We sat down with Enzo Ferrari’s great-grandson to speak all issues Ferrari.
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari just isn’t solely the great-grandson of the legendary Enzo Ferrari and grandson of Piero Ferrari, however he’s additionally an entrepreneur with a robust dedication to enhancing Italian heritage, a passionate automobile fanatic, and an skilled 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 together 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 a very good identify, very simple to recollect and brief.’ That’s it! That’s completely how he was!
dR: A person of motion however not so many phrases. What do you suppose actually units Ferrari aside from all the opposite manufacturers on the market?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: For certain, it’s the authenticity. The truth that Enzo began Scuderia Ferrari in 1929, and later he began promoting highway vehicles as a result of he wanted the cash to fund the group. He wished to race. There’s the joke 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 vehicles. I’m promoting vehicles 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 understand how to win?’ and Enzo’s reply was ‘I’m skilled 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 vehicles and the remaining is historical past. Now it’s price 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 a number of successful whether or not it’s Method 1, and naturally successful the Le Mans 24 Hours two occasions working…
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: The style 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 Method 1, Ferrari has been there for the reason that starting of the World Championship. Method 1 is Ferrari, someway. Final 12 months, it was combating again to the highest and our object is to all the time be there to struggle 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: Holding the authenticity, conserving the racing, sustaining the heritage. Just remember to’re capable of share with the brand new era about the place we come from. And make nice merchandise. With out the merchandise, you’re promoting nothing. That’s the actual key.
dR: Just lately you’ve taken up the function of President of Cavallino, by way of your function 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 all the time liked vehicles, whatever the model. I’m no collector, however I race some occasions with classic vehicles. After all, because the President of Cavallino I’m going to all of the occasions plus many others. For those who ask me, ‘Was your loved ones pushing you to have that form of ardour for vehicles?’ Truthfully talking, no, I’ve real ardour for vehicles. Enzo mentioned that vehicles are the last word freedom, they provide the freedom to go wherever you need, and to lift your self to push the boundaries, and you consider the expertise round vehicles previously 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 world wide, are you able to clarify extra about that?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: I bear in mind after I was first going to Palm Seaside in Florida as a child with my grandfather at Cavallino Traditional. This 12 months was the thirty fourth version of Cavallino in Palm Seaside. I additionally love the Cavallino journal, I’d all the time learn it and I like the occasion. I believe there’s a possible in rising the occasion someway, in attracting additionally a brand new era, and having the ability to groom the prevailing collectors, and having the ability to increase the Cavallino occasion in different nations, equivalent to we’re doing this now in Abu Dhabi, in Modena in Italy, with out diluting it, so that you gained’t see a Cavallino per 30 days. I believe that it wants that shortage of the occasions.
dR: Inform us immediately 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 with a view to obtain continuity all through many years, and perhaps centuries, and be capable of 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 long run, that’s the entire thought. By way of 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 suppose Enzo Ferrari would have manufactured from the automotive world immediately?
Enzo Mattioli Ferrari: Attention-grabbing query. To suppose that Ford is now really price half of what Ferrari is price, I believe Enzo would have mentioned ‘You’re loopy!’ He would have been on the sting, in search of new applied sciences, making vehicles much more enjoyable to drive, growing the efficiency, growing the protection. He would have liked that steadiness of security and having the ability to actually benefit from the vehicles, as a result of proper now they go actually quick! For those who take like a 296 Problem automobile, for instance, it’s a loopy quick automobile! He would have liked that one, for certain.
dR: As regards to your nice grandfather, do you’ve 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 form of can say that I do know Enzo Ferrari, particularly by way of tales and the phrases of my grandfather [Piero Ferrari]. That’s the important thing to figuring out this character, additionally as a human being when he was at house, 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: Properly, congratulations on the primary 40 years, I after all hope there may be gonna be greater than 40 years to return. Luxurious vehicles is simply a tremendous world, and all of the readers they’re so keen about that, they should move this ardour on to the era to return for certain. 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 arms on a duplicate, both purchase a single difficulty or subscribe.
