“Death will destroy my body, but my creatures will keep on living ever after, in the years to come.”
– Enzo Ferrari
There are few brands in the world that everyone can recognise.
Ferrari’s prancing horse happens to be one of those brands. And it is not recognisable because it is commonplace. Quite the opposite. It is rare. It is largely unattainable. It is extraordinary.
It is recognisable because it is an object of beauty.
“I don’t sell cars; I sell engines. The cars I throw in for free since something has to hold the engines in.”
– Enzo Ferrari
Visiting the Enzo Ferrari Museum
Stepping through the swinging doors out of the scorching Italian summer sun into the gloom my eyes blink furiously to adjust. Dust motes glitter from the artificial lights before blinking out of sight.
A faint trace of fresh paint hangs in the air where the stench of oil and grease should have been. The steady hum of the air conditioning breaks the deepening silence.
Standing in Enzo Ferrari’s old factory, and birthplace, I am struck by a sense of longing for days gone by. A time that I never even lived.
A time when there were no such things as traction control, power steering or even seatbelts. Racing car drivers seemed reckless with their lives and cars were only just becoming mainstream.
As I wander through the old workshop examining Enzo Ferrari’s life in minute detail, I wonder what it must have been like 60+ years ago. Working away in this tiny shed in the middle of the Italian countryside developing a car and a brand that what would become a legacy.
He was the first to believe that cars could be a luxury object. Cars could be a work of art. To him, cars had to be a mix of power and style. A combination of speed and elegance.
“Everyone dreams of driving a Ferrari, it was my intent from the start.”
– Enzo Ferrari
These are words I can relate to.
As a boy, and still to this day, I often dream of driving a racing car. And not just any racing car. It would have to be the best. A Formula One racing car.
They represent everything that is extravagant and excessive about motor racing.
The Formula One car that I would choose to drive? Ferrari.
Why? Because there has been no other team that has dominated the Formula One World Series over the course of history. Even though they have had rocky periods with no wins for, they have also had a grip on the trophy more times than any other team.
“Second is the first of the losers.”
– Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari’s passion for success has pushed Ferrari to be the best in the racing world. And for that, everyone that has ever owned or driven a car, should be thankful.
Because not only are Ferrari’s considered some of the best racing cars in the world. But Formula One cars are the reason most road cars have been developed to where they are today. Nearly every technological advancement in speed, safety, aerodynamics and handling has been developed during testing and racing Formula One cars.
It is why I felt such an honour to stand where the best have stood before.
Whether you like Ferrari or not, visiting the Museo casa Enzo Ferrari in Modena to pay homage to one of the greatest Italian’s that ever lived is a must for any motoring enthusiast or if you ever win the lottery.
Enzo Ferrari
18th February 1898 – 14th August 1988.
“The most important victory is the one which has to arrive.”
– Enzo Ferrari
Extra Travel Tips:
The Enzo Ferrari Museum is located in Modena in the heart of Motor Valley in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.
Opening hours: 9.30am – 6pm (1st October – 30th April) and 9.30am – 7pm (1st May – 30th September)
Cost: €13 per adult. Also available is a discount to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello if you combine the two museums for €22 per adult.
Disclaimer: I was invited to visit the Enzo Ferrari museum as a guest of the Emilia-Romagna tourism board as part of the #Blogville project. As always, our thoughts and dreams, are our own.