How many things can you identify that are at the same time not only precious objects, but also status symbols, social phenomena, and subjects of graduation thesis in such varied areas as sociology, sports, industry and law? Fine: Now weed out all those objects that do not have a history of at least fifty years, marked by alternating defeats and victories, deaths and resurrections, risks of failure and bankruptcy, super-profitable earnings, and famous personalities in the waiting rooms.

I don’t know about the United States, but in Europe, only Ferrari remains. The little horse of Maranello -the second most important entity among those born in a stable- is the all and nothing of automobile-ism, incarnating for more than half a century a dream on four wheels, the ultimate manifestation of the ever-existing human weakness that drives us, inevitably, towards that which is beautiful in itself, even though-and especially if-identified with the superfluous.