There are few badges more iconic than the prancing horse of Italy’s beloved supercar manufacturer, Ferrari. It is a brand with so much prestige, both on road and on the track. In a report run in 2014, the firm was found to be the world’s most powerful brand – bigger than Coca-Cola, bigger than Red Bull, even bigger than Apple. But why is it so popular? Why is it so desirable to own a Ferrari? Why is Ferrari still the supercar-king?
1. Racing pedigree
Scuderia Ferrari has been in Formula 1 since 1950 and has had some of the most iconic drivers such as Schumacher and Prost. Their religiously devoted fans, the Tifosi, make the annual pilgrimage to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix – but they’re more than just regular fans, they have a crazily dedicated passion for anything wearing the prancing horse.
Ferrari have more than 200 wins to their name in F1, more than any other team.
2. Advancements in technology=
It’s often discussed how much technology really streams down from race car to road car. But it’s clear to see the consistent advancements in technologies in Ferrari’s road machines, whether it be the revolutionary paddle-shift semi-automatic transmission for the F355 or the hybrid system in the LaFerrari – everyone wants a piece of Formula 1 technology in their road car.
The turbos added to the Ferrari California engine have virtually no turbo lag – a big leap in engine technology, created by Ferrari.
3. Desirable designs
The astronomical value of classic Ferrari’s, such as the 250 GTO, is testament to the iconic designs of Ferrari’s over the years. Combined with the instantly-recognisable Rosso Corsa paint colour, there are few cars that look as good as good as the iconic 246 Dino or more track-focussed cars like the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale.
Using designers such as Pininfarina, the looks of Ferrari’s across the years have always been attention-grabbing.
4. The emotion
Ferrari bring a wealth of Italian passion and emotion into their road cars, partly due to the incredible sound coming out of the highly-tuned engines that they create. Whether it be a V8 or a V12, the often high-pitched scream from a Ferrari exhaust system can rarely be beaten for pure driving pleasure.
Cars like the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta sound closer to an F1 car than anything else on the road
5. The price tag
We all know that Ferrari is a luxury brand with price tags to match and that’s the way it should be. Ferrari ownership is something to aspire to – owning a bespoke piece of automotive engineering and craftsmanship is not just an investment, but a whole experience and journey which is really unlike any other.
Like a luxury watch, Ferrari’s require your respect and need regular maintenance – it’s all part of the Ferrari experience.
Ferrari pushes the boundaries of technological excellence, they have one of the biggest fan bases in the world and they have a racing history that outlives any of its rivals. Ferrari is Italy’s biggest treasure – from their factory in Maranello to their founding place in Modena, they are Italian through-and-through. This is arguably what is so desirable for customers across the world, something different to their German alternatives. Ferrari owners want a slice of Italian flair and passion.