We sat down with Enzo Ferrari’s great-grandson to speak all issues Ferrari.
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari shouldn’t be solely the great-grandson of the legendary Enzo Ferrari and grandson of Piero Ferrari, however he’s additionally an entrepreneur with a powerful dedication to enhancing Italian heritage, a passionate automobile fanatic, and an knowledgeable within the classic automotive trade. On this unique interview, we ask him about a variety of Ferrari-centric matters.
dR: Enzo, as a direct descendant of Ferrari’s founding father, what does it imply to hold on his identify fairly actually?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: I’ll share a narrative with you. It was 1988, and my mother was pregnant with me, and she or he shared the thought of calling me Enzo along with her grandfather. They usually had been anticipating this actually emotional second, as you’ll be able to think about, as he was greater than 90 years previous at this level. And he replied: ‘Sure, that’s identify, very simple to recollect and quick.’ That’s it! That’s completely how he was!
dR: A person of motion however not so many phrases. What do you assume really units Ferrari aside from all the opposite manufacturers on the market?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: For positive, it’s the authenticity. The truth that Enzo began Scuderia Ferrari in 1929, and later he began promoting highway automobiles as a result of he wanted the cash to fund the workforce. He wished to race. There’s the shaggy dog story from 1956, when he misplaced the 24 Hours of Le Mans to Jaguar, and he was requested what’s gonna occur subsequent 12 months? And he mentioned, ‘Jaguar is racing to promote automobiles. I’m promoting automobiles to race. I’ll be again on high.’ There was the well-known encounter between Enzo and Gianni Agnelli, whereby L’Avvocato [Fiat boss Agnelli’s nickname was ‘The Lawyer’] mentioned ‘You know the way to win?’ and Enzo’s reply was ‘I’m educated to win’. It’s like giving all of your self to one thing. And that’s the important thing, that’s the authenticity. Then he began constructing automobiles and the remainder is historical past. Now it’s value greater than every other OEM, even ones who tried to purchase it, like Ford, which is unimaginable.
dR: And on the racing aspect, Ferrari nonetheless does quite a lot of profitable whether or not it’s Formulation 1, and naturally profitable the Le Mans 24 Hours two occasions working…
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: The way of these Le Mans victories was unimaginable, like actually unbelievable. To win the one centesimal anniversary race at Le Mans after which get back-to-back wins. And in Formulation 1, Ferrari has been there for the reason that starting of the World Championship. Formulation 1 is Ferrari, one way or the other. Final 12 months, it was combating again to the highest and our object is to at all times be there to battle for the win, each single 12 months.
dR: Ferrari is synonymous with luxurious and efficiency, how do you see the model evolving because the years go by?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: Retaining the authenticity, holding the racing, sustaining the heritage. Just remember to’re capable of share with the brand new technology about the place we come from. And make nice merchandise. With out the merchandise, you’re promoting nothing. That’s the true key.
dR: Lately you’ve taken up the position of President of Cavallino, by means of your position as CEO of Ferrari Household Investments, inform us why…
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: Personally talking, I’m a automobile fanatic. I used to be rising up with Ferrari, however I at all times beloved automobiles, whatever the model. I’m no collector, however I race some occasions with classic automobiles. After all, because the President of Cavallino I am going to all of the occasions plus many others. In the event you ask me, ‘Was your loved ones pushing you to have that type of ardour for automobiles?’ Truthfully talking, no, I’ve real ardour for automobiles. Enzo mentioned that automobiles are the final word freedom, they provide the freedom to go wherever you need, and to boost your self to push the boundaries, and you consider the expertise round automobiles prior to now hundred or so years, it’s unbelievable the place it’s proper now, when it comes to security and when it comes to efficiency.
dR: Cavallino hosts some wonderful Ferrari occasions all over the world, are you able to clarify extra about that?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: I bear in mind after I was first going to Palm Seashore in Florida as a child with my grandfather at Cavallino Basic. This 12 months was the thirty fourth version of Cavallino in Palm Seashore. I additionally love the Cavallino journal, I’d at all times learn it and I like the occasion. I believe there’s a possible in rising the occasion one way or the other, in attracting additionally a brand new technology, and with the ability to groom the present collectors, and with the ability to broaden the Cavallino occasion in different nations, similar to we’re doing this now in Abu Dhabi, in Modena in Italy, with out diluting it, so that you received’t see a Cavallino per 30 days. I believe that it wants that shortage of the occasions.
dR: Inform us as we speak about Ferrari Household Investments, and what it means to be a Trustee of the Piero Ferrari Belief?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: So, two various things. With the Belief, we constructed that as a way to obtain continuity all through a long time, and perhaps centuries, and have the ability to management our shares of Ferrari. My grandfather owns the ten% since 1969, not lots of people know that, and the thought is to have a perpetuity of the shares within the household for the longer term, that’s the entire concept. When it comes to the Ferrari Household Investments, the thought is to have a diversification, so not simply on the automotive aspect but in addition in different areas of investments.
dR: What do you assume Enzo Ferrari would have made from the automotive world as we speak?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: Attention-grabbing query. To assume that Ford is now truly value half of what Ferrari is value, I believe Enzo would have mentioned ‘You’re loopy!’ He would have been on the sting, searching for new applied sciences, making automobiles much more enjoyable to drive, rising the efficiency, rising the security. He would have beloved that steadiness of security and with the ability to actually benefit from the automobiles, as a result of proper now they go actually quick! In the event you take like a 296 Problem automobile, for instance, it’s a loopy quick automobile! He would have beloved that one, for positive.
dR: As regards to your nice grandfather, do you’ve got a favourite reminiscence or story that you simply’d prefer to share?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: I used to be born in February 1988, and he handed away in August 1988, and there’s just one image of myself on his lap. Though we didn’t actually have an opportunity to know one another very properly, I’ve been extensively studying his biographies, so I type of can say that I do know Enzo Ferrari, particularly by means of tales and the phrases of my grandfather [Piero Ferrari]. That’s the important thing to understanding this character, additionally as a human being when he was at dwelling, let’s say he was very distinctive, I’ve to inform you that.
dR: This 12 months it’s DuPont Registry’s fortieth anniversary, what message would you prefer to share with our readers?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: Effectively, congratulations on the primary 40 years, I in fact hope there’s gonna be greater than 40 years to come back. Luxurious automobiles is simply a tremendous world, and all of the readers they’re so obsessed with that, they should cross this ardour on to the technology to come back for positive. That’s the mission for all automobile lovers, it’s additionally true for readers of Cavallino in addition to duPont REGISTRY journal.
This text appeared in our June 2025 Concern.
Introducing the June 2025 difficulty of duPont REGISTRY, #481, starring the brand new Rolls-Royce Spectre Black Badge. To get your palms on a duplicate, both purchase a single difficulty or subscribe.
