This issue we visit a unique Dora Green Purosangue with an intriguing heritage, remember the 1949 single-seater that started the legend and look at the scorching return of the FIA WEC 499P Hypercar
Unusual as it is striking, the Dora Green of Piero Ferrari’s personalised Purosangue takes its inspiration from a Prancing Horse built over half a century ago: the 400 Superamerica owned by his father, Enzo. Connecting the two Prancing Horses across 60 years was made possible through the new Couture Selection from the Tailor Made programme, and inside we explore the raft of other innovations that make this car truly unique.
Out on the track, the 499P, that blisteringly quick Hypercar currently tackling the FIA WEC, continues to prove that the racing performance is more than a match for the pre-season hype: three races, three podium finishes, and it’s only just getting started.
From there it’s a journey from the very pinnacle of today’s racing innovation to the race car that arguably started the legend, the 125 GPC. Having debuted in 1948 as the first Ferrari single-seater it quickly evolved into the 125 F1, in which Italian driver Alberto Ascari claimed a podium place in Monaco, May 1950, in the Scuderia’s first ever Formula One GP.
Of course, a Ferrari is nothing without the driver, and we take time to visit three very different groups that make the Prancing Horse so special. First, we look at the pivotal role Maranello’s test drivers play in the development of each car, from development to protype to final production.
Then we visit the growing breed of keen Ferraristi who believe their cars are made to be driven, not stored in garages, and never miss an opportunity to get behind the wheel of their favourite ‘daily driver’. Finally, we head to China, where Ferrari teams are working to satisfy a youthful clientele’s desire for advanced technology while remaining respectful of the countries millennial culture.
Elsewhere in the issue we get to grips with the beautiful Montblanc Ferrari Stilema SP3 (a limited-edition writing instrument whose design was inspired by the Ferrari Daytona SP3); we look at the rich cultural resonance of this year’s hottest hue – green – and we take a stroll through the Museo Enzo Ferrari and the new exhibition linking 75 years of design, tech and performance to the ambitions and dreams of tomorrow’s Prancing Horses.