A Visit to Museo Ferrari Maranello

May 22, 2013
Story By
Rob Choo

Every car has a badge of honor. Toyota has the samurai head, BMWs are known for the blue and white rondel, Lamborghinis are embossed with the raging bull; however, one of the most iconic badges of honor is the prancing horse of Ferrari. When traveling to Italy, you cannot pass up the opportunity to experience the heritage of Ferrari racing. The Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy is 8,200 square feet of racing legacy filled to the brim with vintage models. The official Ferrari Museum brings together models, images, and trophies that together have made the history of the brand’s exceptional performance. Racing has always been part of Ferrari’s DNA. Since the first victory of the model 125 S in the Grand Prix of Rome in 1947, Ferrari has won over 5,000 races on tracks around the globe. Ferrari holds the title of being the only automotive manufacturer to have participated in all seasons of Formula 1 since its establishment in 1950. To date, Ferrari has won 31 Formula 1 world titles including both Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.

Within the spacious museum floors, there is the Hall of Victories, the Hall of Granturismo, a display of custom Ferrari work, engineering educational displays, a “Red Campus” lab with hands-on teaching modules, Enzo Ferrari’s original office, a bookstore, and of course the ubiquitous merchandise shop. In the section dedicated to Ferrari’s origins, on display are two of the first sport models produced: the Ferrari 125 S and the 166 MM Vignale of 1953. The 125 S holds the honor of being the first Ferrari car wearing the prancing horse logo and boosts a 12-cyclinder engine designed by Gioachhino Colombo. From the origins, we weave into the research and design that is a part of developing the proven racing results. Prototypes and concept cars are on displace in addition to clay models. Engine, transmission, brake and suspension pieces are also on display, in addition to photos of their R&D team. Visitors are also treated to seeing their new 2012 concept cars. If you are ever so lucky as to traipse through Italy, be sure to rent a car (preferably an Italian one) and venture out to the Italian countryside and through the winding superstradas until you stumble upon Maranello. Being able to bask in Ferrari red through and through and racing history is a once in a lifetime experience that will leave you smiling.

The most breath-taking location in the museum is the Hall of Victories which has on display eight Formula 1 winning models. Ferrari won eight victories in ten years and has presented together an evocative display of single-seaters that “identify the most significant steps of an unequaled historical and technological course spanning from 1999 to 2008.” In addition to the cars, the champion drivers’ helmets are presented, as well as the many trophies collected to date.

The Ferrari F40 was built to celebrate Ferrari’s 40^th anniversary. Roughly 1,315 F40s were manufactured, and of them, the rarest of them all is the Competizione: only 10 of them were ever made. The Competizione F40s produced 700 bhp; 200+ more horsepower than the standard F40. This was made possible with the aid of larger intercoolers, revised turbochargers and reworked ECU mapping. Besides the higher base output of the standard F40, the Competizione models also featured a front splitter and adjustable rear wing.

Many purists may not agree with the Ferrari’s choice to build a front-engine, rear-drive supercar, but one must admit the 599XX Evoluzione is damn sexy. Only a select few lucky Ferrari loyalists were given the opportunity to own this not road-legal beauty at a cool $1.75 million dollars asking price. The price tag did include, however, six Ferrari-sponsored track test days with a host of Ferrari engineers at your beckoning.

If you thought Weight Watchers was serious about losing weight, check out this carbon fiber-infused gear box housing for Ferrari’s Formula 1 car.

In 1986 Ferrari actually dabbled with Indy cars. The project was very short lived, as the chassis never left Italy to compete in the United States. The Indy car was initially built as a threat against Bernie Ecclestone and Formula 1 to imply that Ferrari would leave if a compromise was not reached in the choice of what engine to be used in Formula 1. In the end Ecclestone and Enzo Ferrari came to an agreement in powerplant, and the Indy project was dropped.

With only 30 FXX ever built, seeing one in person is quite a bucket list experience.

The Project 150 is a 1:1 scale model developed to showcase the work in progress from clay to full size concept. The aggressive wheel arches is not only stylistically appealing, but also serves as a passage for air to escape the fenderwell area for better aero dynamics.

Some of the innovative technology found in the V12 Enzo engine is the computer-aided, adjustable-length air horns. Depending on engine loads, the air horn lengths are adjusted to extract maximum power output from the 6.0-liter engine.

-Rob Choo Museo Ferrari 41053 Maranello MO, Italia

A Visit to Museo Ferrari Maranello

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