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Enzo Ferrari – a brief look at his life

One of the favourite cars we rent at Hemingway Luxury Car Hire is the Ferrari 458 Italia and we know that there are few people who can resist any of these sports cars. We have taken a moment to share a few details of the man without whom this dream car would not be as sought after as it is today.

Ferrari is a name which has now become synonymous with speed and glamour around the world. But for all this, credit goes to one man who had an ambition to build the fastest and most advanced cars in the world, Enzo Ferrari

Enzo Ferrari was born in Modena, Italy on February 18, 1898. When only 10 years old, he went to witness the race, which completely mesmerized him. Throughout his life, he remained quite attached to his birthplace and spent a majority of his days there. He totally inhabited in his life the culture and the values with which he was brought up and never strayed away from it. His life was affected by the First World War, in which he along with his brother had to join the Italian army. This period had a grievous impact upon his life as he lost both his brother and father in a flu outbreak in Italy and also just nearly survived from the flu himself. After returning from the war, left with no employment opportunities, he sought after to fulfil his childhood ambition. Fascinated by cars and racing since his childhood, he landed a small job with CMN Car Company. Later on, he also raced for them, but did not garner much success.

By 1920, he left CMN and joined Alfa Romeo as a racer. He had driven in several races for Alfa Romeo, who had become impressed with his driving ability and were willing to give him a chance to drive at a higher level, but he declined the offer. This practically ended his racing career, and he then directed his attention towards managing racing teams.

After this, he continued to work with Alfa Romeo and managed their racing team. In 1929, he convinced Alfa Romeo to race under his name and formed his own racing team “Scuderia Ferrari”. During this time the trademark prancing horse logo was also adopted by him, he once described the reason for it –

“The horse was painted on the fuselage of the fighter plane of Francesco Baracca – a heroic airman of the First World War. In ’23 I met count Enrico Baracca, the hero’s father, and then his mother, Countess Paulina, who said to me one day, ‘Ferrari put my son’s prancing horse on your cars. It will bring you good luck’. The horse was, and still is, black, and I added the canary yellow background which is the colour of Modena.”

He also got hold of several young drivers like Tazio Nouvlari and Giuseppe Campari. After humble beginnings, his team started winning races and dominating the racing arena for several years. But by the mid 1930s, several nations had understood the possibilities of utilizing motor racing as a means to showcase their supremacy. This marked the arrival of well funded and technically advanced German teams like Mercedes and Auto Union in the racing arena, which had assistance from the German Government. The German teams with their superior machinery, completely outshone everyone on the grid including Ferrari. During this time, one man who still kept the team competitive was his lead driver, Tazio Nouvlari. Even with inferior machinery when compared to the Germans, he still outpaced the capability of the car and came up with several fine performances. The most famous of which was the German Grand Prix in 1935, in which against all odds, he outclassed the Germans at their home.

Nouvlari is perhaps one of the greatest drivers in racing history. Enzo Ferrari first noticed his talent while racing alongside him on the grid in the 1920s. He admired his talent a lot and considered him to be an ideal racing driver. Nouvlari served as a benchmark to Ferrari and he always looked for qualities like him in other drivers. His heroics at the 1935 German Grand Prix served to Ferrari as a benchmark as to how a driver should drive in a race.

By 1937, Nouvlari left his team and joined Auto Union. Later, Ferrari was sacked from the team when Alfa Romeo retook control the same year. He spent the next few years selling parts to other racing teams and also built two cars of his own in 1940. But all his racing activities were abruptly stopped after the beginning of the Second World War, when he had to direct his factory to produce ammunition for the Italian army. There was no major racing activity until the war ended in 1945.

After the war, in 1947, he laid foundations for Ferrari S.p.A, which still exists today. In 1950, there were foundations of a championship, called Formula One, which was to crown World Champions each year. Ferrari enrolled his team for the inaugural season and since then it has competed in every season of Formula One. In 1951, Jose Froilan Gonzalez provided the first win for the team at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone.

