Enzo's last ferrari?

Have read that the 456 was the last project signed off by Enzo Ferrari...

 

Taken from Winding Road Magazine issue #6.

"As the last car Ferrari designed before Enzo’s death, the 456 has historical significance, too. The 456’s era also represents a kind of optimum level of technological development, the time before impurities like traction control (although 1998’s 456M has TC), but an active rear spoiler and adjustable shocks make it an innovative, versatile machine. And, while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, many will argue that the 456 is one of Pininfarina’s best designs."

 

interesting info..all this time i read in books and magazines that the F40 was that special car which was Enzo Ferrari's last project before his death..

 

456???

 

If we are going to seriously pick over some details to thrust one model over the other, we'll be here all day.

All I was saying was Enzo as most documentation states, was heavily into the entire 456 project. I went back to the mags, R&T etc looking for more to post, but seriously not worth the issue. His details of choosing a 250 GTB SWB side vent for expression to the 456 to a Daytona highlights of reverse hood scoops on the either side and the rear end were intentional via his input.

I'd be so bold as to say, he would NOT have approved of the M 456 series for the changes in that hood. but that is my speculation.

I choose the older 456 specifically for the flairs that the M's do not have even though the M's are a much better car, mechanically, and with tons of less issues: no doubt there.

I wanted that car for its looks, power, carrying of extra people to enjoy it, and the fact that Enzo did a fine job of bringing in older elements.

I did, and I'll have to search, find that pic of him looking over some 456 designs....it's somewhere in the ether-garage after the last move.

However, I'll bet every car released within four years of his passing had some 'Enzo' in there. Seriously, do we think he did the 348 and Missed the Mondial T?

Infinite jabber on this as I am quite certain many will have Enzo's Last [fill in the blanks.....pasta | coffee | color of pants | ] fun to banter, and truly is, but will never know for sure.

rik

 

While I respect your opinion, I disagree. Enzo began the Ferrari legacy and it is being carried on by people that learned from him, which he probably handpicked.

If I have a son who has a child while I am alive and then another child after I pass away, I am as much a grandfather to the grandchild that was born after my death then I am to the one that was born prior to my death.

 

Enzo was in the mood for some rouladen that day....

 

WOW!!!!! That is possibly the best picture I have ever seen of the old man, I could stare at that for ages (probably years!!) It encompasses everything that is "Ferrari" to me. I would absolutely love a copy of that, if anyone knows where I can obtain a copy, or has a good hi res image of it please PM me.

A little treasure!

 

Me too! Anyone know where they can be found? Maybe tx246 can help us out. How about getting it professionally copied for a group purchase???

Geno

 

i bought it from a memorbilia dealer at the us f1 race in 2003 or 4 i believe. it is stamped on the back by a photographer in modena who took the photo and does/did all the press photo's for ferrari. it is an actual photograph, not a print.

not sure where one can get a copy, but morry at collectorstudio.com often has interesting stuff, maybe he has one or knows where to find one at.

 

Thanks for the info!

I really would love a copy of this photo, is there any chance you can give me the photographer's name? It is mesmerising!

 

Hello can you my say where you have this rare Picture.

 

jejje Here Mr Enzo still driving jejeje....... a 128 fiat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGHXju859_A


In my personal opinion,all this "big fishes",owners from all big supercars brands,not only Enzo Ferrari,was obsesioned with 12 cilynder motors,and other motors didn`t mind about so much really,rest was only part of the business,they only LOVE the 12 cil motors.

May be for this reason he was standing near the testarossa at this pic,,,,,may be,,,

May be F40 was one of the lasts involved Enzo proyects,but I think he never thought about to put two turbos in one of his motors,someone involved in the creation of F40 did it,but no Enzo.In my personal opinon may be Testarossa was the last real "enzo loved street car model".

 

Color negatives are easily remade, then a few prints as "gifts".......I did that with a very nice b/w of the Vaughan brothers with John Lee Hooker, backstage at the Austin Music Awards...

You are most likely correct though that Factory photo probably saw wide distribution at the time......check with Morry, in Collectibles.....

 

A "real" Ferrari is one that comes from the Ferrari factory. This has been argued nonstop over the years and people were questioning if the 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder race cars were "real" Ferraris back in the 60's. Some people think that a "real" Ferrari has to be a 12. Some say the engine has to be in the front, etc. If it comes out of the Ferrari plant it is a Ferrari. Yes that means the Maser engines also. They are "real" Ferrari engines.

