Special Report: The Secret History of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

The story of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti begins in 2002, when a portfolio of designs was put in the archives of Ferrari in Maranello, Italy. But the story of how it got there begins in 1997.
As a young man in high school I loved Ferrari and, in particular, admired the extraordinary career path of its president, Luca di Montezemolo. It seemed like a good idea to 'reach out to him,' as we call it now, when writing an email takes five minutes. Sitting down to write a letter, telling him of my admiration and sending it by mail to Italy, I waited a long summer holiday to get my reply. When it came, it was a large envelope with a Ferrari insignia on it, marked "DO NOT BEND" in Italian. In it was a signed picture of Luca di Montezemolo, and a personal letter from him, on his own stationary.

It was remarkable that from my desk I could reach around the world with a few words or an idea, and touch someone. The response gave me hope that perhaps he would respond just as personally to something more, perhaps a design. And so I sent a design for a car inspired by vintage Ferrari models, similar in concept to the newly released Ferrari Monza SP2, and suggested that perhaps Ferrari could produce a line of cars based on their vintage models. To this I got a second reply, this time from Montezemolo's office, saying that my letter and design had been shown to Mr. Montezemolo and, "In consideration of our technicians' suggestion... Ferrari is not interested in the project of such a car, at least for the time being." Seemingly, Luca di Montezemolo had consulted Ferrari's technicians about my design, and had been advised against such a project. The President of Ferrari had considered my concept.
Over the years I sent many more design to Ferrari, and after graduating from high school, I decided to test the rapport I had build with the President of Ferrari, and risk not being remembered by him. I applied directly to his office for a job as a designer. I was informed by his office that Mr. Montezemolo thanked me for my letter, and that, if I truly wanted a job as a designer at Ferrari, I would have to apply to their human resources department. And so I put together some designs, a CV and a letter, and sent them to Italy. In the fervor and zeal of my ambition, I may have put in the letter that Montezemolo invited me to apply, and perhaps, perhaps, this influenced the destiny of my design. Shortly after I sent my inadequate portfolio of designs to Ferrari, I received my last letter from Maranello, telling me that my application had been put in their archives so that they could keep me in consideration when any future opportunities arose.
Two years later, I walked in to a bookstore and looked at the magazine rack. I stared at the cover of a magazine which showed the car Ferrari had released at the 2004 NAIAS. It looked so familiar. The lines which ran over the front wheel arches, across the vertical headlights then becoming the frame for the grille were uniquely my work. Vertical head lights had not been used by Ferrari before, and the shape was curved exactly as I had painstakingly crafted my original design at my desk. On the side of the car was an indentation, no vent, but just a body panel indentation as I had also used. It was my design.

Of course, I have no proof that Ferrari used my design, and received no further responses from them when I asked. But after so many years, I still have the hope that Luca di Monezemolo may have been asked about the application that named him as a reference, and considered my design.

J D Banck
Editor | The Circle Vancouver