A Guide to the Different Types of Ferraris, Past and Present

Do you know about the history of Ferrari models? In this guide, read about different types of Ferraris, including those from the past and current models.

If there’s one type of luxury car that novices and aficionados all love, it’s the Ferrari.

Ferrari is a brand that has stood the test of time and remains a status symbol — managing to withstand all its rivals.

But how many of you know about the fascinating history of Ferrari cars? How did the company create so many unique Ferrari models?

Let’s look deeper into the different types of Ferraris and the history of this fascinating car company.

It all starts with learning about the brains behind the operation: Enzo Ferrari.

Enzo Ferrari

Enzo Ferrari was born in 1898 in Modena, Italy. His father, Alfredo, had a business fabricating metal parts. This made young Enzo interested in engineering at a young age.

After serving in the Italian Army during the First World War, he began looking for jobs in the car industry. He found work and also developed a passion for racing during this time.

In 1923, he was part of the racing department of Alfa Romeo. That same year he won his first Grand Prix in the city of Ravenna.

This made him develop his interest not just in cars but in racing and luxury. He continued to work with Alfa Romeo for two decades before starting his own car company.

The First Ferraris

The 125 S was the first Ferrari car and remained a favorite among collectors who love classic Ferraris. 

Launched in 1947, the 125 S came with a V12 engine — which was unusual for the time. It immediately caught the eye of racing enthusiasts. 

But what made the car really stand out was its beauty. It had a sleek design and beautiful bright red paint. This paint became a staple of future Ferrari models.

The Ferrari 125 S raced on the Piacenza Circuit 13 times and won 6 races. After the launch of the 125 S, there was another sports car released called the 159 S. These were the only two models released in 1947.

1948

In 1948, four Ferrari models were released. The previous year had already made Ferrari a household name. Demand was high, and Enzo Ferrari decided to introduce more models for car enthusiasts.

The first of these Ferrari models was the 166 Inter. This was a sedan that was marketed toward the everyday driver.

Enzo Ferrari wanted to show that Ferrari’s weren’t just for racing enthusiasts but also for luxury enthusiasts.

It came with a V12 engine and had a top speed of 150 km/h. It remains a favorite among Ferrari car collectors.

This was followed by three iterations of the 166. These were racing cars that all carried the V12 engine. They had different top speeds ranging between 103 km/h to 215 km/h.

By the end of 1948, Ferrari had become synonymous with speed and style. It had become one of the most desired car brands throughout the world.

Gran Turismo

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Ferrari saw a boom in launching many new models.

Among these, the most popular was the Gran Turismo. The Gran Turismo was a hybrid of a sports car and a sedan. It was the racecar for the everyday driver. 

It also exemplified the ethos of Ferrari. It exemplified that these would be luxury cars that wouldn’t be for the elite. The elite would drive them, but so would the everyday person.

The Gran Turismo remains a popular Ferrari model for collectors. Even today, whether you drive a Ferrari from the 1950s or 1960s, you’ll be sure to make heads turn.

While modern Ferraris look nothing like the Gran Turismos of the past, they inspired Ferrari to design cars that would focus on the everyday driver’s style.

The 1970s and 1980s

During these two decades, Ferrari models saw a major change in their shape. The frontal part of their cars got elongated. This made them stand out even more. The modesty of previous models was now gone.

But that didn’t matter to Ferrari or Ferrari fans. Ferrari was now a status symbol for car enthusiasts. Ferraris were seen as the preferred car of many great movie and television characters.

The Ferrari company wanted to capitalize on this popularity. From these decades on, they would focus on making cars that would stand out.

By this time, they knew that there was competition among luxury cars and sports cars. There were competitors such as Lamborghini that also mixed luxury and speed. 

Bugatti had made a comeback and wanted to focus on making supercars for elite drivers. Brands such as Aston Martin made their cars a status symbol for their drivers.

Ferrari was determined to stand out from their competition. The company knew that it would have to strive to last in the new millennium. They would have to compete for drivers!

The F50 Gran Turismo

The 1990s saw the mass production of many favorite Ferrari models. There were a few new cars but nothing that stood out from previous iterations.

That was until 1997 when the F50 Gran Turismo got launched. This was a large supercar that had a formidable presence on the racetrack. This was the car that made heads turn and made you miss it within the blink of an eye!

It had Ferrari’s signature V12 engine. It also reached a top speed of 325 km/h, making it one of the fastest cars at the time.

Its unique design also caught the eye of car enthusiasts. Just as previous generations loved the unique shape of older Gran Turismos, the F50 would influence future Ferrari models.

Future Ferraris

In the 2000s, Ferrari showed no sign of slowing down. We saw many great models such as the Spider get launched.

Ferrari remained one of the most popular cars for racing and luxury driving.

Its latest model was the Ferrari 488 Pista in 2018. We can expect that in the 2020s, we’ll see more Ferrari models and perhaps new unique designs.

We also expect to see a rekindled interest in classic Ferraris. 

Look At The Different Types of Ferraris

Now that you know Ferrari’s fascinating history, why don’t you add one to your collection?

Owning a Ferrari is a bragging right that all luxury car enthusiasts crave. No car collection is complete without one.

You’ll become a member of an exclusive club, and you’ll enjoy the status that comes with it.

Check out our catalog to look at the different types of Ferraris. Feel free to reach out to us to see our cars in our showroom!

Hermes