General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota are capable of selling at least 1,400 cars per day in North America. It takes Ferrari an entire year to put that many customers behind the wheel. For this Italian producer of high-end exotics, however, that's perfectly fine.

Limited growth, exclusivity, and a strong presence in racing remain the course for the company as it prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first production Ferrari.

History
Ferrari's story begins with founder Enzo Ferrari. As a racing aficionado, he and several partners founded Scuderia Ferrari in 1929. The company allowed clients to buy cars that they could race competitively.

The first cars were based on Alfa Romeo platforms. In 1932, Ferrari adopted the black prancing horse emblem on a yellow background to distinguish his cars from other Alfas. Ferrari received the emblem from Countess Paolina Baracca. Baracca's son, Francesco, was a World War I fighter pilot who painted the emblem on the fuselage of his airplane. The yellow background was the official color of Ferrari's hometown of Modena, Italy.

After World War II, Ferrari built his first car from the ground up--a 1947 125 Sport. This 12-cylinder racecar made its debut at the Piacenza Circuit on May 11, 1947. Two weeks later, the car won the Rome Grand Prix.

Ferrari sold a controlling interest in his company to the Fiat Group in 1969. The group owned as much as 90 percent of the company in the 1980s, but because of its exclusivity, Ferrari remained independent of its parent. Fiat's stake is still controlling, but it's now only 56 percent.

Commitment to Racing
Even with these changes in ownership, the company remained resolute in its commitment to racing. Ferrari cars have racked up 14 Formula 1 Drivers' World titles, 14 F1 Constructors' World titles, 14 Manufacturers' World titles, nine wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, eight wins at the Mille Miglia, seven at Targa Florio, and 183 F1 Grand Prix victories. Ferrari teams have more F1 wins than any other team in history.

Ferrari teams have more F1 wins than any other team in history.

Racing remains the name of the game, but selling cars to clients is also important. While other manufacturers use racing to promote their core retail sales business, the Italian maker works exactly the opposite way. Sales of Ferrari street cars support its racing efforts.

Racing, technology, passion, exclusivity, design, and performance are the "pillars" that make up the company's core philosophy. They're built on the foundation of what the company says is its principle of being: "The undisputed pinnacle of automotive brands."

Marketing and Product Lines
Naturally, Ferrari's clients are well heeled. Buyers have an annual household income of more than $1 million. The vast majority are male (98 percent) and self-employed (82 percent). About half (45 percent) have five or more cars, and 65 percent are repeat buyers who are either trading in their Ferraris or adding a second or third to their fleet.

The United States is Ferrari's largest market, accounting for 25 to 30 percent of the company's sales. There are 36 dealers in North America. Asia is an area of growth, with 12 dealerships in China. That country, in particular, is important to the company. Recently, Ferrari took a pair of its $256,959 612 Scaglietti coupes on a 15,000-mile drive across China.

612 Scaglietti
The 612 Scaglietti is Ferrari's flagship model. It's a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupe with a top speed of 199 mph. It seats four and gets its power from a 532-horsepower 5.75-liter V12 engine. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard. An F1 SMT, with steering wheel paddles and an automatic mode, is optional.

The 612 has standard traction/antiskid control. Ferrari's system is called Control for Stability and Traction (CST), and it offers normal and sport settings. A steering-wheel button can disable CST completely for experienced drivers who want the most control.

Massive antilock 4-wheel disc brakes help bring the 612 to a halt. Carbon fiber ceramic brakes are part of the $28,000 GTB option package that includes different exhaust tuning and specific 19-inch wheels.

Inside, drivers and passengers sit in a cabin adorned in leather and real aluminum or optional carbon fiber trim. The Bose-brand audio system is unique to the 612.

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

Adding to the experience of buying a 612 is the "Carrozzeria Scaglietti" Personalization Program. Clients who wish to purchase this vehicle can customize many different aspects of the car. Exterior and interior colors can be completely customized. Want the exterior to match a significant other's eyes? Want the leather to match a favorite chair? With the right amount of lead-time, Ferrari can do it. Other custom options include specific wheels with run-flat tires and matching luggage.

