While any car carrying the Ferrari badge is inspirational to car enthusiasts, there are a few models that seem even more infused with the magic that has made this the most desirable sports car brand on the planet.
These models achieve instant cult status through a combination of looks, performance and rarity, and if they are genuinely exceptional cars, their provenance will only grow with time. However, just because a particular Ferrari model is the most expensive or limited in production numbers does not always guarantee it a place at the top table.
Take the F50 for example. Launched in 1995, it received a relatively lukewarm reception and was never held in the same regard as the car it succeeded. Its predecessor however, the F40, was king of the hill when it was launched in the early ‘90s, and is to this day, the stuff of legend. Similarly, the Enzo became the signature flagship of the Italian marque from the day it was first launched. Today, it is still considered one of the seminal supercars of all time.
Officially, Ferrari built 399 Enzos, a tribute to the F399 Formula One racer that swept the board in 1999, winning the Constructors title for Ferrari and the Driver's Title for Michael Schumacher. (A 400th car was built as a gift to the late Pope John Paul II, and was subsequently auctioned off for charity).
Many Enzos are now in private collections and are hardly, if ever, driven. Thankfully, not all wealthy collectors see cars as objects d'art to be salted away, and some owners actually take their four-wheeled treasures out for an airing, so that both they and onlookers can enjoy them.
One such enthusiast is Armen Aslanian, a successful property developer based in Southern California, and a big Ferrari fan. Armen also appreciates and owns Lamborghinis, a rare combination as the two Italian marques often polarize car enthusiasts into differing "camps".
Armen's collection includes a Lamborghini Murciélago and a Diablo as well as an F430, but his real pride and joy is the Enzo, which he loves driving the most (although that has to be balanced against putting too much mileage on this significant 399th car!)
