Ferrari Story

Complete description of the 1984 Testarossa

The cover shows the new Testarossa getting in the limelights while the last "Testarossa Sport" goes away.

Ferrari is the name of the man and the marque that has achieved the biggest fame in the automobile world, and the marque is approaching its 40 years of activity.

Motor Italia magazine has followed this marque from its beginnings, presenting the production programme and the first model, the "125 sport" and following with a number of articles, specially the serial published from issue 114 to 122 (winter 1979 to winter 1981) that is in effect a condensed history of the Company.

It was decided however to do more and better to fulfill the wishes of Ferrari admirers that are legions.

With this issue begins a serial of Motor Italia sepecials, dedicated exclusively to the Ferrari and indicated by the title "Ferrari Story": the English term suggests (as in the past) that the text is in English as well as in Italian, with the intent of making it accessible to a larger International readership.

Enzo Ferrari and his cars, admired in the whole world deserve this homage.

Gianni Rogliatti

Evolution of the 4 places coupé from 1976 to 1985

The cover picture shows the front of the new 412 the Ferrari that continues the tradition of the granturismo cars with the V 12 front engine.

Ferrari Story presents the second issue of a series that, it is hoped, will continue for a long time.

This issue deals with the history of the type 400 from its first showing in Paris in 1976 through its evolution into the new 412 type, introduced in 1985 at the Geneva Motor Show: it is the classic Ferrari with the V 12 - 60° engine, the powerplant that was typical of the cars with the "Prancing horse" since their beginnings.

There have been other models with the type number 400 meaning a different engine capacity (4000 cc total capacity instead of a single cylinder 400 cc capacity) and this variation of type names in the Ferrari production will be examined in one of the coming issues.

The next issue, number 3 in this series will contain a detailed review of the foundation of Ferrari as a car factory and the introduction of the first model, the 125.

Motor Italia wishes to express its thanks to all the people who in the Ferrari and Pininfarina factories are assisting in doing this job well with patience and kindness.

Gianni Rogliatti

A short story of the beginnings and a description of the type 125

Bibliography updated to 1985

The cover of this issues tries to recapture the mood of the fall of 1946 when the parts being built for the new car were matched against the drawings. On the engine drawing there is a connecting rod and the badge that would grace the front emblem of every Ferrari built.

Ferrari Story has reached the third chapter, which deals with beginnings of the company. This most important part has been written thanks to the assistance of many people who supplied the firsthand information and the hitherto unpublished documents for which the author is grateful.

First of them all is Engineer Enzo Ferrari, then in alphabetical order Giuseppe Busso, Gilberto Colombo, Ermanno Della Casa, Federico Giberti, Franco Gozzi and Giusepe Navone.

Some photos were taken by Corrado Millanta the great journalist and photographer who chronicled with attention and precision the first years of the Ferrari Company.

Finally we must mention an American colleague who has built an important archive with great passion: Peter Coltrin is no longer with us but we remember him and thank Gabriella Coltrin who has made available his documents.

Gianni Rogliatti

The V8 3.2 litres capacity engined cars

This issue of Ferrari Story presents the new 8 cylinder cars (first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show 1985) along with a story of the technical and styling development. A number of hitherto unpublished drawings also show the engine, the gearbox, chassis and body styles completing the presentation.

Ferrari means 12 cylinders because this engine type has been the first and still continues to power the bigger models of the marque.

The technical development that goes on since nearly forty years, has shown the usefulness of exporing many other possibilities, including the eight cylinders engine in Vee form at 90°.

In this chapter of Ferrari Story are described the models equipped with the unsupercharged V 8 engine, that have been renovated for the occasion of the Frankfurt Motor Show of 1985.

Also, for the first time, some news are added concerning the great universe of the "ferraristi": in this case is the visit of the German customers who brought their cars to Siena and Maranello.

Gianni Rogliatti

The 1985 racing season

Formula 1 in the limelight, on the cover and inside: the pictures in this issue are of Ercole Colombo, Enzo Giovanelli, Gianni Rogliatti and the Marlboro press service.

Ferrari is a name and a factory, but for many enthusiasts of the younger generations it has become a symbol and synonym of the Formula 1 racing car.

Here begins the story of the participation of Ferrari at the top World Championship, that every year since 1950, honours the best driver of the speciality: the uninterrupeted presence of the Maranello team on the race tracks warrants a very extended coverage, so there will be other chapters.

In this first part it has been sought to offer a summary of the various topics, historical, technical and sporting, with the assistance of two experts both journalist of La Stampa newspaper, Michele Fenu and Cristiano Chiavegato.

Gianni Rogliatti