Then Ferrari signed an experienced driver and a close friend, Alberto Ascari, who succeeded in winning the first championship title for the team in 1952 and also defended it the next year. Another championship was also won with the help of Juan Manuel Fangio in 1956. Ferrari continued to dominate in Formula 1 throughout the 1950s and its popularity further increased due to successful outings in Le Mans and Mille Miglia. During this time, aside from racing, he also entered the business of producing and selling sportscars, a business which has flourished since then and continues to be so till this day.

The 1950s and early 1960s brought a lot of success to Ferrari, but this was also the period when motor racing was extremely dangerous and it had almost become common for drivers to lose their lives. Ferrari’s team also did not remain untouched by this as during this period seven of Ferrari’s drivers lost their lives which also included his close friends, Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Campari. Perhaps this was why he chose not to get too involved with his drivers. But the most painful moment for him during this time was the untimely death of his son Dino, the heir to the throne of Ferrari, who died due to muscular dystrophy at a mere 24 years of age in 1956.

The year 1958 brought further success to Ferrari in Formula One as Mike Hawthorn triumphed in winning the world title. This was followed by further championship successes in 1961 and 1964 with Phil Hill and John Surtees respectively.

Ferrari always believed that the car had a greater role to play in winning than the driver. It is also supposed that during accidents, he was more concerned with the condition of the car than that of the driver. As a boss and team principal, he was known to be ruthless to his team and drivers. In order to win, he did not hesitate in creating a conflicting environment between his drivers, so that they would push each other in the race and help bring victories to the team.

By the late 1950s, other teams and especially British teams like Cooper, BRM and Lotus started challenging Ferrari and dominating Formula One. Enzo Ferrari always believed in horsepower in a car, he hated the concept of aerodyanmics which was being utilized by the new teams. He believed “Aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines”.

After 1964, for several years his team did not garner much success. In 1969, due to increasing expenses, he had to sell a 50 percent share of his team to the FIAT Motor Group, who allowed him to remain in operational command of the team. Since then, the FIAT Group has retained its control over Ferrari and now owns 85 percent shares of it (as of 2008).

In the early 1970s, he spotted a young Austrian driver Niki Lauda, who had signed with BRM in 1973. By 1974, he signed Lauda alongside the more experienced driver Clay Regazzoni. Lauda immediately showed his prowess and by the end of the season, provided another world championship to the team.

The 1976 season is remembered mostly for the rivalry between Niki Lauda and James Hunt, in which Lauda returned to racing within a few weeks after a near fatal accident to challenge Hunt for the title. But this season also signaled a strain in the relationship between Lauda and Enzo Ferrari due to events at the Japanese Grand Prix, the last round of the season. It was raining heavily during the race, and Lauda was in contention for the championship, but he retired from the race due to safety concerns and thus eliminated all chances for Ferrari to win the title. This made Ferrari furious and this damage in their relationship was never undone. Despite this, Lauda stayed on with the team in 1977 and won another world championship, before departing in 1978.

After Lauda left, Jody Sheckter helped Ferrari in winning another world title in 1979. This would be the last time during Ferrari’s lifetime that he would witness a driver win a world championship with his team. By this time, the highly regarded Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve had also joined the team alongside Sheckter. Ferrari had spotted immense talent in him and found his driving to be similar to that of Nouvlari. He proved right in his potential, as Villeneuve had the talent to push and be competitive even in those cars which were no match against the others on the grid. In 1981, he was joined by another young driver, Didier Pironi. Both of them had the ability to lead the team towards another world championship, but their careers were abruptly ended the following year. In 1982, Villeneuve had a fatal accident during a practice session at Zolder, Belgium and Pironi’s legs were badly injured due to an accident at Hockenheim, Germany. After this, Enzo Ferrari’s team had moderate success during the 1980s.

