When asked which company is the greatest Supercar manufacturer in the world, you need not look any further than Ferrari. With Enzo Ferrari at the helm for more than 70 years the Ferrari name was synonyminous with fast cars and high performance, with its prancing horse on the badge and its vibrant blood red exterior people were buying them left right and centre. But it wasn’t all glitz and glamour. In 1961 while Ferrari were riding high, there was turmoil within the company and between Enzo Ferrari and the long time sales manager Girolamo Gardini who didint like Enzo’s wife’s involvement in the Company. An ultimatum was issued by Gardini to Enzo, that if things didn’t change than he would leave. Gardini didn’t get the chance to leave as Enzo had him ousted along with some other high profile personnel in the company. During this dark period for the company, behind closed doors and under a new, young designer and a new team, there was a new and exciting car being built, this was to be the changing point for Ferrari. The car that came Out of the Maranello gates was the 250 GTO.
The Ferrari 250 GTO was the first sports car to come out after the mass walk out of within the company in 61. It is rumored that buyers of the car had to be personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. The car was built for GT racing and to try and claim back Ferrari’s dominance from the hands of the Jaguar E Type. After years of racing and countless championships the GTO has now become a collectors piece and has become the most valuable of all Ferrari’s. The GTO has changed hands for sums in the region of 18 million. Only 39 were ever made so these are a rare as a blue steak.
The Ferrari F40 was originally designed to be the successor to the 288 GTO and was designed to compete with the likes of the Lamborghini Countach and the Porsche 959. But it was more than that as this car was the final statement, the last car to be commissioned by the then 90 year old Enzo Ferrari to celebrate 40 years of production at Maranello. The F40 was a showcase of what the Ferrari engineers were capable of creating. The F40 was the first road legal car to break the 200mph barrier and still to this date is considered by many as not only the greatest Ferrari ever made but the greatest Supercar ever made.
The Ferrari Enzo was named after founder Enzo Ferrari. It was built to commemorate Ferrari winning it’s first Formula One title in the new millennium. After the unveiling at the Paris motor show it was clear that Ferrari wanted to make a statement with this car, this car was clearly visible buy the way they were sold. The company sent invitations to existing customers and more so to customers who had previously brought the F40 and F50. This is how they sold the first 349 cars, to date there has only been 400 hundred made. Nowadays The Enzo typically trades for 1 million dollars and above.
The Ferrari 360 is the best selling Ferrari around, selling in the region of 17 thousands units since its launch back in 1999. Regarded as one of the best cars out of the Maranello gates in the modern era. The 360 is easier and cheaper to service than previous mid-engined Ferrari’s. The 360 also introduced an F1 style gear box witch removed the clutch pedal and instead had paddles behind the steering wheel rather then a gear leaver.
The Ferrari 458 is considered to be the younger brother of the flagship Ferrari 599, but with its amazing looks and powerful V8 it holds its own against the 599. After some bad press in its first few months, it has now grown in the hearts of most Ferrari fans. This is entirely due to its amazing looks, not since the F40 has a Ferrari made men go week at the knees. It has curves that would befit a supermodel, it has the power most supercars would dream of. Its fair to say that the Ferrari 458 is a truly great Ferrari.
