What Was The Top Speed Of The Original 1947 Ferrari?

Ferrari has a long history of making fast and cool designs, and 1947 was the year when the brand's first car, the 125 S, hit the streets. The Ferrari 125 S had some impressive performance figures for its time, thanks to its sleek build and compact 1.5-liter V12 engine, which came from the mind of Gioacchino Colombo, who also had help from engineers Giuseppe Busso and Luigi Bazzi.

The two-seater Ferrari 125 S had a dry weight of only 1433 lbs (650 kg), and it produced 118 horsepower (87 kW) at 6,800 rpm. These specs allowed it to reach a top speed of 130 mph (210 km/h). Interestingly, the first Ferrari had a five-speed manual transmission, which was relatively uncommon for sports cars at the time.

The car's performance, including its top speed, wasn't really built for public roads, but rather for racing. As such, the Ferrari 125 S debuted at the Piacenza circuit in 1947 to a lackluster introduction, considering the car never finished the race due to a fuel pump issue. Enzo Ferrari called it a promising failure, and in the next 13 competitions, the Ferrari 125 S won six times. 

The first Ferrari followed founder Enzo Ferrari's first independently built car, Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, from 1940. Due to his contract at the time with the former employer Alfa Romeo, Enzo was prohibited by law from putting his own name on any car he built until 1942. However, World War II would throw the wrong kind of wrench into Enzo's manufacturing plans. 

In 1943, Enzo moved Ferrari factory operations from Modena to Maranello to escape war bombings. Still, Ferrari's factory was bombed multiple times in 1944 and 1945, prompting Enzo to complete repairs after the war ended. Then, 1947 came, and using his experience and driving inspiration from the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, he built the very first Ferrari. Only two Ferrari 125 S were made, and unfortunately, no fully original example survives intact. However, Ferrari made an official replica in 1987, which is displayed at the Museo Ferrari in Maranello. 

Since the 125 S was the first-ever Ferrari and featured an especially notable top speed for the time, it can be said that the car is one of the brand's most interesting models ever. Nowadays, unlike many other manufacturers, Ferrari has stayed true to its roots and continues to build its cars in its native country, maintaining its legacy as an Italian and global auto powerhouse.