Enzo Ferrari died in 1988 in his sleep. He did not live to see the glory which was to be attained by Michael Schumacher with his team in the future. But he has left behind a legacy which has been responsible for making Ferrari more than just a company but a phenomenon. Such has been the impact of Ferrari that even people who don’t know anything about automobiles, have heard the name of Ferrari. He is the one responsible for making Ferrari one of the most famous and beloved racing teams and car manufacturers in the whole world. The legacy which he has left behind is still growing and will continue to grow for numerous generations to come.

 

Credits to Sportskeeda (blog)

“Timewatch” The Secrets of Enzo Ferrari – BBC

www.grandprix.com

Bentley Confirm Limited Edition Mulsanne.

Bentley has announced it is to create an exclusive limited-edition version of its flagship Mulsanne limousine for the European market.

Called the ‘Birkin’, the Crewe-based marque state that the new model is inspired by gentleman racer Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin, who piloted the brand’s racing cars in the ‘Bentley Boy’ era of the 1920s and 30s.

The Mulsanne is a far cry from the racing cars that “Tiger Tim” Birkin competed in, however, with the already opulent standard specification taken to new heights.

Limited to just 22 examples, the Birkin Mulsannes will be available in three colours: Ghost White, Damson and a contrasting two-tone Fountain Blue and Dark Sapphire finish.

Birkin models are further denoted by their unique 21-inch wheel design, inspired by those on the original Mulsanne concept car, and 3D ‘Flying B’ emblems stitched into the headrests and inlaid into the dashboard’s polished wood trim.

The door trims and seats are finished in diamond-quilted leather, with the headlining is also slathered in soft leather. A unique knurling to the interior metalwork completes the design enhancements.

Customers will also receive a handcrafted three-piece luggage set, coloured to match the interior of the car.

Obviously aimed at those who travel great distances, the Birkin Bentleys are equipped with twin 8-inch LCD screens in the headrests, a DVD player and a Wi-Fi hotspot, and integrated iPads, allowing rear seat passengers to work or play as the mood takes them.

Power is unchanged from the regular Mulsanne, though this is no bad thing, given the car is equipped with an enormous 6.75-litre turbocharged V8 engine. Developing 505bhp, it is enough to get this near three-tonne leviathan from 0-60mph in a Porsche Boxster S baiting 5.1 seconds.

The price hike over the standard car’s £225,000 asking price has yet to be announced. But if you have to ask….

 

Thanks to Daljinder at www.motors.co.uk

Porsche Introduce 2 New Models to the 911 Range.

At the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Porsche is introducing two new models to the 911 range: the 911 Targa 4 and 911 Targa 4S.

These models are the first to combine the classic Targa concept with cutting edge, innovative roof technology. Just like the legendary original 911 Targa of 1965, the new models feature the distinctive Targa roof bar, a movable front roof section, and a wraparound rear window. But unlike the classic 911 Targa, the roof segment can be opened and closed at the push of a button. The fully automatic roof system stows the Targa top behind the rear seats.

Both 911 Targa models exclusively come in AWD version, featuring the wider rear track and body, and the same Porsche Traction Management (PTM), found in all 911 all-wheel-drive models.

It is an active all-wheel-drive system that helps to ensure the optimal distribution of drive power for optimum traction in most road scenarios, whether on long straights, through tight corners, or on surfaces with different friction coefficients.

The combination of the wide body, the Targa bar, and the wraparound rear window results in an extremely sporty and low-slung profile. The 911 Targa 4 is powered by a horizontally opposed 3.4-liter 6-cylinder engine with 350 hp. Equipped with the optional Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) and Sport Chrono package, the 911 Targa 4 accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and is capable of a top track speed of 174 mph (175 mph with the manual transmission).

The 911 Targa 4S delivers 400 hp from its 3.8-liter horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine, and accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds when equipped with optional PDK and Sport Chrono package. The 911 Targa 4S is capable of reaching a top track speed of 183 mph when equipped with a manual transmission and 182 mph with PDK. The 911 Targa 4 will have an MSRP of $101,600 while the 911 Targa 4S model will have an MSRP of $116,200. Both cars also have a destination charge of $995.

