team’s Technical Director and Paolo Martinelli leading the engine design. It won fifteen Grands Prix, from a total of nineteen races in 2002 and 2003. The car was much lighter than its predecessor, the F2001. Powered by a 3.0-litre V10 engine which produced 835 bhp (623 kW) @ 17,800 rpm, that had a very low centre of gravity, and was capable of revving to a maximum of 18,500 rpm, the F2002 had excellent handling. The new 051 engine was not the strongest engine of 2002, but it was lighter, more compact, very fuel-efficient, and very driveable. An innovative and very small clutchless gearbox allowing ultra-quick changes had been designed, and because the unit was so small, the rear end aerodynamics were extremely tightly packaged. Bridgestone developed special tyres, suited specifically for the car. Aerodynamically, the Ferrari was well ahead of the contemporary Williams-BMW but perhaps a little down on power, and on a par with, or slightly ahead of the 2002 season’s McLaren car. Williams in trying to solve the 2001 car’s reliability problems meant that they played it safe for 2002, while McLaren’s deficiency was due to the decision to stick with Michelin tyres as well as Mercedes struggling to design a beryllium-less engine for 2002. Using the Pomeroy Index system, Motor Sport magazine recently determined that the F2002 is the fastest Formula One car of all time. However, the Ferrari F2004 achieved better qualifying lap times at 12 of the courses which were raced by both cars (only the 2002 French Grand Prix, 2002 Belgian Grand Prix and 2002 Japanese Grand Prix was faster than the 2004 races, with two of these being due to rain). In terms of single lap performance while not as dominant as the McLaren MP4/4 in 1988 nor the Williams FW14B in 1992, both cars which each scored 15 poles in their respective season, the Ferrari F2002 scored 10 poles but was more reliable as well as relatively faster on Sundays than the MP4/4 and FW14B. The majority of the conceptual design work for the Ferrari F2002 was by Ferrari’s legendary South African chassis designer Rory Byrne and the engine design by Ferrari’s Paolo Martinelli. The project was overseen by the team’s technical director Ross Brawn. A vast army of other team personnel oversaw the running of the team and the project. Prior to the introduction bof the F2002, Ferrari had used a revised version of their championship-winning Ferrari F2001 for the first few races of 2002. The F2002 was not only a development of the championship-winning Ferrari F2001, but a completely revolutionary model involving many technologies not seen previously. Since the late 1990s, Ferrari had been using the same basic concept and design of gearbox and although this had been used to win drivers and constructors titles from 1999 onwards the technical team pushed ahead with a new version instead. The new replacement gearbox casing was made of ultra-lightweight and higher strength titanium, thus reducing its weight by as much as 15% and lowering the car’s centre of gravity. The new compact design allowed for great advancement in the bodywork and increasing the car’s aerodynamic efficiency at the rear. However such was the extent of the gearbox casing redesign that the aerodynamic work was left behind schedule and initially did not represent the same performance gains as the mechanical engineering. Thus Ferrari continued its design for another two months and only first used the F2002 at the third round of the 2002 season has been using the previous year’s F2001 chassis, albeit with many alterations and the inclusion of the Ferrari 051 2002 engine. Other advancements on the car include the clutchless direct-shift technology within the gearbox, a new fluid traction control system to replace the previous 2001 traction control system and upright aerodynamically shaped periscopic exhaust outlets at the rear. The latter technology was incorporated both to use the hot exhaust gases for aerodynamic effect and to raise these gases higher and out the way of the rear suspension. On the previous occasions, Ferrari’s non-chimneyed top exiting exhaust outlets had caused the rear suspension and other elements at the rear of the car to overheat or even melt when minor cracks occurred. At its first race in Brazil, the F2002 was victorious, being driven by Michael Schumacher and continuing Ferrari’s trend since 1999 for its cars to win on their debut. Michael Schumacher clinched second on the grid and after a first lap altercation with Juan Pablo Montoya, took a somewhat easy win from his brother Ralf’s Williams. There was some controversy surrounding tyre allocation because the team only had one F2002 chassis at the race. Therefore, Schumacher’s spare car was an F2001 chassis, and because the two chassis used different wheel rim designs each required separate wheels and tyres. It was thus argued that Schumacher had in-effect twice the allocation of tyres as any other driver. The controversy was managed by Ferrari agreeing to aggregate their tyre usage between the two cars, ensuring that Schumacher used the same total number of tyres as all the other drivers. What followed was a season of domination, the likes of which had not been seen since McLaren’s 1988 season

