L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 4 B ack in Septem- b e r , a p a c k e d house at the Sala Grande Theatre g a v e m o v i e director Michael Mann and a c t o r A d a m D r i v e r a s i x - m i n u t e s t a n d i n g o v a t i o n . Then, Airbnb's announce- ment of a new category of home listing, called Icons, turned the Ferrari Museum into the dream bedroom of any Formula One fan. The F e r r a r i n a m e h a s s h i n e d brightly for most of its exis- tence and still appeals to both car owners and Formula 1 enthusiasts. This is mainly thanks to the man who built and launched one of the most renowned brands and sym- b o l s o f I t a l y ' s e x c e l l e n c e , Enzo Ferrari. Enzo Ferrari was born in Modena on a snowy February night in 1898. Alfredo Ferrari and Adalgisa Bisbini, together with their son Alfredo, wel- comed newborn Enzo, who would soon become passion- ate about cars and circuits. His early life was marked by many milestones in racing and car manufacturing, cul- minating in 1929 with the launch of Scuderia Fer- rari, a sporting society that allowed its members to race. That was just the start of a long career that would put Maranello on the map for all those interested in Formula One and car racing. Today, his legacy lives on at the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari in Modena, which includes the restored house where he was born and a new futuristic automotive design g a l l e r y , a s w e l l a s a t t h e Museo Ferrari Maranel- l o , t h e c o m p a n y m u s e u m d e d i c a t e d t o t h e F e r r a r i sports car brand. Two colors make Ferrari recognized and recognizable w o r l d w i d e : y e l l o w , w h i c h recalls giallo Modena, the color of Enzo Ferrari's town, and of course red, symboliz- ing passion, love, and attach- ment to both the family and their brand. We visited Maranello and the Museo Ferrari a few d a y s b e f o r e t h e E m i l i a Romagna Grand Prix, also known as the Gran Premio di Imola. This year's race was particularly special: it is the closest circuit to the Fer- rari factory and comes a year after deadly floods hit the region the week of the 2023 r a c e . T h e e v e n t g a t h e r e d more than 250,000 visitors to the area between Bologna and Imola and the museums in Modena and Maranello received much attention, too, w i t h p e o p l e c o m i n g f r o m around the world to learn about the history of the brand and see the cars produced throughout the years, includ- ing the distinctive race cars of Ferrari's golden age in F1. Museo Ferrari Maranello's Director, Michele Pignatti Morano, gave us a special tour and shared fascinating stories about the cars on dis- play. "This museum has a central idea, which is related to its location close to the fac- tory. You can see photos of historical Ferrari manufac- turing and more recent ones. Enzo Ferrari always consid- ered the most important part of the car to be the machine frame, which he used to build himself, including the engine and wheels. Then, he would pass it to the coachbuilders to do the rest. The choice of names like Scaglietti, Tour- ing, Pininfarina, and Pignale was critical and genial. Enzo Ferrari was like the tailor of a beautiful dress." Cars are everywhere in the museum, yet the reproduc- tion of Enzo Ferrari's office d e s k i s a m u s t - s e e . T h e famous purple pen, the air- plane model that inspired the cavallino on the Ferrari logo, a horse statue, and the phone are all there. History says that the cavallino was painted on the side of the plane of Francesco Baracca, an ace of the Italian Air Force and national hero of World W a r I . I n 1 9 2 3 , a f t e r Francesco's death, his moth- e r t o l d E n z o s o m e t h i n g prophetic: "Put it on your car and it will bring lots of good luck." F e r r a r i m a n u f a c t u r i n g focuses on the concept of F o r m u l a U o m o . "If you want an excellent car, you need to put people in the best conditions to make it hap- pen," Director Pignatti Mora- no explained. "Enzo Ferrari u s e d t o s a y : ' A f a c t o r y i s made of people, machines, and brakes. Ferrari is made by people. It's the people who make the product.'" When visiting the muse- um, you'll see supercars, lim- ited series, and tailor-made cars. Supercars, representing the highest technology at a given time, are often revolu- tionary due to their engines, materials, or design. When you ask someone at Ferrari about their favorite car, the answer is always: "the next one," meaning each new car is an improvement. This is why all the supercars at the m u s e u m a r e i n t h e s a m e room and are part of limited editions. "If we get requests for 400 cars, we will always bring only 399 to the market because the one missing will create more interest and buy into the idea of exclusivity that belongs to our brand. An Ferrari: the past, present and future of speed & Made in Italy SERENA PERFETTO NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 A vintage Ferrari race car (Photo: Vyychan/Dreamstime)

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