LETTERA DEL PRESIDENTE

Dear friends in the Ferrari community,

Let me introduce you to the Ferrari Club of Australia.

We are one of the oldest Ferrari clubs around the world, having been formed in 1972 and we hope, one of the friendliest and most active. We have over 1200 members and operate as a national body, with each of Australia’s five largest states having a local chapter to manage the social aspects of their member’s enjoyment of the Club. Once a year, we hold a major national rally that draws cars and members from all over our huge country and these are much anticipated and well attended by our members.

Per capita, Australia has always boasted a high number of Ferrari and over the years many important older cars have resided here. Being a right hand drive market, there has always been a solid trade in cars between Australia and the UK.

We have many wonderful examples of most Ferrari road cars although unfortunately, just about every important Ferrari competition car has been exported to the UK or USA over the last ten or fifteen years. Our club members include many world renowned experts in the older cars and the quality and originality of restorations done both here and in nearby New Zealand matches anything in the world.

Traditionally, the main concours events for Ferrari have always been conducted by our club and these are always of very high standard. Our judging techniques tend toward the UK style, favouring originality and rewarding preservation ahead of perfection. Most of our members, even those with concours winning cars, tend to use them enthusiastically and we run a busy schedule of drive days, track days, rallies etc. in every state.

Motor racing has always been a popular sport in Australia and we have produced many drivers and cars that have succeeded internationally. Our circuits tend to be European in style and we don’t do any oval racing. Many of our members raced or rallied cars as younger men and track days and high driving standards are very popular in our club. We are fortunate to have access to many fine tracks and a bunch of enthusiastic owners that love driving their cars. Many later model, used Challenge cars are now finding their way to Australia and boosting the numbers of very quick cars at our track days.

Australians are great travellers and our members attend all the major international events in numbers, every year. Just a few years ago, 120 of our members travelled as a group to the 2004 PebbleBeach celebration of Ferrari and made many new friends. In late 2005, our major street rally, Classic Adelaide, honoured Ferrari and over 30 cars came from all over the world to participate. They were joined by more than 70 local cars and this made for a wonderful display, with full factory support from Ferrari.

I would like to extend an open invitation to any member of the international Ferrari community visiting Australia to make contact with us. You will be made very welcome and invited to join any of our events or functions that coincide with your visit.