The Ferrari F2001 was a highly successful Formula One car that the Ferrari team competed with for the 2001 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Rory Byrne, Aldo Costa and Nikolas Tombazis with Ross Brawn playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the teams Technical Director and Paolo Martinelli leading the engine design. A revised version known as the F2001B was used in the first two races of 2002 before being replaced by the F2002. The F2001 was designed around new regulation changes which mandated a higher-mounted front wing assembly to reduce downforce. This resulted in a distinctive ‘droopsnoot’ nose section and spoon-shaped front wing. The season also saw the re-introduction of traction and launch control systems, therefore the car and its suspension were designed with this in mind. Being somewhat of a departure over previous Brawn/Byrne Ferrari designs, the car was based more on McLaren’s design thinking. A test with the 2000 car-which featured a high nose-that was adapted to the new regulations made that design impractical, so a low nose was adopted instead. However, the car did feature Ferrari trademarks, such as the periscope exhausts pioneered by the team in 1998 and the small bargeboards which were a feature of its predecessors. The F2001 used the same basic gearbox and internal layout as its predecessors, however the aerodynamic efficiency and tyre wear were improved considerably over the F300 (1998), F399 (1999) and F1-2000 (2000). Setting up the car proved easier, and it was faster than the rival McLaren MP4-16, but the Williams FW23—although aerodynamically inferior—was fitted with the massively powerful BMW engine, which was more than a match for the Ferrari power unit. The Ferrari was notably more reliable than either of its rivals however. The season would turn out to be easy for Michael Schumacher, who took nine victories and his fourth world championship—scoring a then-record 123 points. He also surpassed Alain Prost’s record for most Grand Prix wins during the year. He failed to finish only twice, but his teammate Rubens Barrichello had the lion’s share of bad luck and looked poised to take wins himself, being hindered only by unreliability. All the while, Ferrari won its third straight Constructors’ Championship. The car was updated before the season finale in Japan, ostensibly to test 2002 components in race conditions. The updated F2001 was still competitive at the beginning of the 2002 season and Schumacher took the car’s final win at the Australian Grand Prix before it was replaced by the all-conquering F2002 from the third race (only for Schumacher) and fourth race onwards (for Barrichello). Overall, the F2001 took ten wins, thirteen pole positions, three fastest laps and 197 points throughout its lifespan.

The Ferrari F1-2000 was a Formula One racing car that the Ferrari team competed with for the 2000 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Rory Byrne, Aldo Costa and Nikolas Tombazis with Ross Brawn playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the team’s Technical Director and Paolo Martinelli leading the engine design. The car was a direct development of the F300 and F399 from the previous two seasons, using the same basic gearbox and a new engine with a wider V-angle (90 degrees vs. 75 degrees in the 048 engine); this new wider angle improved and lowered the centre of gravity of the car. It also featured improved aerodynamics over the F399 most noticeably a flatter underside of the nose area, which put it on par with that year’s McLaren MP4/15. The new car had improved cooling over its predecessors and much smaller, more rounded sidepods to improve airflow. Detail changes had been made to the weight distribution to improve handling and make the car as light as possible. Despite the improvements, the F1-2000 used its tyres harder than the McLaren, which was still marginally faster overall but was less reliable than its Italian rival. The car underwent constant development. The angled front wing was replaced with a more conventional flat plane wing at the United States Grand Prix and larger bargeboards were fitted in time for the French Grand Prix. Despite a mid season slump which saw three consecutive retirements, Michael Schumacher drove the F1-2000 to his third World Drivers’ Title and Ferrari’s first after a 21 year title drought. It also defended Ferrari’s constructors’ crown, and signified the start of the team’s dominance throughout the first half of the decade.