Source: Porsche Press Release

McLaren Clothing Line

McLaren, the iconic British sports car brand, has introduced three retro-styled fashion collections inspired by cars, drivers and the most exhilarating moments from its 50 years of race-winning history. McLaren 50, McLaren 50 by Hunziker and James Hunt Racing Collection comprise a range of clothing and accessories celebrating the best of this remarkable journey. Originally released in August 2013 there are still great items available and all items can be purchased directly from the McLaren Store – www.mclarenstore.com.

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The McLaren 50 collection includes a commemorative range of classically styled clothing and collectables available for men and women. The renowned automotive artist, Nicolas Hunziker, designed the McLaren 50 by Hunziker line comprising five retro-styled t-shirts and inspired by the most accomplished McLaren cars in Formula 1™ history. Concluding this vintage offering is the collection designed by James Hunt Racing in collaboration with the Hunt family and Hunziker to celebrate the achievements and style of this British racing legend.

McLaren 50

A classic white polo shirt with vintage McLaren 50 logo, twin striped detail in McLaren Orange and deep blue on the chest is available for men only and has been inspired by a shirt worn by Bruce McLaren in 1966 at his 24 Hours of Le Mans victory. The polo shirt is complemented with a unisex, hooded sweatshirt in classic black, with vibrant, contrasting McLaren Orange lining and drawstring. This comfy essential for any race fan also features an embroidered ‘speedy kiwi’ logo on the chest, in honor of Bruce McLaren’s New Zealand roots, and McLaren 50 logo detail on the cuff.

Available for women is a stylish black t-Shirt with Bruce McLaren’s famous quote: “Life is measured in achievement not in years alone” in contrasting McLaren Orange and his signature in silver.  The sleek, slim-fit top features a flattering scoop neckline and gives female fans a great opportunity to own a fashionable souvenir marking 50 years of McLaren. Concluding the collection is a beautifully-detailed, unisex bracelet made with orange and black fabric and inspired by design cues evident throughout McLaren heritage cars.

McLaren 50 by Hunziker

The McLaren Orange t-shirt with a silk-screened retro print of the McLaren M7A and classic logo design of the time pays tribute to Bruce McLaren’s racing car, which  won the first ever Grand Prix for McLaren at Spa in 1968. Also, celebrating classic moments in the history of the brand is a steel grey t-shirt featuring arguably the most successful Formula 1™ car McLaren has ever built – the all-conquering MP4/4 – driven by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost to win 15 out of 16 races during the 1988 season. Making a great present for avid McLaren fans the t-shirt features some striking details including a contrasting red neckband and a distinctive McLaren 50 logo on the sleeve.

James Hunt Racing Collection

This cool range of vintage clothing includes a unisex embroidered black cap featuring James Hunt’s signature, his recognizable blue, yellow and red stitching and bold helmet graphics with number 11 in tribute to his racing career and the iconic McLaren Ford M23. Female fans can celebrate their favorite racing hero with a smart, deep black polo shirt featuring a contrasting neckband, James Hunt logo and Union Jack print on the left sleeve. Available for men is a classic grey t-shirt featuring a vintage wash print of Hunt’s racing helmet and making a fantastic addition to the wardrobe of any racing enthusiast.

McLaren 50, McLaren 50 by Hunziker and James Hunt Racing Collection are available for limited time only and can be purchased directly from the McLaren eStore – www.mclarenstore.com – with prices ranging between £29.95 and £49.95.

Source: McLaren Press Release

– See more at: http://www.luxuryautodirect.com

As one of the few genuine Mclaren Rental companies be sure to check our vehicles if you wish to hire a mclaren.

A Ferrari 458 Italia isn´t for every-one!

Although the Ferrari 458 always figures very high on the list of most desirable cars for every-one, it has to be said it isn´t always the best match for every Hemingway client. Those clients who are best described as big guys should read what The Rock posted on Facebook recently.

