Ferrari and the color red have a long history together. First used on the Scudezia Ferrari racecars, and later on the first Ferrari road cars, the Rossa Corsa (“racing red”) is as popular as the car itself and isseen as the official color for the Ferrari.
Are all Ferraris red?
Not all Ferraris are red, although most of the Ferraris sold up from the 40s until the start of the 2000s had red liveries. In fact, Ferrari has used other colors such as black, yellow (Giallo Modena), blue, and white to paint some of its vehicles in the past.
While the Rossa Corsa is the most popular color associated with the Ferrari, it is not the only color option available to users.
So why do people think all Ferraris are red? Let’s explore that!
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Why Are Most Ferraris Red?
How many times have you tried ignoring that shiny red Ferrari parked across your street with little success? Many times, we suppose. Half the time, you promise not to stare at the car, but then something about its quiet red color enthralls you all the time.
It’s even worse as everyone seems to be buying a red Ferrari these days. Suddenly, you see red Ferraris everywhere. As a non-Ferrarista, you may be tempted to ask what exactly the Ferrari brand has to do with the red color.
Ferrari’s association with the color red can be traced back to the early days of international car racing competitions where race cars from a particular country would be assigned a specific color to distinguish them from the rest.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) was in charge of the process and assigned green to Britain, while Germany and France were given white and blue, respectively. Italy was assigned the color red, and before long, Italian race car manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia, and Ferrari started painting their race cars a shade of red described as “Rossa Corsa” (“racing red”).
The red-colored Ferrari race cars proved to be a hit among Italians for its winning performance on the track and its use of the Italian national color. This encouraged Enzo Ferrari to stick with the Rossa Corsa palette when Ferrari started production of road cars in the 40s.
Over the years, the importance, value, and attention given to the red Ferraris have risen significantly (three of the most expensive cars in the world are Ferraris, and they are all red). People often see the Rossa Corsa as the default color for any Ferrari. In fact, in the 1990s, over 85% of Ferraris sold all had red paint jobs.
NB: Despite the success of the red Ferrari, it was never Enzo Ferrari’s intention to use red paint for his vehicles. According to different sources, he initially wanted to make his cars to have Bright Yellow (“Giallo Modena”) as a tribute to his hometown of Modena, Italy.
What Color Was The First Ferrari?
Contrary to public belief, the first Ferrari was not painted in iconic Ferrari red but was a bright yellow color. The yellow color (“Giallo Modena”) was the official color of the city of Modena, which had housed the first Scuderia Ferrari Racing Club. Enzo Ferrari had used the color as a tribute to Modena.
What Is The Exact Pantone Of The Classic Ferrari Red Color?
In the RGB color chart, the Ferrari Red is called “Hex #ff280” and is composed of 100% red color, 15.7% green color, and 0%blue. For the CMYK color space, it comprises 0% black, 0% cyan, 100% yellow, and 84.3% magenta.
Does Your First Ferrari Have To Be Red?
At a time, red-colored Ferraris made up most of the cars produced at the Maranello car plant, and users could only choose from a few colors. Things are better now, and while the red Ferrari is still popular among car users, people who want their cars in other colors are now free to do so.
You can test Ferrari’s new personalization scheme, which allows you to customize parts of your car, including the coloring. However, you maywanttoplay it safe and get the traditionally red Ferrari.
Red Ferraris are usually very expensive to buy but easy to sell because people see them as the premier Ferrari vehicle. However, vehicles with alternative coloring are often harder to sell as they do not quite enjoy the acceptance of the red Ferraris.
Why Does The Ferrari Brand Care So Much About The Colors?
Colors often speak a lot about products, especially cars. Bright, garish colors like green or orange scream for attention in a not-so-good way while subtle colors like black exude an aura of confidence recognizable for the world to see.
Since inception, Ferraris have only been available in a limited set of modest colors such as red, white, black, and yellow. While rivals like the Lamborghini often have bold, disconcerting colors, Ferrari does its best to use subdued and toned-down colors for its cars. These subdued colors create feelings of stability and safety in the minds of users.
Ferrari pays special attention to the color of its cars because it has a brand image to protect. Over the years, Ferrari has built a reputation as the standard in luxury, exclusivity, and class, and reflects this in every part of the design, especially the color. To avoid ruining that legacy, Ferrari carefully screens all colors designs before using them on any of its products.
Imagine seeing a pink Ferrari vehicle? It will be an unusual sight. Therefore Ferrari controls the design process tightly and has reportedly declined clients who had wanted to have their cars painted in crazy colors.
What Colors Can You Choose For A Ferrari?
For years, most Ferraris had one thing in common–a Rosso Corsa (“racing red”) color finishing. From the early racecars of the 40s to the elegant Dinos of the 50s, all the models save a handful had the same paint job, leading to the famous aphorism:
“if it ain’t red, then it ain’t Ferrari.”
Even if you wanted a different color, you wouldn’t get it because there were no facilities to help people tailor their vehicles to their personal taste. The Rossa Corsa appeared to be the mandatory color choice for all Ferraris, with 85% of Ferrari vehicles made in the 1990s featuring the blazing color scheme.
Now, all that has changed as Ferrari is striving to bring back the personalization evident in the models released in the 50s.
During that time, the company specifically designed each Ferrari for each person, and that was the origin of the aphorism, “no two Ferraris are the same.”
In a modern age where individualism is on the rise, Ferrari has made efforts to create cars tailored to each individual’s preferences, especially in the choice of colors. Now, users can decide which color they want instead of settling for a cliché red Ferrari.
You can buy a Ferrari car and have it painted in other colors aside from the Rossa Corsa. In fact, Ferrari now runs a personalization scheme that allows buyers of Ferrari vehicles to customize different parts of the vehicle, including its bodywork and paint job, to their taste.
The colors available for selection include:
a. Red
b. Yellow
c. White
d. Black
Asides these general colors, there are dozens of other custom color variations that are available if you can visit the Ferrari Tailor-Made Center.
There, you can tweak multiple color combinations until you get the perfect palette that fits your lifestyle.
You have to be a senior member of the Ferrari community to have access to the customization program, which is called the Ferrari Tailor-Made Program.
What Are The Most Popular Colors For Ferrari today?
Besides the red Ferrari, which remains the best-selling Ferraris (it makes up about 45% of sales), there are several other colors that have gained popularity among Ferrari buyers. They include:
1. Black
2. Silver
3. Tiffany Blue
4. Pearl Yellow (Giallo Modena)
5. White (Bianco Avus)
6. Grey Metallic Color
Can You Get Your Ferrari To Be Repainted To Any Color?
To cater to the tastes of individual buyers, Ferrari runs the “Tailor-Made Design Program” that allows buyers to tweak elements of the car, including the paint job. Often, design team screens requests from clients to determine their feasibility.
If a client comes with a request that can jeopardize its brand image, Ferrari will refuse such a client’s request.
If, for example, a client says he wants his car painted in pink with unicorns on the boot, Ferrari will probably refuse. The image Ferrari has built over the years is that of a self-assured car brand that does not seek attention in crude manners.
Basically, if you ask for it to be something outrageous or too crazy, they’ll probably say no.
So, if a fun paint job is the most important part to you, don’t get a Ferrari.
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