'Rosso Corsa' might be the most popular colour for a Ferrari - but if you really want to stand out from the Maranello crowd, may we suggest you go for something a little different...
From Roman war paint to national racing colour
“In ancient Rome,” the Internet tells us, “red symbolised blood and courage; Roman soldiers wore red tunics, and generals wore a scarlet cloak, and had their bodies painted completely in red during ceremonial triumphs.” So, it might not come as a complete surprise that post-Roman sportscar brands such as Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia, Ferrari and Abarth also chose red to be their racing colour. But while other marques cultivated their colourful diversity beyond the racetracks, Ferrari turned the ‘Rosso Corsa’warpaint into the signature colour of its street cars, too. In the 1950s and 1960s, a bright red Ferrari might have been a true eyecatcher. But today, we must admit to growing a little tired of seeing Italy’s finest in simply red.
'Nocciola', anyone?
Luckily, there are more than 600 Ferraris for sale in the Classic Driver Market and, while almost 300 of them are painted red, you can find some pretty exciting substitutes, should you be brave enough. So how about a Ferrari Testarossa in the very rare original colour combination of ‘Blue Chiaro Metallic’ over Cream, a ‘Nocciola’-coloured 330 GTS, a Vignale-built 330 Shooting Brake in ‘Verde Metalizzatto’ with a golden roof, or one of only seven Daytonas built in ‘Verde Medio’? Battle honours invariably go to the bravest, after all...
