cars news 10: Ferrari Celebrates 70th Birthday With LaFerrari Aperta (W/Video)

On March 12, 1947, just a few years after World War II, Enzo Ferrari test-drove the first car to bear his name, the Ferrari 125 S. The test run through the mountains and hills surrounding Maranello, Italy, would eventually launch the company into the stratospheric presence it maintains today. Now, 70 years later, Ferrari is celebrating its birth with a host of special, one-off creations throughout the year. However, to kick things off, Ferrari escorted the 125 S through the company’s gates at Via Abertone Inferiore once again with a LaFerrari Aperta hypercar.

The video opens in a sepia-colored 1947 Ferrari workshop with the old man gazing lovingly at his creation, donning his period leather crash helmet, and starting the 125 S up. The car slowly pulls out of the Ferrari workshop and onto the highway as the sepia tones fade and the 125 S transforms into a brand new LaFerrari. The video’s pace becomes more upbeat to showcase the raw beauty and speed of the carbon-fiber hybrid V-12 hypercar.

LaFerrari Aperta, the targa version of the LaFerrari coupe, features a hybrid 6.3-liter V-12 engine generating 949 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The first Ferrari, the 125 S, generated only 118 hp from its 1.5-liter V-12 engine that was coupled to five-speed manual gearbox.

Ferrari’s 70th birthday celebrations culminate on the weekend of September 9 at the company’s factory and headquarters in Maranello. For those not lucky enough to attend, you can follow Ferrari’s celebrations through the brand’s dedicated birthday site, www.ferrari70.com.

Source: Ferrari