Ferrari heaven has opened its doors in Melbourne with an exhibition of some of the rarest cars ever made by the legendary super car maker and on display together for the first time to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Ferrari. “Ferrari’s contribution to the history of the car is unique,” says Kevin Wall, General Manager of EAI, the Australian Ferrari importer. “On one hand it is the most successful team in Formula One and on the other it has produced a whole series of road cars that are the very benchmark against which all other claimants to the title supercar must test their abilities. At the same time Ferrari has developed technology and engineering solutions that have helped make all cars safer, cleaner and, of course, quicker. This exhibition celebrates all areas of Ferrari’s remarkable 60 year history.”

Opening yesterday at Melbourne’s Crown Entertainment Complex, the unique Ferrari display is part of a global celebration for Ferrari’s 60th Anniversary and Ferrari have ensured that the exhibition is much more than just a car display, even though the display includes such unique cars as the first Ferrari ever to be delivered to Australia, the rare Ferrari 212, as well as the supercar classics such as the Ferrari F40 and the Ferrari 288 GTO, along with the latest model, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

The central theme of the display is technological innovation pioneered by Ferrari in the 60 years of its existence. For the occasion, Ferrari is displaying six of the most high profile cars each displayed on individual podiums supported off the water tablets as if floating, within the Atrium area including 288 GTO, 599 GTB, F40, 246 Dino, 250 GT and 212 Inter. The Ferrari 60th Anniversary Display is set to become one of the most dynamic events held in Crown’s Atrium area and will be the first chance people will have to see these unique cars on display within such an impressive and dynamic backdrop.

This unique display will be an artistic presentation more typical of an art gallery as apposed to the usual car show presentation. Crown has worked towards creating an exhibition which presents the cars works of art, showcasing their sheer beauty.
 

“We are very proud today to welcome everyone to the remarkable world of Ferrari,” says Richard Longhurst, Chief Operating Officer of Gaming at Crown. “The display combined with the Atrium area is a mix of style, quality and speed, all attributes which have always characterized the Ferrari name and its products.“ Joining forces with a market leading brand such as Ferrari was a natural move, because both our companies share a passion for excitement, but always accompanied by elegance and design integrity,” says Mr Longhurst.

The cars on display are:

Ferrari 212 Inter (1951): Not only is this a significant model for Ferrari this is the actual car that was the very first Ferrari to arrive in Australia. Launched just three years after Ferrari built its first road car, the 212 Inter, a sober and elegant sports car, proved for the first time that Ferrari could produce beautiful road cars as well as track winners and super sports cars. This particular 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter, has a full alloy body by Vignale. It was originally painted a soft yellow, with a pigskin interior much the same as the interior colour it has today. There were a total of 80 Ferrari 212 Inters built between 1951 and 1953. Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet (1959): This classic car saw a return to open top Ferraris when it was launched and its clean lines also saw a new level of ease of driving, something that did not blunt its 250 km/h top speed. Ferrari Dino 246 (1967): Today’s Ferrari F430 can trace its roots, in its mechanical layout, styling and ethos, back to the compact mid-engined coupé that debuted in 1967 and brought mid-engined road manners to the road. Ferrari 288 GTO (1984): There are two names that are the stuff of legend at Ferrari – Testarossa and GTO. The 288 GTO, even for a Ferrari, is breathtaking in its styling, boasts shattering performance and with just 288 built, one of the most coveted Ferraris of all time. Ferrari F40 (1987): Even by Ferrari standards, the F40 built to mark the company’s  40th anniversary was a benchmark car and was the last super car devoid of electronics, making its performance – 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and 324 km/h flat out – raw and demanding, as well as blindingly quick even 20 years later. Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (2006): The culmination of 60 years of automotive excellence on and off race track, the 599 GTB Fiorano draws together technology from Formula 1 and from Ferrari’s road car expertise to produce a car that is actually quicker than an F40, but which is also luxuriously well equipped and, depending on conditions and the drivers requirements, it is docile and easy to drive or shatteringly quick.