Ferrari’s Technological Innovations Part 19: The Evolution of Chassis and Materials

In recent weeks, we have published an overview of the many technological innovations Ferrari has brought to automobiles — first in racing, then in road cars, applying lessons learned from the track. The progress made in the automotive world since 1947, when Ferrari was founded, is truly impressive. This evolution has impacted safety, reliability, driving pleasure, and onboard comfort. We conclude by showing how the evolution of Ferrari road cars has been consistently inspired by racing experience. The chassis, along with the engine, is the heart of the automobile, and Ferrari has gone through several interesting phases in this regard. In the 1950s and 1960s, to achieve rigidity and performance both on the road and track, Ferrari used tubular steel frames with treatments ensuring maximum torsional stiffness. This approach was successfully tested by Enzo Ferrari in major endurance races, where Ferrari's open-top sports prototypes excelled.