The Rock is a big, bad dude, so he needs a car to match. On paper, the Ferrari 458 Italia would be a perfect match. It’s fast, beautiful and exclusive.

The Ferrari 458 Italia is also a pretty small car. Being a track-ready sports car means they didn’t include a lot of extra room for comfort, because that would mean extra weight.

The Rock’s car needs to be big enough to fit his massive 6’5” frame inside, so the Ferrari might not be the best bet for the actor’s daily driver.

The Rock lamented on Facebook that he loved the Ferrari but just doesn’t fit:

“570 horse power of brilliant Italian engineering + 260lbs of Samoan Black Silverback = another fine ride I don’t fit in.

#Ferrari458

Why I’m a pick up truck man.”

 Or we would suggest the Audi A8 maybe? Tall, big guys, let us know what you think the best option for The Rock would be.

Sourced from www.autoloan.com

Are Range Rover the best of the best?

When it comes to fantasising about your dream car it seems that British marques are in pole position, taking 5 out of the top 6 spots in a giant poll of the most coveted cars.

And it’s Range Rover which is streets ahead of the pack beating Ferrari, Mercedes and Porsche to claim not just one but three of the top ten places.

A survey of more than 55,000 petrolheads by Best of the Best, the airport and online car competitions’ company, has revealed British motoring is in a league of its own, even out-classing previous front runners of German and Italian descent.

The Range Rover, once the preserve of the country gent, has eclipsed its rivals with a series of new models adding to its widespread appeal to both men and women. The Sport TDV6 SE version is top of the podium with the Evoque in third place and the Vogue SE in fourth position.

With James Bond’s latest adventure, Skyfall, a massive hit in 2013, the Aston Martin badge has never had more pulling power with the Vantage named the second most popular.

British cars feature strongly throughout the list of more than 140 cars, giving a clear indicator the feel-good factor really is slowly returning to the UK economy.

While there are three Porsches in the top 20, there is no Ferrari – the 458 Italia only manages 21st place. Meanwhile, the recently launched Jaguar F-Type has proven hugely popular, reaching number six in the list.

William Hindmarch, who founded Best of the Best in 1999 and has since given away more than £15m of dream cars, said he was amazed with the results.

“It is great to see how popular British motors are, particularly when they are in direct competition with your ordinary motoring fan who dreams of winning his ultimate car. There is no better test of their popularity and proof that the ones we would assume are top of the list are nowhere near,” he explained.

“Our survey shows that drivers want performance and of course a good-looking car but it is the prestige of a British badge which is winning time after time.

“One of the really exciting things about this survey is that more than 80 nationalities took part, which means the British brand really is valued across the globe.”

And the least popular on the list? That prize goes the BMW Alpina D5 Saloon.

The top 10

l Range Rover Sport TDV6 SE

2 Aston Martin Vantage

3 Range Rover Evoque

4 Range Rover TDV6 Vogue SE

5 Mercedes A220 Cdi AMG Sport

6 Jaguar F-Type V6S

7 Mini Cooper S

8 Audi R8 V8 Coupe

9 Porsche 911 Carrera S

10 Mini Cooper S JC

 

Sourced from www.expressandstar.com

Aston Martin and Jaeger LeCoultre launch three new time pieces.

In the world of cars we always seem to be waiting for new innovations and more beautiful cars but the same preparation goes into watches. We have been updated by www.atimelyperspective.com that these have finally hit the stores, the new Jaeger LeCoutre Aston Martin watches are here– so you can race right out and see and touch these babies.

Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX5 World Chronograph Cermet

Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX5 World Chronograph Cermet

Finally, the three timepieces released last year by Jaeger-LeCoultre – in cooperation with the 100-year-old Aston Martin – are here. They feature many fine-tuned high-performance components for which both the automotive and watch industries are known. One of the more impressive timepieces – one we really love, is the AMVOX5 World Chronograph Cermet.  In my opinion, this is one of the best combinations of these two brands thanks to the innovative materials and the chronograph function for

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Extreme Alarm

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Extreme Alarm

timing. The case of this watch is made of reinforced cermet, a revolutionary composite made of an aluminum core and strengthened with particles of ceramic. It is then coated with a 40 micron-thick protective ceramic layer for strength and sleek looks. The watch offers world time indication via a city disk on the inner bezel and the chronograph is amazingly readable. It is powered by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 752, beating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The high performance watch is finished with a black calfskin strap with red stitching and just 500 pieces will be made, each retailing for $22,200.(€16,300)

Also a superb blend of both brands, the Master Compressor Extreme W-Alarm Aston Martin features a dial made to look like the grille of an Aston Martin. The hands illuminate, just like the gauges inside the cockpit of an

The Master Hometime Aston Martin dual time watch. $9,000.

The Master Hometime Aston Martin dual time watch. $9,000. (€6,500)

Aston Martin. Equipped with date indication, as well as world time display and an alarm, the watch is exceptionally useful and easy to read. Powered by the automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 912 with 315 components, it is an elaborate movement, and is equipped with a compressor key that further enhances the watch’s water resistant by over compressing one of the crown’s four gaskets. The 46.3mm watch case is crafted of sophisticated shock-absorbing titanium and stainless steel case. It retails for a cool $17,800.(€13000)

Porsche by Design: Seducing Speed.

Our American clients still have a few weeks to visit “Porsche by Design: Seducing Speed” at North Carolina Museum of Art, as the museum has extended the exhibit until February 2 of 2014. Since opening in October of last year, the exhibit has attracted thousands of Porsche fans, and featured rare cars such as a Type 64 from the Automuseum Prototyp from Hamburg, Germany, Ralph Lauren’s 959, Miles Collier’s 917 in Martini & Rossi livery, as well as a factory 16-cylinder race car that was built as a technology demonstrator. Visitors also got to see Steve McQueen’s 356A Speedster, on loan from his son Chad, in addition to many other prototypes and historic race cars.

The exhibition hosted a number of short documentaries about Porsche.

“Porsche by Design has been extremely popular with our traditional members and visitors, as well as visitors from across the country who are intrigued by high design and the idea of cars in an art museum,” said Museum Director Lawrence J. Wheeler. “We’re thrilled to keep the exhibition open for an additional two weeks and excited to offer a ‘hoods up’ event to the public.”

2013 being the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911, a number of celebrations took place in addition to the release of an anniversary 911 model, though we can’t think of a better way to wrap up the year’s festivities than to see historic Porsches and learn about where it all began. In addition to two museum members-only “Hoods Up” events, the museum will also host one open to the public over an entire weekend.

“Porsche by Design: Seducing Speed” will stay open through Feb. 2, at the North Carolina Museum of Art (www.ncartmuseum.org) in Raleigh, N.C. Visit the museum’s website here or call (919) 839-6262 for hours and directions.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com, thanks to Jay Ramey. Picture from www.performance.porschedealer.com

Rolls Royce to move into the SUV market?

If there was a super SUV we think it would come from Rolls Royce. They have been teasing us with plans to move into the SUV  market and today we are hoping that they may actually start the process.

Frankfurt – Luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is getting closer to deciding on whether to make a sport utility vehicle, chief executive Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes signalled on Thursday.

“It’s a very interesting segment, definitely, and we are thinking about it,” Mueller-Oetvoes told Reuters Insider television in response to a question about whether building such a car would be feasible.

“We are playing with some drawings and we are starting now to look even deeper into the whole thing. A decision will only be done if we are convinced that this fits to the brand,” Mueller-Oetvoes said.

He said the main difficulty was reconciling such a vehicle with the Rolls-Royce brand values which have not been associated with sportiness or offroading.

Hemingway Luxury Car Hire think that it would be a simply awesome option to combine Rolls Royce brand values with sportiness and offroading, what are your views?

Rolls-Royce is a unit of Germany’s BMW Group. -Reuters