Special exhibit traces Ferrari’s storied history of road and race cars
70 Years of Ferrari Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1947, Ferrari has become one of the most iconic brands in automotive history, equally as renowned for its road-going cars are for its race cars. The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles pays tribute to that history with a special exhibit of 10 of marque’s most important models, called “70 Years of Ferrari.” Photos by Allie Marsh / Words by Gerry Malloy ▲
Seeing red Ferrari’s deep-rooted association with the colour red dates back more than a century to the time when Rosso Corsa (“racing red”) was chosen to be the official colour for all Italian motorsports teams regardless of manufacturer. Enzo Ferrari embraced that tradition and the race cars that bear his name continue to be painted Rosso Corsa to this day. ▲
1947 Ferrari 125 S – the first production model Enzo Ferrari was first and foremost a racer. After World War II, he rebuilt his Maranello workshop, which had been levelled by Allied bombs, to build and sell road-going cars – so he could fund his racing activities. The first production car to bear his name was the model 125 S. ▲
2006 Ferrari 248 F1 – Michael Schumacher The most recent car in the exhibit is this 2006 Ferrari 248 Formula 1 car, driven by seven-time World Champion, Michael Schumacher. He finished second to Fernando Alonso in the championship in that, his final F1 season, after a decade of racing for Scuderia Ferrari. ▲
1961 Ferrari California Spyder Many of the exotic road-going cars that funded Ferrari’s racing efforts are now ranked among the most beautifully designed and engineered cars of all time. Few more so than this 1961 Ferrari California Spyder. ▲
1961 Ferrari California Spyder The 250 California was first proposed to American importer, Luigi Chinetti in 1957 by John von Neumann, Ferrari’s West Coast representative, who believed that there was a ready market for a chic, expensive convertible in the United States. Chinetti convinced Enzo Ferrari to produce the car, which was designed by Pinin Farina and constructed by Scaglietti. ▲
1965 Ferrari 250 LM Next to the California in the Petersen exhibit is an equally iconic Ferrari 250 LM – the LM standing for Le Mans. It was the first of Ferrari’s mid-engined GT road/race cars. ▲
1965 Ferrari 250 LM The V-12-powered, Pinin Farina-designed 250 LM was introduced at the 1963 Paris Motor Show. This one was imported to the United States by Luigi Chinetti, the legendary Ferrari dealer and founder of Ferrari’s N.A.R.T. (North American Racing Team). ▲
65 Ferrari 250 LM It was driven to overall victory at Le Mans in 1965 by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory, the last of six consecutive Ferrari victories in the 24-hour classic, before the Scuderia was overpowered by the Ford onslaught. ▲
1958 Ferrari 250 TR Spyder Before there was the LM, there was the legendary 250 TR – one of the most successful Ferrari race cars ever built. The TR stands for Testa Rossa (Italian for “red head”), in reference to the red valve covers on the engine, not the famous red body colour so strongly associated with Ferrari. ▲
70 Years of Ferrari As well as for its speed and endurance, the Testa Rossa was memorable for its distinctive styling, with its unique pontoon-style fenders. Under the hood of this 1958 model was a 3.0-litre V-12 engine, upgraded from the 2.0-litre four-cylinder version in earlier models. ▲
1958 Ferrari 250 TR Spyder The pontoon fenders enabled airflow around the front wheels and down the body sides. This 250 TR, a Scuderia Ferrari team car, debuted in Argentina at the 1000 km of Buenos Aires, where it was driven by Luigi Musso and legendary Belgian driver Olivier Gendebien. ▲
1963 Ferrari 330 LMB Between the TR and the LM came the GTO, arguably the most famous and among the most valuable Ferrari GT cars of them all. Only 39 GTOs were built. While this car looks like a GTO, it is not. It’s an even rarer 330 LMB. ▲
1963 Ferrari 330 LMB Introduced for the 1963 season, the LMB (Le Mans Berlinetta) was one of just four cars constructed for the new 4.0-liter prototype class. The design blended the bodywork of the production 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso with elements from the competition 250 GTO, including the distinctiv triple cutouts on the nose. ▲
1963 Ferrari 330 LMB A Scuderia Ferrari factory race car, this LMB became the first car to break 300 km/h (186 mph) on the Mulsanne Straight, once an uninterrupted 5.9-km (3.7-mile) straightaway at Le Mans. ▲
1985 Ferrari 288 GTO The GTO nameplate reappeared in 1984 on a low-volume production model purposely designed to meet FIA Group B race- and rally-car regulations. ▲
1985 Ferrari 288 GTO Only 272 of the second-generation GTOs were produced and before any were complete the FIA eliminated the category so it had no series in which to race. ▲
1985 Ferrari 288 GTO The 288 GTO immediately found favour among “supercar” buyers, however, a growing market segment that has continued to keep Ferrari well financed. ▲
1947 Ferrari 125 S Back to the beginning, the125 S was not only the first Ferrari production car, it was the first one powered by the now-legendary Ferrari V-12 engine. It failed to finish its first ever race but Enzo claimed the marque’s first victory with it at a circuit in Rome soon after. ▲
1949 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta Just a couple years later, in 1949, this 166 MM became the first Ferrari-badged race car to claim overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That same year, it won the iconic Mille Miglia, from which the car derives its “MM” model designation. ▲
1949 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta The 166 MM was powered by an overhead cam V-12 engine and weighted substantially less than its predecessors thanks to its superleggera (“superlight”) body by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan. ▲
1955 Ferrari 857 Sport By 1955 Ferrari was an established and respected manufacturer focused on innovation, but a defeat by the Mercedes-Benz team at the World Sportscar Championship that year prompted the firm to experiment with more radical engine and body designs. This 857 Sport was one such vehicle. ▲
1955 Ferrari 857 Sport The 857 Sport was part of the Monza series that featured a new twin-cam, four-cylinder engine and a lightweight aluminum body by Carrozzeria Scaglietti. This one was exported directly from the factory to Los Angeles in 1956, and, of the four built, is the only one with a rear fin. ▲
1976 Ferrari 312 T2 Flash forward a couple decades to one of the most recognizable of all Ferrari Formula 1 cars. The 312 T was introduced in 1974 and continued in different variants until 1980. This 312 T2, wears the #1 of reigning World Champion Niki Lauda, who drove it to wins in both the Belgian and Monaco Grands Prix in 1976. ▲
1976 Ferrari 312 T2 The T2 was the first 312 T to incorporate side-mounted air intakes, in response to a rule change prohibiting the high intakes that had become the norm. Canadian fans will recognize it as the first Ferrari model that Gilles Villeneuve drove when he joined the Scuderia in 1977. ▲
2006 Ferrari 248 F1 Schumacher’s last F1 ride, the Ferrari 248, reverted to a naming system similar to that used in the 1950s and ‘60s, referring to its 2.4-litre, eight-cylinder engine. It was among the most logo-laden – and thus least-attractive – Ferrari F1 cars ever, with the further addition of Marlboro branding in those countries where cigarette advertising was allowed. ▲
Seeing Red: 70 Years of Ferrari The “Seeing Red: 70 Years of Ferrari” exhibit will run through April 2018 at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Other special exhibits include “The Art of Bugatti,” which will remain open until January 13, 2018. ▲
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