 

Hello can you me say where i found this Pictures of Enzo Ferrari in Internet or where i can buying a Reprint of this Pictures.
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"I think we are all being too kind and wishfull. Enzo once he sold half of the company to Fiat, He had very little if anything do do with concept and development of the road cars. I think after 1969, he turned over the road car production to Fiat."


This is completely false. Enzo didn't sell half the company on June 18 1969, he sold 40%, which included the recently acquired Scaglietti coachworks. You have to understand the context, unions, international markets, the Italian economy, but these were boom years for the big GT makers, they just weren't highly profitable, or at least profitable enough to do all the racing Mr. Ferrari wanted to. He sold the interest to Fiat in order to keep his company alive and precisely because the Agnellis would let him continue to run the company on his terms, not because of any desire for lesser involvement. But the bottom line, as we all know, was that he could be more competitive with Fiat's money behind the program. Not only did road car production stay at Modena, the first series of the Fiat Dino were built at Modena, and the entire run of Fiat Dino engines were built at Modena.

Story after story relates how intimately involved Mr. Ferrari was in the development of his cars. Yes he wanted to race, but he was also a businessman, and an automotive enthusiast, so why wouldn't he be involved in the development of the street models of his own car company??? He meticulously controlled every aspect of his business.

Just because he had a reputation for being unconcerned about customer feedback doesn't mean he wasn't in control of his business. Henry Ford had those same failings but he, like Enzo, held absolute sway in every detail of the business.

 

As stated in Brock Yates' biography of Ferrari: "Regardless of the myths built up around Enzo Ferrari and his later road cars--such as the 308GTB/GTS, 328 GTB/GTS, Boxer, 512BB Boxer, 400i Automatic--he had almost nothing whatsoever to do with their creation. The last road car that might legitimately be considered a true Ferrari was the 365GTB4 Daytona. Subsequent automobiles were really more like limited prioduction Fiats (or mass-produced Ferraris) than like the classic quasi-racing cars of yore."

And: "Fiat could do what the chose with the road cars; Enzo Ferrari couldn't care less. In private he remained openly disdainful of the states slaves who bought them."

Ciao,
Gerald Roush
Ferrari Market Letter

 

By this definition then the Lancia Thema 3.2 engines as well as recent 8-cylinder Alfa Romeo engines are also "Ferrari". I have seen both being built at Ferrari in Maranello.

Ciao,
Gerald Roush
Ferrari Market Letter

 

IMO, Brock Yates made about half of that book up! LOL!

I ran across a copy at Half Price Books the other day, and left it there!

If any of you want it let me know, I'll drop back by.....

 

Do you believe what you have cited, Gerald????

Just curious, as it is widely held the 'last' was the F40 (by the F40 owners..LOL!).....I'm just curious.

I think Brock spun a good tale but was interested in controversy and selling some books, not necessarily accuracy. Other books by Colombu and personal assistants to Enzo have more validity IMO...

 

Similar references to the amount of control FIAT had can be found in numerous other books and articles, many in Italian, by well-known and generally respected historians, authors, journalists, etc., including Franco Gozzi and even Enzo Ferrari himself.

Tell us, have you ever read Brock Yates' book? Elucidate for us what parts of that book were made up! It would make for an interesting thread here on Ferrari Chat.

Ciao,
Gerald Roush
Ferrari Market Letter

 

I've never read the Yates book. A current generation car expert/writers who has spent plenty of time researching and interviewing Italian car industry figures, Winston Goodfellow, says nothing like that about Enzo Ferrari. And, it is to his credit that he doesn't engage in servile flattery. But, Ferrari was "the dude" in the sports car world at the time, and that is that.

Quite apart from what one writer says about Ferrari's indifference and involvement, or even many, that doesn't mean that the man wasn't involved in the development of the cars! Ferrari always did things on his terms, and was in control. I think some of these views here are bowing a little too much to legend in some respects. The man ran a car company every day, from day to day. He had his hair cut every day before going to the office. And to think he didn't have anything to do with the road cars HIS COMPANY produced because he'd sold 40% to Fiat in order to get solid race-backing? It's just silly.

Take off the rose colored glasses and think in reality, what if YOU owned a multi million dollar company that produced expensive enthusiast based products and had major corporate backing that allowed you to pursue your passion in life that happened to be directly related to the business interest in question in the first place. In fact, your passion is what influenced the ways the products you were selling were made. Yes, you'd be square in the middle of what was being released to customers, whether you actually cared about them or not. You care about your company, you care about the products, in the least case.