“We’re turning over a new leaf. The message delivered by this cutting-edge Ferrari, the source of future models in our range, has to be a powerful one, both innovative and courageous”. When Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo delivered a briefing like that to Pininfarina, the response was bound to be a car unlike any other.
“This wasn’t just any old project”, explains Lorenzo Ramaciotti, General Manager of Pininfarina Design. “Montezemolo gave us highly specific instructions explaining that when he first came to Ferrari he found cars that were barely roadworthy, noisy and difficult to drive. So he set himself the task of producing real cars with better ride comfort and more room for the occupants. Having achieved that, it was time to refocus on performance, so he wanted the Enzo to revive the Ferrari tradition of the thoroughbred sports car”.
The F1 inspiration behind the Enzo is clear for all to see, especially at the front where the small raised “pen-nib” of a nose connects to the twin spoilers that underline the air intakes. Pininfarina was asked to make it equally sporty on the inside and was initially faced with a choice between two dashboards. One was traditional, the other, which they eventually opted for, a “deconstructed” version with an extruded aluminium crossbeam running from side to side and the various elements hung from it at the points of use.
The Enzo, however, is no mere styling exercise and its extreme lines inside and out, will not be confined to any limited edition. “This is a car that epitomises the latest trends”, concludes Ramaciotti. “Its shapes are dictated by the requirements of racing car aerodynamics. And this is how the next Ferraris are going to look: “all strong lines and angular shapes”.
The article continues in Auto & Design no. 136
