Unforgettable Car Geniuses - A story that begins with the Zodiac: Which signs belong to the greatest?

Happy New Year! We’re kicking off a new weekly column in Roarington. In an era dominated by discussions of Artificial Intelligence – AI, as they say – we’ll spotlight a select group of individuals who, with their RI (Real Intelligence, if you will), have helped shape the magnificent world of automobiles, leading us to the brink of 2025. A double wish: now more than ever, we need true, enlightened geniuses.

We won’t reveal them all just yet; each will be a surprise. But we’ve already chosen them, and since it’s the beginning of the year, we’ve sorted them by zodiac sign. No horoscopes, of course—these individuals have achieved recognized success in life. Instead, we’ll take a fun look at which zodiac signs are most and least represented.

Gordon Murray, creator of the championship-winning McLaren Formula 1 cars and the road-going McLaren F1.

The top zodiac signs for automotive personalities are Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo, each at 13%. That means 40% of car geniuses come from these signs. And what a group they are: from Capricorn, we have Adrian Newey, the highly sought-after designer of winning Formula 1 cars; his famed Italian colleague, Mauro Forghieri, responsible for many successful Ferraris; and Carroll Shelby, the inventor of the American sports car.

Carroll Shelby, from the Cobra to the Ford GT40.

Among the Taurus group, who could miss Ferruccio Lamborghini, the man who named all his cars after fighting bulls? Other “fighting bulls” include Colin Chapman, the driving force behind Lotus, and David Brown, the soul of Aston Martin.

The third group, tied with the others, belongs to Virgo, led by Ettore Bugatti, Ferdinand Porsche, and Luca di Montezemolo. No further explanation needed.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the mastermind behind Ferrari’s return to success on the track and the road.

Now, the curious question: which zodiac sign is least represented? It’s Aquarius, with just one name—though an iconic one: Hans Ledwinka, a great innovator and creator of the advanced and ingenious Tatra cars. So ingenious, in fact, that the famous Volkswagen Beetle was modeled on the small Czechoslovakian Tatra.

A legitimate question: what sign was Enzo Ferrari? Pisces, like Rudolf Diesel—similar vocations, but undeniably different engines!

Starting next Sunday, in honor of this month’s sign, Adrian Newey.

Rudolf Uhlenhaut and Mercedes-Benz, the triumph of technology.