The Ferrari F399 was the car that the Ferrari team competed with for the 1999 Formula One World Championship. The chassis was designed by Rory Byrne, Aldo Costa, Marco Fainello and Nikolas Tombazis with Ross Brawn playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the team’s Technical Director and Paolo Martinelli leading the engine design. The F399 was almost identical to the previous season’s F300, with small detail changes (new front wing, wheel tethers, waisted sidepods, an improved exhaust system and the use of Bridgestone tyres with four grooves instead of three). It was initially driven by Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine, with Mika Salo substituting for Schumacher when he broke his leg at Silverstone. Although the team’s quest to win their first drivers’ title since 1979 was halted by Schumacher’s injury and the faster speed of the McLaren MP4/14, they did manage to clinch their first constructors’ title since 1983.

This is the 312 T4, as driven by the late Gilles Villeneuve. The T4 was an evolution of the T3, which had been Ferrari’s car for the 1978 season. By 1979, a significant amount of progress was being made in aerodynamics and to challenge Lotus, Forghieri realised he had to follow their lead and design a ground effect car for the 1979 season. The 312T4, introduced at the 1979 South African Grand Prix was closely based on the 312T3. Its origins placed restrictions on the aerodynamic design since the T series had never been designed with ground effect in mind. The 312T4 monocoque was designed to be as narrow as possible, to take advantage of ground effects, but this was limited by the width of the flat 12 engine. The car was extremely reliable and it won 6 races in 1979, three each for Villeneuve and Scheckter. Other solid placings helped Ferrari win its fourth Constructors’ Championship in 5 seasons and Scheckter his only Drivers’ Championship. Scheckter was given the 312T4 car he drove to his championship after the new 312T5 was ready to be debuted in Argentina in 1980. He still owns it, and ran it at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix weekend to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Formula One along with every living Formula One world champion (except for Nelson Piquet and Kimi Räikkönen).

SCUDERIA FERRARI – THE 90 YEAR HISTORY

Last of the special displays is this one, which was first presented in 2019, marking 90 years since the Scuderia Ferrari name first appeared (on an Alfa Romeo). With such an extensive history on track, the cars here have been changed so whilst the theme was the same as on my previous visit, some of the cars in this display hall were different.

This is the 125S, the very first model to bear the Ferrari badging. Although preceded by Enzo Ferrari’s Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 of 1940, the 125 S was the first vehicle to bear the Ferrari name when it debuted on May 11, 1947 at the Piacenza racing circuit. Like the 815, it was a racing sports car, but unlike its Fiat-powered 8-cylinder predecessor, the 125 S featured a V12 engine (the “125”), a trait it shared with most Ferrari cars of the following decades. Only 2 were built before the 125 S would be replaced by the 159 S later in the year. The 125 S used a steel tube-frame chassis and had a double wishbone suspension with transverse leaf springs in front with a live axle in the rear. Hydraulic power drum brakes were specified front and rear. It was powered by Gioacchino Colombo’s 1497 cc 60° V12, which produced 118 bhp at 6,800 rpm . This was a single overhead camshaft design with 2 valves per cylinder and three double-choke Weber 30DCF carburettors. Enzo Ferrari wanted the 125 S to use a five-speed gearbox as it matched the high revving V12 better than that of a traditional four-speed gearbox. The 125 S debuted at the Circuito di Piacenza, driven by Franco Cortese, but was unable to finish the race, despite a favourable showing against the strong Maserati 6CS 1500s. Two weeks later, the 125 S claimed Ferrari’s first victory at the Grand Prix of Rome on the Terme di Caracalla Circuit, where it was also driven by Cortese. The car had spun a bearing in practice, and was repaired in the workshop of Tino Martinoli, who later came to America with the Ferrari Indy car team. The 125 S won six of its fourteen races in 1947, though drivers Clemente Biondetti and Giuseppe Navone were unable to win the 1947 Mille Miglia in it. Both of the two 125 S cars built in 1947 were dismantled, and their parts are thought to have been re-used in production of the 159 or 166 models. Recently, the chassis with serial number 010I was used in the restoration of a 125 S. It is rumoured that 010I is actually s/n 01C. The story goes that 01C was re-stamped as 010I, and sold to a customer as a new car. Upon taking receipt of the car, the new owner immediately exclaimed, muletto!, which means “Test mule” in Italian, as he could clearly see that his supposedly new car was in fact a used, well-raced car. Ferrari made a new invoice for the car, including a considerable rebate given the car’s second-hand nature. Still in 166 Spyder Corsa configuration, the car was sold to Symbolic Motors. Close inspection of the chassis and its serial number led to the discovery of an old stamping that could possibly read 01C. It had been covered by an aluminium plate which bore the serial number 010I. Subsequently, the car was sold to its current owner, who refitted the chassis with a body similar to the factory’s 125 S replica, which was built by Michelotto in 1987. The alleged 01C made its public debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and was entered as a “Ferrari 125 S”. The car continues to be the subject of much debate among Ferrari historians and enthusiasts; recent developments indicate that the restamped serial number was in fact a correction and not an alteration.

