You might think Ferrari has always been a car company, but that’s not true. The man behind the brand, Enzo Ferrari, didn't initially plan to make his own cars. He started as a racer and team manager for Alfa Romeo, and he excelled at it.

Things took a turn in 1939 when Enzo had a falling out with Alfa Romeo. His departure came with strict terms. He signed an agreement that prevented him from using the Ferrari name on any race cars for four years. So what did he do? He began a new company called Auto Avio Costruzioni, which produced machine tools and aircraft parts. Not exactly glamorous work.

Then World War II hit. The factory in Modena was bombed twice. Enzo had to rebuild from scratch, but he never stopped dreaming of making his own racing car. As soon as the war ended, he got to work. He changed the company’s name to Ferrari, even though the agreement with Alfa had technically run out. He also hired a talented engineer named Gioacchino Colombo to design an engine.

That engine became the core of the first true Ferrari—the 125 S. It had a small 1.5-liter V12. It may sound small, but it revved like crazy and made a noise that people still rave about today. On March 12, 1947, Enzo fired it up for the first time. You can picture the scene: a small workshop in Maranello, oil on the floor, and that raw, screaming engine echoing off the walls.

The car debuted at the Piacenza racing circuit on May 11, 1947. It didn’t win the first race, but just a few weeks later, the 125 S claimed victory at the Rome Grand Prix. Just like that, Ferrari was established.

You’ve likely seen the prancing horse logo. Enzo borrowed it from a World War I fighter pilot named Francesco Baracca, who painted it on his aircraft. Baracca’s mother encouraged Enzo to use it for good luck. He added a yellow background, the color of his hometown Modena, and the rest is history.

Enzo Ferrari was stubborn, demanding, and completely obsessed with winning. He famously stated, "Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines." This attitude shaped the company from the beginning. They focused on speed and passion rather than comfort.

So the next time you see a red Ferrari zoom past, remember that it all began with a broken contract, a bombed factory, and one man who wouldn’t give up. Not bad for a side project.