Universo Ferrari: A little slice of Maranello
06 Dec 2024|319 views
Originally held in Italy, Universo Ferrari is an exhibition that showcases the world of Ferrari. It has since been hosted in various countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, Korea, and now, in Thailand.
The showcase is available exclusively to Ferrari's clients and guests, and lucky for us, it also includes the media. You might be wondering about the exclusivity - is there really a need for such gatekeeping?
Trust me, I was wondering about it as well. After all, I'm sure many fans of the Italian supercar brand would love to visit the showcase. After visiting it, I now understand why.
A little slice of the Ferrari Museum in Maranello
Universo Ferrari is a little different from other car shows - for one, there isn't anything for sale here. Instead, this moderately-sized showcase is much more of an intimate, cozy space for friends of the brand to learn about Ferrari, its heritage and racing history.
According to Francesco Bianchi, Universo Ferrari was conceived to present to the brand's stakeholders with something that is more immersive than just a presentation
In the words of Francesco Bianchi, President of Ferrari APAC and Middle East, Universo Ferrari is a concept that started in 2019 with an exhibition held on the Fiorano track in Italy. It was conceived to present the brand to people who are not fully aware of what Ferrari means through something that is more immersive than just a presentation.
It then evolved into the idea of bringing Maranello (the home of Ferrari) to different geographical areas to share the passion, the legacy and values of the brand. And that is what Universo Ferrari is about - it isn't to sell cars, it isn't just to show off the brand's racing machines, but rather, it is to educate and immerse stakeholders of the brand with Ferrari's passion and values.
An exhibition that covers all aspects of what Ferrari offers
Held at the UOB Live event area located in Emsphere, Thailand, Universo Ferrari is a showcase that features multiple zones within, each dedicated to an aspect of Ferrari's range of products.
Michael Schumacher's World Championship F1 car, along with various other F1 memorabilia, were present
The Racing Zone is the first area that you will go see when you enter the exhibition - various F1 memorabilia including F1 constructor trophies, F1 components and the F1-2000, which Michael Schumacher piloted to win his third World Championship, are all on display.
The Ferrari 499P is a two-time champion at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Ferrari's illustrious racing heritage isn't limited to F1 endeavours - also on display is the Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar, a two-time champion at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 and 2024. The Ferrari 296 GT3 is yet another modern Ferrari racing machine that was on display in the Racing Zone.
Racing is in Ferrari's blood, but the Italian supercar maker is also equally renowned for its sizzling-hot road cars: enter the Sport Cars Zone, where we all got to marvel at Ferrari's latest innovations.
The Daytona SP3 pays homage to the race-winning 330 P3/4, 330 P4 and 412 P
The road car segment includes the achingly beautiful Ferrari Daytona SP3. The second car within Ferrari's limited edition Icona Series pays homage to the mid-rear-engine Ferrari V12 sports prototypes - the 330 P3/4, 330 P4 and 412 P - that have earned the brand its unparalleled motor sport status when they took the top three places in the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona.
The SF90 XX Stradale is the first road-going car from Ferrari's 'XX Programme'
Also showcased was the SF90 XX Stradale, the first road legal car from Ferrari's 'XX Programme' - these cars aren't typically homologated for road use, but rather specially built to be driven to the extreme limits of performance on race tracks.
The latest road cars that rolled out of Ferrari's Maranello factory gates are also here
Also present at Universo Ferrari were some of the brand's latest creations, including the powerful V12-powered 12 Cilindri, the 296 GTB and the Purosangue.
Probably one of the most recognisable Ferrari - the F50
Next up was the Ferrari Classiche Zone. This was one of the most exciting parts of the exhibition for me as the illustrious Ferrari F50 was on display. For the uninformed, the F50 is easily one of Ferrari's most desired model. Powered by a 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine that was developed from the engine used in the 1990 Ferrari 641 F1 car, you can already imagine how special this car is. Just a total of 349 F50s were ever produced, making it a really sought-after and rare supercar.