166MM Berlinetta Vignale: For the 1949 Mille Miglia, Ferrari entered three 166 MMs with Barchetta bodies by Touring. The race was dominated by them and Biondetti and Salani finished first in their works car. However, the biggest win of the 1949 season was to come at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where Luigi Chinetti made light work of the competition to achieve a resounding victory. In 1950 Ferrari did not make any substantial technical changes to the 166 MM but they did release a Berlinetta version, also bodied by Carrozzeria Touring. This attractive coupé was given the name ‘Le Mans’ to celebrate the previous year’s victory. Only five cars were given this body making them one of the rarest and most desirable early Ferrari models. The Le Mans proved itself to be extremely versatile and capable of handling all types of terrain from road races to track events and hillclimbs. One of these cars went on to win the 1950 Mille Miglia in the hands of Giannino Marzotto. The 166 MM Le Mans Berlinetta is the ultimate iteration of the model that first launched Ferrari into the limelight and laid the foundation for the years of success that would follow. Only five 166 MM Le Mans Berlinettas were ever produced, making it incredibly rare.

The 750 Monza was introduced in 1954, and the new car was a four-cylinder sports racer. Sporting a three-litre version of the 500 Mondial’s engine, the Monza was much more powerful, with 250 hp available, but barely heavier at 760 kg (1675 lb). The new-style body was penned by Pinin Farina and presaged the droop-nose look of the famed 250 GTO, but it was Scaglietti’s 750 Monza, with its faired-in headrest suggesting the flowing Testa Rossa that drew attention. Alberto Ascari was killed in the car during an impromptu testing session at Monza in 1955. Mike Hawthorn and Umberto Maglioli piloted their 750 Monza to victory at Monza on its very first race, giving the car its name. Although they were strong on the track, the Monza was unable to hold off the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR in 1955, allowing the Germans to seize the sports car championship that Ferrari claimed in 1954.

1967 was a banner year for the Enzo Ferrari motor company, as it saw the production of the mid-engined 330 P4, a V12-engined endurance car intended to replace the previous year’s 330 P3. Only four Ferrari P4-engined cars were ever made: three new 330 P4s and one ex P3 chassis (0846). Their three-valve cylinder head was modeled after those of Italian Grand Prix-winning Formula One cars. To this was added the same fuel injection system from the P3 for an output of up to 450 hp. The P3 won the 1000 km Monza in 1966, and the P4 won the same race in 1967. Two P4s, and one 412 P crossed the finish line together (in first 0846, second 0856, and third place 0844) in the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona, for a photo finish to counter Ford’s photo of the Ford GT40 Mk.II crossing the finish line together in first, second, and third at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since then, the fate of these four cars has been the subject of much attention: 0846 was built in 1966 as the first of 3 works 330 P3s and the only P3 Spyder. Retained by the works at the end of 1966 and used as the basis for the new P4 and partially converted to P4 specification for 1967. Ferrari states 0846 no longer exists. It was decided by the factory to scrap the chassis due to its previous accident history and fire damage sustained at Le Mans, 1967. The original chassis number has been written off Ferrari’s books as an existing chassis, but the number is still in their ownership.0856 was originally built as a Berlinetta but converted by the factory into a Spyder for Brands Hatch, 1967 as it remains today. 0856 was sold to a new owner in 2020; 0858 was originally a Berlinetta but converted by Ferrari into a Spyder for Brands Hatch, 1967 and later in the year converted into a 350 Can-Am by them. Now fitted with a P4 Berlinetta body and is in German ownership; 0860 was also originally a Berlinetta and converted to a Spyder for Brands Hatch, 1967 and like 0858 converted by Ferrari to a 350 Can-Am but was fitted with a P4 Spyder body in the early 1970s by its then French owner in whose family it remains today. Chassis 0856 is the only original 330 P4 remaining.