F430/F430 Spider/F430 Challenge
If the 612 Scaglietti is a bit too pricey, Ferrari offers the two-seat F430. This "base" model is available as the $174,535 coupe and $199,259 Spider convertible. The F430 mounts its engine midship, and in addition to losing two seats to the 612, it also loses four cylinders. The 4.3-liter V8 produces 490 horsepower, making it one of the few non-turbo or supercharged engines to produce more than 100 horsepower per liter.

Ferrari F430 Challenge

Buyers have a choice of a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed Sequential Manual Transmission (SMT). The SMT is essentially a manual transmission without a clutch pedal. Reverse is engaged via a floorshifter. Forward gear changes are done via Formula 1-style steering-wheel paddles. It can also be set to shift like an automatic. A steering-wheel switch governs the CST traction/antiskid control. It has Sport and Race modes, as well as settings for wet and snowy conditions, or it can disable the system entirely. The F430 can also be had with carbon ceramic brakes that are designed to run cooler and last longer than standard brakes.

The F430 has a sculpted, aerodynamic shape. This coupe creates 50 percent more downforce (downward pressure that allows a car to travel faster through a corner by keeping it adhered to the road surface) than its predecessor, the 360 Modena.

Spider models have a power-folding soft top with heated glass rear window. The top folds into a compartment in front of the engine bay.

For those who really love to race, Ferrari offers the F430 Challenge. Though it has the same 490 horsepower engine as the standard F430, Challenge models have track-specific suspension and exhaust tuning. They also weigh nearly 500 lb less than standard versions, allowing them to run from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and achieve a 195 mph top speed. All this tuning comes at a price, with F430 Challenge models starting at $228,850.

Ferrari FXX

FXX
Though all have been sold, 29 Ferrari clients with $2 million in discretionary income could procure an FXX. This two-seat car is a racetrack-only prototype that these lucky buyers will test drive alongside Ferrari engineers. In turn, the car will evolve into Ferrari's next high-dollar supercar, a successor to models like the F40, F50, and Enzo. FXX has a 6.3-liter V12 engine that can, according to Ferrari, "punch out over 800 horsepower."

Owner Events
Ferrari prides itself on building and maintaining a one-on-one relationship with its clients. As such, the company sanctions many events that give owners the opportunity to share their vehicles and their passion for driving them.

At least twice a year, Ferrari hosts rally events. These get-togethers allow owners to drive their cars on scenic highways and byways around the U.S. The rally concept centers around a time/distance event where participants follow a designated route and are scored based on course accuracy and elapsed finishing time. Reaching a checkpoint first is not the object. Over the course of the rally, Ferrari sets up short autocross courses designed to give drivers a chance to exploit the handling characteristics of their cars.

Those wanting to push their cars harder can participate in the Ferrari Challenge. Ferrari is one of few automakers that give owners the opportunity to take their cars around racetracks. Vintage and modern cars can enter in these events. Owners put their cars to the test on such tracks as Florida's Homestead Miami Speedway, California's Infineon Raceway, Canada's Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Wisconsin's Road America, and Oregon's Portland International Speedway.

Challenge events in the U.S. also offer driving clinics. Professional instructors demonstrate basic techniques, vehicle dynamics, and proper driving lines. The idea is to show the capabilities of Ferraris in a controlled environment.

For 2006, Ferrari is taking the driving clinic a step further by offering the Ferrari Driving Experience. This is a two-day event held at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant. Owners delve deeper into driving techniques such as threshold braking and managing acceleration. It's not a traditional racing school, but rather, this course is designed to teach proper control of a Ferrari and enhance one's daily driving skills. This experience is limited to Ferrari owners only, and only 15 may participate in each session. As such, this series is sold out for 2006.

The Ferrari Experience
Buying a Ferrari is about having a vehicle that's track ready and won't look like one in the neighbor's garage. There's also the camaraderie that exists when owners get together to participate in rally and racecourse events. These cars are things people read and dream about, but few get to actually experience.

Product Specifications	Ferrari F30 coupe	Ferrari F30 Spider	Ferrari 612 Scaglietti coupe
Wheelbase, in.	102.4	102.4	116.1
Length, in.	177.6	177.6	193.0
Width, in.	75.7	75.7	77.0
Height, in.	47.8	48.6	52.9
Weight, lb.	3196	3351	4056
Fuel Capacity, gal.	25.0	25.0	28.5
Seating Capacity	2.0	2.0	4.0
Front Head Room, in.	NA	NA	NA
Front Leg Room, in.	NA	NA	NA