Ferrari is a manufacturer of Italian luxury sports cars based in Maranello, Italy. Established as Auto Avio Costruzioni by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of the Alfa Romeo race division, the company produced its first car in 1940. The beginning of the business as a car maker, however, is generally recognized as 1947, when the first Ferrari-badged car was completed.¹⁾

In the beginning, no other color option existed. “Rosso Scuderia is the official name for the red paint. And while the color red may be synonymous with the brand of Ferrari these days, it was never a brilliant marketing scheme or anything.” In the early years of auto racing, red only happened to be the color that the International Automotive Federation allocated to all Italian grand prix race cars.²⁾

Ferrari has become such a global brand and a sign of wealth and reputation worldwide. Ferrari sells about $1.5 billion in goods at retail outlets worldwide per year. Ferrari merchandise emblazoned with the company logo, produced and assembled in 30 offices worldwide, includes clothes, watches, sunglasses, shoes, cell phone covers, and, of course, car model scales. ³⁾

Back in 2010 in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari opened its first theme park, called “Ferrari World” Touted as the largest indoor theme park in the world, it has four roller coasters, including one inspired by F1 racing at almost 150 miles per hour, which happens to be the world's fastest coaster. ⁴⁾

Ferrari is no longer a corporation that is family owned. Enzo Ferrari sold 50 percent of the firm he owned directly to the competing Italian automaker, the Fiat Group, in 1969. The agreement gave Ferrari a much-needed injection of cash. Enzo Ferrari and his son Piero Ferrari sold even more of the business just before his death in 1988, keeping just 10 percent of the Ferrari family's ownership. ⁵⁾