The first racing version of the 365GTB/4 was prepared in 1969: an aluminium bodied car was built and entered in the Le Mans 24-hour race that year (the car crashed in practice). Ferrari did not produce an official competition car until late in 1970. The official cars were built in three batches of five cars each, in 1970–1, 1972 and 1973. They all featured a lightweight body making use of aluminium and fibreglass panels, with plexiglas windows. The engine was unchanged from the road car in the first batch of competition cars, but tuned in the latter two batches (to 400 bhp) in 1972 and then around 450 bhp. The cars were not raced by the official Scuderia Ferrari team, but by a range of private entrants. They enjoyed particular success in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with results including a 5th overall in 1971, followed by GT class wins in 1972, 1973 and 1974. In 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4s took the first 5 places of the GT class. The final major success of the car was in 1979 (five years after production ended), when a 1973 car achieved a class victory (2nd overall) in the 24 Hours of Daytona.

The Ferrari 499P is a sports prototype built by Scuderia Ferrari to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the Le Mans Hypercar category since 2023. The introduction of the 499P marks 50 years since Ferrari last fielded a factory-backed sports prototype that contested for the overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and one of the 499Ps raced with the number 50 as a tribute. The car was unveiled in October 2022 at the Ferrari Finali Mondiali, Ferrari’s annual finale for their one-make series, Ferrari Challenge. The car made its competitive debut at the season-opening round of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship, the 2023 1000 Miles of Sebring. On its first outing at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 499P driven by Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and James Calado won the race. It was Ferrari’s first overall victory at Le Mans since the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans, ending the streak of five victories by Toyota Gazoo Racing. At the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ferrari achieved its eleventh victory, second consecutive at Le Mans, with the No. 50 499P driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, while the No. 51 499P driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi, winner of the previous edition, came in third place. The 499P was designed under the Le Mans Hypercar regulations, therefore it does not feature the standardised parts such as the ones found in cars designed to the Le Mans Daytona h regulations, which the 499P races against. The aerodynamics of the 499P were developed in conjunction with Ferrari’s Styling Centre, headed by Flavio Manzoni, under Ferdinando Cannizzo, head of Ferrari’s sports car engineering department. The car’s 2,992 cc twin-turbocharged V6 engine architecture is shared with the Ferrari 296 and its Group GT3 counterpart, the 296 GT3.[13] However, instead of being mounted to the subframe as in the road-going vehicle, the engine is a fully stressed member in the 499P, and has had various modifications to accommodate its new role as a stress-bearing member.[12] The 499P has semi-permanent all-wheel drive, with an electric motor situated at the front axle, providing 200 kW (272 PS; 268 hp) above 190 km/h (118 mph) (as stipulated by the regulations), and is connected to a bespoke 900 V battery pack, with the ability to be recharged by Ferrari’s own Energy Recovery System (ERS). The 499P Modificata was unveiled during the 2023 Ferrari Finali Mondiali. It is a non-competitive, unrestricted, track-only version of the 499P, made to celebrate Ferrari’s victory at Le Mans that year. On 18 March 2024, the first event of the Sport Prototipi Clienti program took place at the Mugello Circuit in which the 499P Modificata took part. The winning #51 crew of Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and James Calado on the podium at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. The driver lineups for both cars consisted of drivers from AF Corse’s programmes, the Ferrari Driver Academy junior team, and a reserve from Scuderia Ferrari. Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen formed the #50 crew, and James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, and Alessandro Pier Guidi completed the #51 crew. The 499P was immediately competitive in its first race, with Antonio Fuoco behind the wheel of the #50 car scoring pole position ahead of both GR010 Hybrid entries from defending champions Toyota. Mistakes in the race caused the #50 to fall from the lead however it would manage to take home a podium in 3rd two laps down on the leading Toyotas, whereas the #51 finished 11 laps down. Its first major race victory came at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning with Calado, Giovinazzi, and Pier Guidi, marking Ferrari’s first win at Le Mans since 1965. The 499P would podium in every race except at Fuji, resulting in Ferrari finishing second in the Manufacturers’ Championship.

