Ferrari Enzo
The Ferrari Enzo was, is and will always be my favorite car.
The birth
The Ferrari Enzo was first unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2002. That was a long time ago, but you have got to look back and find this coincidence amusing. My city was the host to the birth of my favorite car in the world. Funnily enough, I wasn’t into cars back in 2002, so I can’t say I’ve had the privilege of seeing a star be brought to life, I can’t say I have witnessed this incredible moment in automotive history that undoubtedly marked my life for ever.
Funny thing is the car’s actual name is “Enzo Ferrari”, and not “Ferrari Enzo”. But it has entered the general public as “Ferrari Enzo”. As you can probably guess, this car was named after the man behind the brand, the commandatore, Enzo Ferrari (1898-1988), as well as to commemorate the first F1 title of the 2000s. There are only 399 units in the world, with ONE extra unit (400th) built especially for the Vatican (the pope, basically), which was auctioned or charity. Many many people were involved in the life of the Enzo before it arrived, but japanese designer Ken Okuyama is often said to be the father of the Enzo. Built as the epitome of “sports car” back then, it didn’t featured things such as electric windows, radio or even air-conditioned (however, a few cars eventually had those installed later on).
My personal thoughts
It’s hard to describe why the Enzo has such an important place in my heart and why I like it so much. I think some things, like love, are very subtle and hard to explain, yet I will try my best. It was love at first sight: as soon as I saw a picture of one, I fell under its spell. The look of the car was out of this world for me, the design spoke to me like no car before it. Everything made sense, I was love-struck and my eyes & brain couldn’t find a single flaw to undermine this perfect vision. This is the car I started to fantasize owning one day, and walk around in a marble-floored garage, just looking at it and whispering to it like a mad man. Seeing my first one “in real life” was a total blast, one of those experiences you can only live once per car (talk about my first ride in one haha). Funnily enough, I didn’t notice the lack of symetry between the two side-view mirrors of the car straight away, and even though it DID bother me for a short while, it eventually faded away. I have seen my fair share of Enzos (including the model that used to belong to Michael Schumacher himself), and in all sorts of colours: Red (many different ones), blue Tour de France, Yellow, black, and two different kind of silvers. I didn’t count how many I’ve seen though lol.
The Ferrari Enzo has also had the privilege of having a “racing version” of itself. The big, more badass brother. The Ferrari FXX (then the FXX EVO upgrade), is a track car built by Ferrari, for special lucky clients to drive during private track days (or public Ferrari Racing Days) through the “Corse Clienti” events, in the XX Program. Being part of the XX program is quite a privilege, considering the FXX is known to be a lab of testing new technology straight out of the F1 world.
It’s been a bit more than 10 years since the birth now, the Enzo could even be considered as an “old car” by some, or when compared to what is now out there. I respectfully disagree. It still is a UFO on the road and it hasn’t aged one bit: if in a parallel universe it were to come out tomorrow, people would still be flabbergasted by its design (though the performance would, obviously, feel a bit retrograde). The Enzo is part of those cars that, like quality wine, age well. Despite the F40s, the F50s, the LaFerrari and LaFerrari spiders, it has still managed to stay on top for me. I think there is a very good explanation for this: I won’t judge a car by it’s performance considering this is the fruit of evolution and technology advancements, however, its ability to make me feel like a total kid plays a heavy role in my heart. And I don’t think this is something better seats, better clutch or better transmission can take away from me. It’s a package deal. And if this love stood strong despite the LaFerrari, I’m fairly certain it might just hold until the end of time.
Some content
Performance info:
The Ferrari Enzo has a 6.0L V12 engine that produces a GREAT sound. With 660 break horse power, the Ferrari Enzo is an incredible machine that allows the engine to push for max speeds of 363 km/h.
