Ferrari is one of the most famous automakers in the world. Not everyone drives a Ferrari, but almost everyone wants to drive one. This is all due to the fact that Ferraris are well-known to be high-class sports cars. But, that was all a result of Enzo Ferrari’s, Ferrari’s founder, singular vision.

Enzo Ferrari’s early years

Like many car lovers, Enzo Ferrari’s love for cars came early. As GQ said, Ferrari watched his first race in 1908 at the age of 10. From then on, he became obsessed with cars. But cars were a luxury back then, and coming from a poor family, Ferrari wasn’t able to live his dream. He did odd jobs for a living and he even served in the Italian military during the later years of World War 1, according to Ferrari. 

But, his love for cars compelled him to work towards his passion. He tried to get a job at Fiat, but he was declined. He persisted, and eventually, he landed a job as a test driver for a small Italian carmaker. Not long after, he got another job as a test driver, and these experiences eventually allowed him to pursue his dream of racing. 

Ferrari wasn’t a bad race car driver, either. He even won first and second place at several races. But, like GQ said, Ferrari soon realized his love for managing the race team rather than driving for it. So, in 1929, he founded Scuderia Ferrari, and this would later become the racing team that Ferrari is known for today.

From the race track to the garage

At first, Scuderia Ferrari did not design its own cars. Instead, it was a race team that used other automakers’ cars to win. But, World War 2 had other plans for Enzo Ferrari and his new company. After the war was over though, Ferrari finally started working on his very first car. By 1947, Ferrari was able to take the 125 S, which was equipped with a massive V12 engine, on the road and soon, onto the race tracks. 

This powerful car, and the others that followed it, allowed Ferrari to dominate Formula 1, according to GQ. Ferrari didn’t just have the best cars, but it also had the best drivers. Because of those things, and because of Ferrari’s absolute focus on winning races, Ferrari simply dominated the competition.

This success led to many of America and Europe’s rich and famous falling in love with Ferrari. And the rich and famous, who tended to be movie stars, only increased the popularity of the Ferrari brand in the eyes of the public. To drive a Ferrari was to drive the coolest car on the road. But it also meant driving the most successful car on the road. 

Ferrari today

Enzo Ferrari kept designing race cars up until his death in 1988, according to GQ. But while he was gone, his legacy still persisted at Ferrari. Ferrari was never a big automaker that made affordable cars that everyone could buy. Ferrari made high-performance cars in the past and it still continues to do that to this day.

Other automakers, such as Mercedes-Benz and McLaren, have become extremely competitive with Ferrari on the race track. Ferrari’s racing team isn’t as dominant as it once was, but still, Ferrari’s brand image is the same. The rich and the famous of the world still buy Ferraris, and everyone else still wishes they could have one. 

This is the same story for Ferrari himself. As GQ said, Enzo Ferrari’s struggles and successes are so interesting that many books have been written about him. From nothing, Ferrari pursued his dreams relentlessly, and now, his company is worth billions of dollars.