Ferrari is the quintessential choice for exotic sportscar connoisseurs, crafting automotive art with a raging pulse that can be felt without turning the key.
To want to drive a Ferrari is to want to be seen – yet to claim that every Ferrari from the last 75 years has been as iconic as the lipstick-red paint and Prancing Horse badge they’re famous for would be untruthful.
Early cars may have lacked refinement, making driving a slightly unnerving experience, but Ferrari quickly gained traction, harnessing knowledge from their motorsport successes in order to improve their road cars in the hope of someone buying one. Thankfully, Ferrari’s luck changed with the timeless beauty – of the Ferrari 250 GTO.
Today, Ferrari produces elegant luxury cars to suit any person, with two and 4-door models, hardtop coupes, convertibles, and beautiful spider versions, allowing the ultimate freedom to decide on any path you wish.
Racing in the blood
Ferrari’s founder, Enzo Ferrari, had no desire to make road cars back in the 1930s; however, to pursue his love of motor racing, he needed a lucrative strategy to help drum up the necessary funds for building competitive race cars and entering them into a competition.
Enzo’s knowledge of race cars, which blossomed earlier in his career while working for Alfa Romeo, allowed him to build cars that could actually win races, and Ferrari quickly gained a reputation for exhibiting fierce performance out on track.
Ferrari enjoyed early success in motor racing with their first win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949, and their first Formula 1 Driver’s World Championship not long after. Ferrari still stands as the only team to have competed in every Formula 1 championship since its maiden season in 1950, and they’re also the most successful, holding almost all of the records to this day.
The secrets learned from scores of dominant race performances in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula 1, and the World Sportscar Championship, respectively, found their way into their sportscars, bringing innovative ideas forward in a scene where Ferrari’s rivals were often left scratching their heads over how to make their cars as good, if not better.
2022 Ferrari lineup
The 2022 Ferrari lineup resembles a 1960s beauty pageant, with infatuating profiles formed of smooth, delicate lines everyone can appreciate. Power is up more than ever before, and for the first time, many plug-in hybrid versions are on offer.
The 2022 Ferrari line up includes:
- Ferrari 812 GTS
- Ferrari 296 GTB/GTS
- Ferrari SF90 Stradale/Spider
- Ferrari F8 Tributo/Spider
- Ferrari Roma
- Ferrari Portafino M
Underneath the stunning bodies of Ferrari’s latest and greatest hides an arsenal of unprecedented caliber. With V6, V8, and V12 engines available in the current lineup, turbocharged and electrified units have carried over technological feats from Ferrari’s Formula 1 car, to enhance the feel of the driving experience.
Nerdy features like F1 traction control, regenerative braking systems, electronic suspension, active differential, and a dual-clutch 8-speed automatic gearbox, all make cruising or driving passionately a uniquely enjoyable experience.
The Ferrari SF90 and Ferrari F8 are both offered this year in Spider versions, featuring an electronic retractable roof that opens and closes with grace, meanwhile preserving the prominent lines of the hardtop version.
The beauty of the Spider is the driver’s ability to adapt to their environment, so if the sun makes an unexpected exit, there’s no need to shuffle to unfold a roof by the side of the road before it rains.
Inside, the interiors remain true to a classic style – oozing with fine Italian leather draped on the door cards to the swooping dashboard display; it’s easy to get lost in the luxurious cabin and enjoy the comfort of the seats.
Alongside the crisp digital instrumentation display, carbon fiber clings to the dash, serving as a backsplash to an array of knobs, switches, and brightly-colored buttons used for navigating the onboard electronic systems.
With so many electronic driving aids to assist you, and an automatic gearbox that seamlessly shifts from one gear to the next, a modern-day Ferrari can be quite easy to get accustomed to.
What does Ferrari ownership entail?
Chances are, you won’t find a Ferrari below the $100k mark, so that means you’re bound to think very carefully about which brand, and which car you see yourself with.
Like with any purchase, doing plenty of research is a good way to build confidence in what’s available, allowing you to choose exactly what you desire, and nothing more.
Ferrari is not so well-known for characteristics most regular manufacturers specialize in, meaning you can expect to sacrifice luggage carrying capacity, legroom, and gas mileage, among many other things. The integrated controls used to control entertainment or navigation features aren’t always intuitive, and sometimes you might find controls hidden in peculiar places – it’s an Italian thing.
Ground clearance is low on a Ferrari, so you’ll have to keep that in mind if you’re traversing rough and bumpy roads with poor or uneven surfaces. Driving along and wide car with limited visibility can cause driving anxiety if you dare to venture through narrow streets or heavily-congested areas, especially when you’re sitting just a few inches from the ground.
What Ferrari is famous for is pure adrenaline-pumping excitement whenever you press the gas, and a superb feeling of euphoria as you glide with the car, seemingly connected to it through each corner and crest. Driving enthusiasts love the feeling of responsiveness and instantaneous performance that Ferrari sportscars offer, alongside exclusivity and unrivaled appeal.
The ultimate Ferrari
Purchasing a Ferrari could be a good investment for collectors, especially if your eyes are set on Ferrari’s revered models that live with cult-like followings, demanding increasingly higher prices as fewer of these unicorns survive the turbulent economic times preying on this century.
The crème de la crème of Ferrari’s repertoire are timeless silhouettes, many built to commemorate significant moments in Ferrari’s illustrious history. Style and performance icons like the Ferrari 250 GTO, Ferrari 288 GTO, Ferrari F40, and Ferrari F50 are some of the rarest and most desirable cars on the collector’s market today, with prices that have soared since the cars’ release.
Great opportunities to invest in a classic Ferrari can be found in smaller-capacity engine variants, models produced in higher numbers, or models in less-desirable colors. Mechanical issues or rusty bodywork will devalue cars, yet not as much as reasonably-priced cars – a rusty, rotting Ferrari Dino once sold for $221,000!
If you’re considering investing in a Ferrari, it’s a wise call to source the tidiest car with a clean track record, affordable within your budget. A Ferrari that has been treated with love and respect will look far younger for its years than a poor Ferrari that has endured its existence on a shoestring budget.
Seek the opportunity to get behind the wheel to get a true feel of the experience. Get up close with the cars you feel drawn to, in order to find which car your heart belongs to. Everyone dreams of driving a Ferrari, so what’s the use if the dream isn’t exactly the way we’d like it to be?
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