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Enzo Ferrari, the driving force behind the iconic sports car brand

With the upcoming release of the biographical film "Ferrari," we delved into the AP archives for highlights of the life of Enzo Ferrari and the iconic road and racing car brand he founded.

Enzo Ferrari drove racing cars for Alfa Romeo, before establishing his own auto works in Italy in the 1940s.

Mr. Ferrari died in 1988 aged 90.


Enzo Ferrari, founder and owner of the Ferrari automobile factory, in Modena, Italy, (left) stands with some of his technicians next to his new racing car, Nov. 13, 1959, which he intends to compete in the Grand Prix of the United States at Sebring, Florida on Dec. 12, 1959. (AP Photo/Walter Breveglieri)

The winning Ferrari crosses the finish line at Le Mans, France on June 12, 1954. Jose Froilan Gonzalez is at the wheel. (AP Photo/Pierre Godot)

Peter Collins roars off from Rome, Italy in his Ferrari during the Mille Miglia, Italy's classic road race, May 12, 1955. He was averaging 107 1/2 miles per hour and later had to withdraw from the race. (AP Photo)

World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina, shown at the wheel of an Italian Ferrari, won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, England, July 14, 1956. He averaged 98.65 mph. (AP Photo)

Eugenio Castellotti, center with crash helmet, Italian star driver of the Ferrari racing car factory, waits for his papers at the Bologna check point of the Mille Miglia (Thousand Miles) auto race on Apr. 29, 1956. Waiting with him is Enzo Ferrari, left, the director and owner of the Ferrari factories. Castellotti went on to win the race. (AP Photo/Walter Breveglieri)

Jose Froilan Gonzalez stops his Ferrari in the pits at the second Supercortemaggiore Grand Prix for sports cars at Monza, Italy, June 27, 1954. Gonzalez and co-driver Maurice Trintignant of France finished second in the race of more than six hours. (AP Photo/Jim Pringle)

Driver Peter Collins from Great Britain sits in his Ferrari racing car during training on May 24, 1957, at the Nuerburgring race track in Germany. Watching in rear is his wife actress Louise King. (AP Photo/Horst Faas)

The latest model of the Italian built Ferrari 900, is shown in Rome, Italy, Jan. 15, 1956. The car will participate in the upcoming 1,000 km race in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (AP Photo/Walter Breveglieri)

Enzo Ferrari owner of the world famous racing cars producing factory Ferrari enters his new Ferrari 850 car for a test, May 13, 1960, in Modena, Italy. (AP Photo/Botti-Pincelli)

The works Ferrari sports car, driven by Olivier Gendebien and Paul Frere, takes the lead in the annual 24 hours endurance race at Le Mans, France on June 25, 1960. Gendebien and Frere won the event the following day. Ferraris took six of the first seven places. (AP Photo/ Jacques Marqueton)

Olivier Gendebien of Belgium drives his Ferrari to fourth place in the Supercortemaggiore Grand Prix for sports cars at Monza, Italy, June 24, 1956. (AP Photo/Raoul Fornezza)

British driver Cliff Allison is tossed out of his Ferrari as he crashes along the waterfront in Monte Carlo during practice for the Monaco Grand Prix Formula One race, May 27, 1960. Allison was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and did not compete in the May 29 race. (AP Photo/Rene Maestri)

Daniel Gurney of the United States, driving an Italian Ferrari car during the Prize of Italy automobile race for Formula One cars at the road circuit in Monza, near Milan, Italy on Sept. 13, 1959. (AP Photo/Raoul Fornezza)

British driver John Surtees at the wheel of the new eight cylinder Italian Ferrari car, with which he will compete in the April 12, 1964 Syracuse Grand Prix Formula One Auto Race. (AP Photo/Girolamo di Majo)

Movie director John Frankenheimer, left, and Enzo Ferrari, right, pictured at the Monza autodrome during a pause in shooting "Grand Prix", Aug. 23, 1966. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)

Enzo Ferrari, left, talks with Peter Schetty of Switzerland, on April 28, 1970. Schetty will drive one of the three Ferrari 512/S cars at the upcoming May 2 race for prototypes at the Monza track in Italy. (AP Photo/Raoul Fornezza)

Under the horse symbol of his racing cars, Enzo Ferrari, 80, presents to the press the Formula One 312 T3, unseen, on Nov. 12, 1977, in Maranello, Italy. (AP Photo/Trovati)

Austrian Niki Lauda driving an Italian made Ferrari during trials for the coming Grand Prix of Monaco, May 27, 1976. (AP Photo/Rene Maestri)

German F1 driver Michael Schumacher at the wheel of his Ferrari speeds past cheering fans to get the pole position at the Nuerburgring Saturday Sept. 26, 1998, where the Luxembourg Grand Prix will take place Sunday September 27. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Germany's Michael Schumacher speeds in his Ferrari to set the best time and take pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, Aug. 10 1996. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic)

A dog was dressed up for the event as Ferrari supporters watch Sebastian Vettel celebrate his victory in the Emirates Formula One Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on a giant screen set up in Maranello Ferrari headquarters, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Marco Vasini)

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany steers his car during the qualifying session for the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, northeast of Budapest, July 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh)

A Ferrari logo is displayed on a engine in the department Ferrari factory in Maranello in Maranello, Italy, Wednesday, May 8, 2013. Ferrari will limit sales of its high-performance street cars this year to protect the brand's aura of exclusivity, Chairman Luca Montezemolo said Wednesday. "The exclusivity of Ferrari is fundamental for the value of our products". (AP Photo/Marco Vasini)

The Ferrari logo on a car prior to the start of a marathon drive of Ferrari cars in Weimar, Germany, Wednesday, May 9, 2007. The rally celebrating Ferrari's 60th anniversary arrived Weimar this morning. The event will involve over 10,000 Ferrari owners and their cars of all ages. The tour will move through all main European countries before arriving at the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)


Text and photo curation by Katherine O'Mara

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