Universo Ferrari isn't just about the cars. Also displayed was the Ferrari Lifestyle Zone featuring various luxury fashion pieces from the brand.
The latest and greatest: Ferrari F80
Ferrari took the opportunity to unveil the upcoming limited production hypercar, the F80, in Thailand during Universo Ferrari. Inspired by the Ferrari F40 - as can be seen on many areas of the car - the F80 is created as a successor to the LaFerrari.
The F80 is the culmination of Ferrari's race car building expertise in all areas
With a limited run of just 799 examples, the F80 is a highly coveted machine - we understand that only five of them are destined to owners in Singapore. Like the LaFerrari, the F80 is conceived as the ultimate technological showcase for the brand, embodying the ultimate in engineering in all aspects - from the internal combustion engine, to the hybrid technology, the carbon-fibre chassis and extreme aerodynamic solutions, to the new active suspension optimised for maximum performance.
With 1,184bhp from a powertrain that combines a powerful V6 with F1-derived technology, the F80 goes from 0-100km/h in just 2.15 seconds!
Putting out 1,184bhp, the F80 can complete the century sprint in just 2.15 seconds. Ferrari attained such incredulous performance by combining a twin-turbo V6 that develops 887bhp, to an F1-derived MGU-K electric motor at the rear, along with two electric motors at the front axle. Even standing still, the F80 was truly a sight to behold.
Peep the exhaust placement on this 'LaFerrari'! It seems like this could have been one of the development mules for the F80
There was however, also another interesting car that we saw at Universo Ferrari - parked in an area with black walls, was a matte black 'LaFerrari', which upon closer inspection, seems to have been one of the development mules for the F80. It was quite a surreal experience to get up close to one of these interesting machines that are often shrouded in mystery, what more with it within the same premise where the finalised car was unveiled.
After experiencing the Universo Ferrari showcase, I am inclined to agree with Francesco: This is much more immersive than just a presentation.
Originally held in Italy, Universo Ferrari is an exhibition that showcases the world of Ferrari. It has since been hosted in various countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, Korea, and now, in Thailand.
The showcase is available exclusively to Ferrari's clients and guests, and lucky for us, it also includes the media. You might be wondering about the exclusivity - is there really a need for such gatekeeping?
Trust me, I was wondering about it as well. After all, I'm sure many fans of the Italian supercar brand would love to visit the showcase. After visiting it, I now understand why.
A little slice of the Ferrari Museum in Maranello
Universo Ferrari is a little different from other car shows - for one, there isn't anything for sale here. Instead, this moderately-sized showcase is much more of an intimate, cozy space for friends of the brand to learn about Ferrari, its heritage and racing history.
According to Francesco Bianchi, Universo Ferrari was conceived to present to the brand's stakeholders with something that is more immersive than just a presentation
In the words of Francesco Bianchi, President of Ferrari APAC and Middle East, Universo Ferrari is a concept that started in 2019 with an exhibition held on the Fiorano track in Italy. It was conceived to present the brand to people who are not fully aware of what Ferrari means through something that is more immersive than just a presentation.
It then evolved into the idea of bringing Maranello (the home of Ferrari) to different geographical areas to share the passion, the legacy and values of the brand. And that is what Universo Ferrari is about - it isn't to sell cars, it isn't just to show off the brand's racing machines, but rather, it is to educate and immerse stakeholders of the brand with Ferrari's passion and values.
An exhibition that covers all aspects of what Ferrari offers
Held at the UOB Live event area located in Emsphere, Thailand, Universo Ferrari is a showcase that features multiple zones within, each dedicated to an aspect of Ferrari's range of products.
Michael Schumacher's World Championship F1 car, along with various other F1 memorabilia, were present
The Racing Zone is the first area that you will go see when you enter the exhibition - various F1 memorabilia including F1 constructor trophies, F1 components and the F1-2000, which Michael Schumacher piloted to win his third World Championship, are all on display.
