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March 31, 2026
Inside Ferrari's In-House Design: The Source of Its Power
FERRARI DESIGN. CREATIVE JOURNEYS 2010-2025
The exhibition "Ferrari Design: Creative Journeys 2010-2025" is being held at the National Automobile Museum of Turin (MAUTO) in Italy until April 12, 2026. This special exhibition offers a glimpse into the design development that has unfolded over the past 15 years. Akio Lorenzo Oya, a journalist based in Italy, reports.
Text by Akio Lorenzo OYA | Photographs by Akio Lorenzo OYA / Ferrari
15 Years of "Maranello Design"
In the autumn of 2025, MAUTO unveiled a new permanent section dedicated to car design. This special exhibition, utilizing adjacent space, is the first of its kind, realized through the collaboration of Ferrari's Centro Stile (Styling Center) and the Ferrari Museums (Modena and Maranello). Under Chief Design Officer (CDO) Flavio Manzoni, 11 cars were selected from over 70 models created since 2010, with accompanying concept sketches and videos to illustrate the creation process.
The exhibition models as of February 2026 and the reasons for their selection are as follows:
<Limited Edition / Concept Cars / Flagship Models>
・FXX-K (2014): An extreme, track-only version based on the LaFerrari. It received the "Compasso d'Oro 2016," a prestigious Italian industrial design award.
・Daytona SP3 (2021): The third model in the ICONA series of limited-edition cars, inspired by vintage automobiles.
・Vision Gran Turismo (2022): Ferrari's first concept car developed exclusively for virtual use, also marking the manufacturer's 75th anniversary.
・F80 (2024): The pinnacle of technological application in a supercar.
・12Cilindri (2024): A fusion of tradition and innovation.
<Mass Production Models>
・LaFerrari (2013): Ferrari's first road-going car equipped with a hybrid engine.
・Monza SP1 (2018): A modern interpretation of a historic model. Awarded the Compasso d'Oro 2020.
・296 GTS (2021): The brand's first V6 engine combined with a plug-in hybrid system.
・Purosangue (2022): Features a "sports transaxle" architecture with a front mid-engine and integrated differential gearbox. Awarded the Compasso d'Oro 2024.
・SP38 (2018)
・P80/C (2019)
Manzoni states that the common design philosophy is: "Aesthetic beauty is never an end in itself; beauty is always linked to function and performance." He also commented, "This exhibition was about showcasing the daily dialogue between designers and engineers, a true synergy that underpins all innovation."
The Secret to Success
Let's take a look at Manzoni's background. Born in Nuoro, Sardinia, in 1965, he studied industrial design at the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Florence. After graduating, he joined Fiat Auto in 1993, where he was responsible for interiors in the Lancia division. He then moved to SEAT, the Spanish subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, where he also worked on interior design.
He was called back to Lancia in 2001 to head the Centro Stile. Alongside production cars, the 2003 Fulvia Concept he worked on generated strong demand for production from fans, but the plan was frozen due to the Fiat Group's financial crisis. Although he later became responsible for Fiat, Lancia, and light commercial vehicles, he returned to the Volkswagen Group in 2006 to work on the design development of models like the sixth-generation Golf.
Manzoni was then recruited by Ferrari in 2010. His assignment was to lead the brand's first-ever in-house design department.
Given Ferrari's history of masterpieces created by renowned designers and external coachbuilders, the pressure Manzoni must have felt was undoubtedly immense.
However, he also states, "The establishment of the Centro Stile was a crucial turning point for Ferrari. By bringing design in-house, we enabled close collaboration with aerodynamic experts, material scientists, and engineers. This became indispensable for Ferrari's evolution."
In recent years, Ferrari has frequently been recognized as one of the "world's strongest brands" by research firms. It is no exaggeration to say that Manzoni's design studio plays a significant role in this. The author believes his success stems from three key factors.
The first is the starting point of his professional career. Many excellent designers began their careers in interior design. A prime example is Fabio Filippini, former Vice President of Design at Pininfarina, who was VP of Interior Design during his time at Renault.
Human-centered design is fundamental to achieving aesthetic perfection in function. It's clear that this talent was also crucial in how he managed to integrate the packaging for Ferrari's most significant transformation yet – the electric powertrain – into its flowing lines.
The second is his experience with Lancia. By working with one of Italy's most authentic brands, which has also produced state limousines, he undoubtedly learned the importance of respecting historical context.
And the third is his career that involved two stints with Volkswagen. The Renaissance art born in Italy crossed the Alps, and the detailed expressions later added by Northern painters, in turn, influenced Italian artists. Manzoni, by seeing the excellence of Italian design through an external lens, undoubtedly cultivated a sensibility to fully leverage it.
For reference, the Ferrari Design exhibition was the most vibrant area of the museum on the day the author visited. It rivaled the popularity of the 2024 Ayrton Senna exhibition, which had been a major draw at MAUTO in recent years. In fact, the exhibition, originally scheduled to end in early March 2026, had its run extended by over a month. As Turin is the capital of car design, one can eagerly anticipate how the new exhibition space will evolve.