Experience: Galleria Ferrari. The Museum of the 'Cavallino Rampante' in Maranello.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the death of Enzo Ferrari —August 14th, 1988— we decided to pull these pictures from our archives and present you a short overview of the magnificent Galleria Ferrari.

Ferrari was founded in 1929 by Enzo Ferrari but it was not until 1947 that the first street legal Ferraris where launched. The first Ferrari to hit the streets was the 125 Sport fitted with a V12 engine. Today, Ferrari automobiles are generally seen as a symbol of speed, luxury and wealth. A visit to the Galleria Ferrari is a must for any watchlifestyler that appreciates the fine making of Ferrari. Located at Dino Ferrari 43 in Maranello, just a stone’s throw away from the Ferrari factory, this place is true treat to the eyes and a place where history is well showcased.

As you walk into the museum, you will be greeted by an impressive selection of vintage cars that includes the iconic 125 Sport, the 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, the 1952 Ferrari 500 F2 Monoposto 'Campione del Mondo', the 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Competizione 'Tour de France', the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, the Grand Tourer 195 Inter circa 1950, as well as some of their most iconic 'Scuderia Ferrari' F1 cars including Alain Prost's, Nigel Mansell's and Gilles Villeneuve's. Right next to the cars we also found Gerhard Berger's driving suit and helmet.

The museum has several permanent exhibits. One of our favorites and a must see is known as the Victory Hall. Here, you you can find all the F1 cars that the 'Scuderia Ferrari' used in winning the Constructor's World Championship since 1999, as well as all the trophies and the World Champions history.

Once you've finished looking around the Victory Hall, you will find two large sections where more modern and vintage Ferraris are displayed. This exhibit hall shows the evolution of Ferrari all the way from the Dino 246 GT to the Ferrari F40 and everything in between.  

After spending a good hour or so at the museum, you will find a special area where one of the most powerful and advanced Ferraris ever built is displayed. We are talking about the Ferrari 599 XX.

This amazing machine is based off of the 599 GTB Fiorano, with the same trans axle layout and engine type —not power. This prototype is an extreme track car and Ferrari's engineers carried out extensive work on the engine's combustion chambers, inlet and exhaust tracts. The 599 XX is characterized by an innovative electronic concept called the 'High Performance Dynamic Concept' which has been designed to get maximum performance from the car by managing the combination of the car's mechanical limits with the potential of its electronic controls.

This car is fitted with a 6.0 liter V12 engine that outputs 720 hp and a displacement of 506 pounds per feet of torque —108 hp more than the 599 GTB Fiorano. Fitted with a higher-flow carbon-fiber intake manifold, graphite-coated pistons and a custom exhaust, the 599 XX accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just merely 2.9 seconds.

Watchlifestylers, meet the Ferrari 599 XX.  

Lastly here are two images of the iconic 'Cavallino Rampante' a.k.a. the Prancing Horse in English. One is located at the Victory Hall and the other one is outside on the façade of the museum.

A visit to this museum in the heart of Italy, is an amazing and unforgettable experience that every watchlifestyler needs to enjoy. As a side note, this can be a welcome escape from winery overload when you go to Tuscany with your significant other.

Arrivederci caro amici.

For more information on the Galleria Ferrari click here.