The Ferrari 499P is a two-time champion at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Ferrari's illustrious racing heritage isn't limited to F1 endeavours - also on display is the Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar, a two-time champion at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 and 2024. The Ferrari 296 GT3 is yet another modern Ferrari racing machine that was on display in the Racing Zone.
Racing is in Ferrari's blood, but the Italian supercar maker is also equally renowned for its sizzling-hot road cars: enter the Sport Cars Zone, where we all got to marvel at Ferrari's latest innovations.
The Daytona SP3 pays homage to the race-winning 330 P3/4, 330 P4 and 412 P
The road car segment includes the achingly beautiful Ferrari Daytona SP3. The second car within Ferrari's limited edition Icona Series pays homage to the mid-rear-engine Ferrari V12 sports prototypes - the 330 P3/4, 330 P4 and 412 P - that have earned the brand its unparalleled motor sport status when they took the top three places in the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona.
The SF90 XX Stradale is the first road-going car from Ferrari's 'XX Programme'
Also showcased was the SF90 XX Stradale, the first road legal car from Ferrari's 'XX Programme' - these cars aren't typically homologated for road use, but rather specially built to be driven to the extreme limits of performance on race tracks.
The latest road cars that rolled out of Ferrari's Maranello factory gates are also here
Also present at Universo Ferrari were some of the brand's latest creations, including the powerful V12-powered 12 Cilindri, the 296 GTB and the Purosangue.
Probably one of the most recognisable Ferrari - the F50
Next up was the Ferrari Classiche Zone. This was one of the most exciting parts of the exhibition for me as the illustrious Ferrari F50 was on display. For the uninformed, the F50 is easily one of Ferrari's most desired model. Powered by a 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine that was developed from the engine used in the 1990 Ferrari 641 F1 car, you can already imagine how special this car is. Just a total of 349 F50s were ever produced, making it a really sought-after and rare supercar.
Universo Ferrari isn't just about the cars. Also displayed was the Ferrari Lifestyle Zone featuring various luxury fashion pieces from the brand.
The latest and greatest: Ferrari F80
Ferrari took the opportunity to unveil the upcoming limited production hypercar, the F80, in Thailand during Universo Ferrari. Inspired by the Ferrari F40 - as can be seen on many areas of the car - the F80 is created as a successor to the LaFerrari.
The F80 is the culmination of Ferrari's race car building expertise in all areas
With a limited run of just 799 examples, the F80 is a highly coveted machine - we understand that only five of them are destined to owners in Singapore. Like the LaFerrari, the F80 is conceived as the ultimate technological showcase for the brand, embodying the ultimate in engineering in all aspects - from the internal combustion engine, to the hybrid technology, the carbon-fibre chassis and extreme aerodynamic solutions, to the new active suspension optimised for maximum performance.
With 1,184bhp from a powertrain that combines a powerful V6 with F1-derived technology, the F80 goes from 0-100km/h in just 2.15 seconds!
Putting out 1,184bhp, the F80 can complete the century sprint in just 2.15 seconds. Ferrari attained such incredulous performance by combining a twin-turbo V6 that develops 887bhp, to an F1-derived MGU-K electric motor at the rear, along with two electric motors at the front axle. Even standing still, the F80 was truly a sight to behold.
Peep the exhaust placement on this 'LaFerrari'! It seems like this could have been one of the development mules for the F80
There was however, also another interesting car that we saw at Universo Ferrari - parked in an area with black walls, was a matte black 'LaFerrari', which upon closer inspection, seems to have been one of the development mules for the F80. It was quite a surreal experience to get up close to one of these interesting machines that are often shrouded in mystery, what more with it within the same premise where the finalised car was unveiled.
After experiencing the Universo Ferrari showcase, I am inclined to agree with Francesco: This is much more immersive than just a presentation.
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