Who Founded Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari founded Ferrari as Auto Avio Costruzioni in 1939, and the company later became Ferrari S.p.A. with a focus on high performance cars and racing. Today the brand is controlled by Pirelli through a holding structure that includes major stakes in the listed entity, with strategic direction guided by long standing family ties and institutional investors. The company remains one of the most valuable luxury automotive brands, with a market capitalization that has placed it among the top European automakers by enterprise value in recent years Forbes.
The founding story centers on Enzo Ferrari's work in motorsport and his decision to build road cars under the Ferrari name after separating from Alfa Romeo. The prancing horse emblem and the black horse on yellow background became symbols of the brand, while the company's racing division, Scuderia Ferrari, remains the oldest and most successful team in Formula One history Formula 1.
Current Ownership and Leadership
Ferrari N.V. is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange and controlled through a dual class share structure that gives significant voting power to the Agnelli family linked holding entities and Pirelli. John Elkann serves as Chairman of Ferrari's board, while Benedetto Vigna has been CEO since early 2021, leading the company's strategy around electrification, limited production volumes, and premium pricing Ferrari Investor Relations.
The shareholder base includes institutional investors such as Exor, the Agnelli family's investment company, alongside public market funds that track luxury and automotive sector indices. Ferrari's board committees, executive compensation, and capital allocation decisions are guided by governance rules that balance family influence with public market oversight and compliance with SEC disclosure requirements SEC EDGAR.
Business Performance and Financial Position
Ferrari generates revenue primarily from the sale of high performance ICE and hybrid models, with an expanding lineup that includes V8 and V12 powered cars as well as the upcoming Purosangue SUV. The company targets a carefully limited production ramp each year, using a direct to customer sales model and a strong brand halo that supports industry leading gross margins and return on invested capital Forbes.
In recent fiscal years Ferrari has reported record deliveries, strong order backlogs, and consistent free cash flow generation that supports dividends, share buybacks, and investment in new powertrain technologies. The company's strategy includes a gradual shift toward hybrid and future electric vehicles while maintaining the exclusivity and performance benchmarks associated with the Ferrari brand Ferrari Investor Relations.