This is the F2008 car. which Scuderia Ferrari used to compete in the 2008 Formula One season. The car was unveiled to the public on January 6, 2008. It featured a new standard Electronic Control Unit (ECU), the electronic system that controls all the cars, produced by McLaren Electronic Systems. This was included to comply with the new regulations. The ECU also removes most of the driver aids used in previous seasons, including traction control, engine braking and electronically assisted starting system. It also makes the management of the differential, engine and gearchanges easier. The car weighed more than last season’s F2007 chassis due to rule changes which included the gearbox which had to be used for four consecutive races, higher side protection around the drivers helmet etc. World champion Kimi Räikkönen gave the car its first shakedown at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track on January 7, 2008. With 8 wins in the season, and 172 points, Ferrari claimed the Constructor’s Championship at the end of the season.

FERRARIs of TODAY

Final display before reaching the gift shop and the exit were a couple of the most recent Ferrari products and the chance for people to have their photos taken with them (they assiduously stop anyone else taking pictures of the cars they use!).

The latest of the 2-seater V8 cars is the 296 GTB. The Ferrari 296 (Type F171)is a sports car built since 2022. The 296 is a two-seater, offered as a GTB coupé and a GTS folding hard-top convertible. It is a plug-in hybrid with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and its power train combines a twin-turbocharged 120-degree block-angle V6 with an electric drive fitted in between the engine and gearbox. The 296 can be driven in electric-only mode for short distances, to comply with use in urban zero-emission zones. Unveiled on 24 June 2021, the 296 is Ferrari’s first stock model with 6-cylinders other than the Dino 206 GT, 246 GT and 246 GTS cars produced by Ferrari but sold under the Dino marque. Its power pack puts out a combined 830 PS, giving the 296 a power-to-weight ratio of 560 hp/ton. The 296 GTB was presented as the first “real Ferrari with just six cylinders on it” on 24 June 2021. Previously, such models were both designed and built by Ferrari, but marketed as a new, entry-level Dino brand, below Ferrari’s exclusively V12-model policy, until 1974. The new car went on sale in 2022. The 296 in the model name reprises the original Dino’s naming scheme, indicating the engine’s displacement and the number of cylinders. GTB stands for Gran Turismo Berlinetta. It remains a current model.

RENT A FERRARI

Nothing to do with Ferrari, as the company is constantly at pains to point out, are the various rental companies situated on either side of the museum, from whom you can hire one of a number of different Ferrari models for anything from 20 minutes or an hour to rather longer to get behind the wheel yourself. These companies update their fleets quite regularly, so there is generally a mix of older (and slightly cheaper to rent) models as well as the latest such as the Purosangue.

At least one of the companies operating here does have a few other supercars, so if you want to do a comparison between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini, you can.

As ever, I very much enjoyed this visit. Although I’ve been to the Galleria Ferrari many times in the last 14 years, the fact that there are new displays all the time means that even though I’ve seen some of the cars more than once (and they are distinctive and in many cases unique), the way they are presented changes every time and there is always something new to learn and a new perspective to acquire on the history and heritage of this amazing marque. I commend a visit to everyone who loves cars.

More details can be found from the museum’s own website: https://musei.ferrari.com/en/maranello