| Enzo was a
stubborn and proud man, he always spoke of Porsches as souped up WV Beetles, and his
attitude was the reason why Feruccio Lamborghini started making sports cars. Poor old
Feruccio (tractor manufacturer at that time) came to Enzos office and wanted to buy
himself a Ferrari. Enzo kept him waiting for hours and sent him away with comment that
"paesano" Lamborghini doesn’t need a car such as Ferrari. I guess it came
as no surprise that 365GTB at the start of the 70ties was a roadgoing/competition
Cavallino with big Lampredi (seriously revised, with 4 over-head cams) in front and your
Enzos usual rear drive "horse pulls, not pushes" conception. Scuderia never
raced these rockets (some well tuned examples just touched the 200mph), but that
didn’t stop the privateers from winning sports car category in its class at Le Mans
72, 73, 74 Tour d France 72, and Daytona of 72 and 75. An article about 365 daytonaGTB
said "Gentleman drivers loved it, since it inspired all those that move men to
attempt heroic, irrational deeds. Daytona (365gtb) at full flight was a sight to behold,
mean looking, weavin dramatically on its overworked suspension, shaking under heavy
barking, literally pushing air and dust aside, making its own weather, beautifully loud as
hell, scatterin all to the four winds".
This leads us at the start of the modern era of racing and the F1 of todays. Ferrari
battled with its boxer 12 cylinder in F1 of the 70ties with the likes of Lauda behind the
wheel, (winning 3 F1WCs) That boxer engine got its road going fuel-injection (bye, bye
carbs) 4valve per cylinder version that powered 512BB,Testarossa, and subsequently 512TR
of the 80ties.The era of romantic racing and race cars sold to public was long gone. That
fact made the Ferrari aura, cause it was the only car maker that has done that.
Manufacturing and selling cars was never quite Enzos cup of tea, but only means to an end
which was racing passion. The car that revived the glory days was 1987 F40.
2.9 litre twin turbo V8 poked up to 480Hp in road version. The car really brought few
tears into eyes of Tifosi when it raced with pride the ultra-modern purpose built racers
such as McLaren BMW F1 in the 90ties,and took home few astonishing victories (Anderstorp,
Sweden being one of them).
Enzo Ferrari died in 1988 and wasn’t able to witness the history of GT glory
repeating itself. In the mid 90ties Ferrari have placed another race bred V12 on the roads
in the wake of the F50, mid engined F1 look-alike monster, but only few of these were
made. Currently, top gun of road going Ferraris is F550 Maranello, and Enzo may have
gotten his last laugh. That car has a 5.5liter big V12 in front and rear drive, so
"the horse is still pushing the cart well into the 21st century".
Thanks to all those who took the time to read these novels of posts.
Thanks again, coolrunnings
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