Ferrari have unveiled a secret that has remained hidden for 74 years. Enzo Ferrari founded the iconic Italian manufacturer in 1929 and they quickly became the world leader in the high performance car market. Their legendary supercars have defined a what a supercar is. The iconic “Racing red” has long been the colour of choice for Ferrari. So much so that the colour has become synonymous with Ferrari. Nowadays you can buy a Ferrari in a range of different colours. What many don’t know is that red was not Enzo’s first choice.
What is the history of the iconic Italian manufacturer?
Enzo Ferrari joined Alfa Romeo in 1920 as a test driver. Then, probably due to some arm twisting by Enzo, Alfa Romeo established Scuderia Ferrari, their racing division in 1929. They operated under the Alfa Romeo umbrella for ten years until, in 1939, Enzo leaves Alfa Romeo and establishes Auto-Avio Costruzioni. It would only be 8 years later when Ferrari S.p.A. is founded, marking the official start of the Ferrari brand.
Remarkably, in the same year they won their first race. The Ferrari’s 125 S won the race and that was the beginning of something truly special. They would dominate the motorsport for years to come until Ford challenged their dominance at Le Mans. Their supercars were astonishing the world off the track as well. Tragically, Enzo Ferrari would pass away in 1988. His remains can be found in the San Cataldo cemetery in Modena, near Ferrari’s factory at Maranello in central Italy.
The iconic red colour that Ferrari has been become known for has some interesting history as well. The story goes way back to the beginning of the company and their motorsport adventures. When Enzo Ferrari joined Alfa Romeo in 1920, they had a specific colour that was used on all their racing cars. Alfa Romeo opted for blue as the colour for their race cars. What Ferrari chose is surprising and probably not the colour you’re thinking of.
What was Enzo Ferrari’s first choice for his cars?
The answer to that question has puzzled many who find out. The iconic red that Ferrari now promotes as the first choice for their cars was not the colour that Enzo originally wanted to use. The “Ferrari Red” would only become the first choice in the late 1920’s when the FIA started assigning specific colours for racing teams to use based on the country they came from. Italy got red, that’s when Ferrari officially took the colour on.
The first Ferrari that was not under the Alfa umbrella we saw debuted at the Coppa Inter-Europa on April 15, 1951. What we saw was a shock for most of the world. The car Ferrari chose to use was a Salvatore Ammendola 195 Inter Berlinetta. And the colour of that car was a bright and stunning yellow. Yes, yellow. That was the secret colour that Ferrari have been hiding from us for 74 years.
So the iconic red we all associate with Ferrari was only adopted later on. Enzo’s first choice was yellow. We are intrigued to imagine a alternate version of history where Ferrari chose to stick with the yellow colour. That would have been an interesting sight. A range of yellow Ferrari’s driving around the roads of the world. Instead of the red streak of lighting we currently see. Ferrari have faced some stiff competition recently.
Can Ferrari make its way back to the top of a very competitive market?
The colours of cars have a huge impact on their sales and how they are perceived by the public. Ferrari is still considered one of the best car makers in the world. However, the market they have been able to dominate has been seeing some new challengers to Ferrari’s title. There are 100% electric supercars that can outpace any Ferrari, whether it be red or yellow. The question is, can Ferrari remain relevant in an ever changing market? The political climate is almost as dangerous as the actual climate. We have all eyes locked on Ferrari to see what they do next.
