‘Enzo Ferrari built road cars so he could go racing. Today, Ferrari builds SUVs so you can go to Waitrose.’
From V12 symphonies to silent hybrids, Ferrari’s journey from 1960s raw racers to modern tech-laden luxury is pure drama.
They’ve won Le Mans, lost F1 titles, and built the world’s most expensive car, and now they make an SUV they insist isn’t an SUV.
It’s been a wild ride, and somehow, the Prancing Horse still refuses to be tamed.
The Evolution of Ferrari: From the 1960s to Today
1960s – Ferrari dominates Le Mans, builds the 250 GTO, and tells customers they’re wrong.
Enzo only sold road cars to fund racing—and once told Ferruccio Lamborghini to go buy a tractor.
He did. It had a V12.
In the 1970s, the Dino 246 GT appeared (it was not badged as a Ferrari at first), and Ferrari experimented with flat-12s and wild styling.
The oil crisis tries to slow them down. Styling says no.
1980s – The F40 arrives: turbocharged, no frills, and Enzo’s final word. Meanwhile, Fiat tightened its grip, and Ferrari’s F1 hopes floundered.
1990s – Front-engined GTs return with the 550 Maranello. F1 tech filters into the F355 and 360. Schumacher arrives. Hope returns.
2000s – Ferrari dominates F1. The Enzo hypercar hits the road. Paddle shifts and Manettino dials become the new normal.
2010s—LaFerrari leads the hybrid charge. Ferrari went public in 2015 but insists its soul isn’t for sale.
2020s – The SF90 and Purosangue mark new territory: electrification and four-door practicality—with a V12, naturally.
Le Mans victory returns in 2023. An electric Ferrari is on the way.
‘LaFerrari sounds like an opera. The SF90 sounds like a laptop. But both will rearrange your spine at full throttle.’
