Ferrari: Under the Skin

A special exhibition on Ferrari's design, construction and craftsmanship at the Design Museum in London wraps up this week. The exhibition starts with an introduction to Ferrari - what it is, how it was born. Visitors see the first machines like the 125S and 166MM and realize the work and effort that goes into building them, as well as the experience and knowledge Enzo already had from working at Alfa Romeo. Then everyone sees the amazing race cars and road cars built to 'perfection' by Ferrari's ideas and engines sitting side by side with the artisan work of coachbuilders like Scaglietti, Bizzarini and Pininfarina (among others).

What's noticeable is how each creation is very similar, yet unique at the same time, all oozing character and charm like no other vehicle ever made. Eventually it ends with the LaFerrari, where you realize and understand why Ferrari has the hype surrounding it. All these classic 60's Ferraris start all the way from 1 million to 60 million dollars in today's market, making the LaFerrari seem like a bargain - especially given it was the only car in the exhibit without 3 oil pans underneath to catch all the leaking oil. Seeing these machines up close leads to an understanding of the heritage and lineage of the Ferrari brand and why they're so exclusive.