Who founded the Italian sports car company Ferrari?

Enzo Ferrari founded the Italian sports car company Ferrari. Born in Modena in 1898, Ferrari first made his name as a racing driver and later became an organizer, team manager, and entrepreneur in motor racing.

In 1929, he founded Scuderia Ferrari, initially as a racing organization and an Alfa Romeo-supported team. The famous prancing-horse emblem originated with Italian fighter pilot Francesco Baracca and was adopted by Ferrari after Baracca’s family presented the symbol to him. It became associated with Ferrari’s racing cars before appearing on the company’s road cars.

Ferrari established his own manufacturing operation after Alfa Romeo severed its racing relationship with him. His company, initially formed as Auto Avio Costruzioni in 1939, built its first car in 1940 and began producing cars under the Ferrari name after the Second World War. The first Ferrari-badged car appeared in 1947. A common mix-up is confusing the founder of Ferrari with Battista Farina, whose design house styled many important Ferrari models.