A proper California celebration had been organized by the world famous Petersen Automotive Museum and the Ferrari Club of North America – SoCal chapter this past Saturday to celebrate Ferrari’s famous creator, Enzo. And what a Saturday it was! 80 degrees, slight breeze from the ocean and sun shining happily. Perfect to put a stunning Ferrari on display.
We certainly couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see some of our favorite models on the rooftop of the Petersen, so we dragged our wishful sleeping bums out of bed and hustled down to the museum. A decision well made in the end.
Several Ferrari 355, 308, 458, 360, 250GT Lussos and the coveted Daytona pranced around the structure as spectators sat in awe of each cars unique personality. Since both the old and new models are rarely created equal, seeing multiple versions side by side allowed everyone to really see why Ferrari are something special.
Hell, this year they were voted as the World’s Most Powerful Brand (Brand Finance 2013). So it shouldn’t be a surprise as to why seeing so many different Ferraris in one place was important to everybody. Ferrari owner or not.
Every single one of Ferrari’s details are lovingly assembled and looked after for generations to enjoy. From the unique engine assembly, interior packages, and owners driving habits all play into the love affair the world has with the quintessential exotic carmaker.
Speaking with a few owners, we fell in love with a stunning 1963 250GT Lusso owned by Richard Darling. This black beauty had a few secrets to share judging by the racing harnesses and a few rock chips along the front fenders and hood. Turns out Mr. Darling had restored the car in 2002 with the intension of racing it around the world. The car was even built with a removable roll-cage for his daily driving needs. Expect to see more on this car in a future ec issue.
We couldn’t think of another way to celebrate Enzo Ferrari’s birthday in Southern California, unless it involved us behind the wheel of the new F12 blasting down PCH. But I suppose we will have to save that for another time. Happy 115th birthday Enzo! Thank you for inspiring excellence.