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| Autos |
Ferrari’s Feat
Steven Flax
07/01/2004
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Bleeding edge
From its founding, Ferrari has distinguished itself from
most other carmakers by focusing primarily on racing. “Racing is the passion
that drives Ferrari,” says Andrew Shaffer, product manager for the 612
Scaglietti. “The only reason Ferrari ever produced road cars was to finance its
racing operations.” Indeed, Ferrari’s recent competitive record is a tribute to
the company’s racing heritage. Between 1999 and 2003, Ferrari won five
consecutive Formula 1 Constructors championships, an unprecedented winning
streak for a single company.
 | | THE FERRARI racing spirit is alive and well in the 612. |
The adage one hears often from Ferrari people
typifies the company engineering mentality: “You can’t win if you don’t finish.”
Certainly that has been true of Ferrari’s recent track record. As this issue of
Worth went to press, the Formula 1 racer piloted by Michael Schumacher,
Ferrari’s top driver, has not suffered a mechanical failure in 43 consecutive
races, one of the sport’s longest durability streaks and a testament to
Ferrari’s capabilities under the most punishing conditions.
Because of this
racing focus, Ferrari’s development program has pioneered or refined a number of
innovations for the street. These have included turbocharging, the five-speed
gearbox, the development of intercoolers, the creation of hairpin valve springs,
the design of powerful but relatively small and light 12-cylinder engines, and
engines that significantly lower a car’s center of gravity, improving stability
and handling.
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