Luca Cordero di Montezemolo tells his story of a life of cars, trains and cigars, revealing the heart that guided his every choice

Our interview with Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari from 1991 to 2014

Dubai has long been a privileged showcase for Made in Italy, a crossroads where Italian elegance, innovation and quality find fertile ground. From haute couture to automotive, from hospitality to design, the Italian touch stands out in a market increasingly attracted to the savoir-faire and creativity of the Bel Paese. In this context, talking about Italian excellence inevitably means mentioning key figures who have helped consolidate its international prestige. Prominent among them is Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the protagonist of a career that has traversed and shaped the world of industry, sports and entrepreneurship.

We publish this interview, conducted for the first issue of Time to Collect, the official collector magazine.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo at the presentation of the Ferrari F399 with Giovanni Agnelli, Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine, Paolo Cantarella, Paolo Fresco (@Mondadori Portfolio)

Passion is the engine that drives people to achieve great things, both in their professional and personal lives. In this interview, we discover how the most intimate, genuine passions can guide a path to success, transforming experiences and relationships into memorable goals.

Through stories that range from cars to trains, to his love for the countryside, art and Toscano cigars, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo reveals the most personal and inspiring aspects of a man who has always put his heart into every venture he has undertaken.

What are your passions outside of the world of business and cars?

The term ‘passion’ is absolutely in line with who I am: from my point of view, a person who doesn’t have at least one deep passion is an empty person. My life has always had passion as the dominant motif, it has always been in everything I have done. When I was young I raced as an official Lancia rally driver, then I was lucky enough to experience Ferrari, first as Enzo’s assistant, then as manager of the Racing Team. During that period I shared my passion for speed with Niki Lauda.

Then came more corporate roles, always lived with the same passion?

Yes, absolutely: the first was as CEO of Cinzano, then also Azzurra, Italia ’90 -the 1990 FIFA World Cup - a fantastic month, marked by the ‘magic nights’, a charmed period for all Italians.

It didn’t end there...

The return to Ferrari in 1991 and the creation of a team bound by professionalism and passion: Jean Todt, John Barnard, Stefano Domenicali, Paolo Martinelli and then Michael Schumacher

Interior of the Ferrari 360 Barchetta given to him in 2000 by Gianni Agnelli as a wedding present

What is your greatest satisfaction?

Few would imagine it, but my greatest satisfaction today is having a 14-year-old son who passionately runs a cattle farm, loves western-style horse riding and has a strong bond with country life.

Let’s continue on the thread of passion: which are your ‘personal’ ones, not related to work?

The first is for cars, which I don’t consider objects to be admired but rather objects of freedom: start the engine and you can go wherever you want. Then in the car there is the element of design and therefore of beauty, the obsessive attention to detail, technology and innovation.

Are you a car collector?

Ihave never had a great passion for vintage cars: I have always preferred to look forward and not back. For example, when I drove a Ferrari, I was the first to want the sequential transmission paddles mounted on the steering wheel inherited from Formula 1, the first car entirely in carbon fibre, the first hybrid Ferrari in history. However, I like to keep every object that has been significant in my life, for example models of all the Ferraris made during the long period of my chairmanship.

So your garage is empty?

No, but it’s not what many would expect. I have only one Ferrari, given to me by Gianni Agnelli, a witness at my wedding in 2000: a 360 , silver grey, one-of-a-kind. Then I have a Renault R4, in perfect condition, with a column shift; a 500 Spider, fully openable, with suicide doors - so one of the very first - Ferrari red, restored by Giannini. Then an original Land Rover 110, a light blue Panda 4x4 also fully openable, also given to me as a wedding present by Giorgetto Giugiaro. Last but not least, a Fiat Campagnola with a 132 sedan engine, that has given me great pleasure. Beautiful. Once again, a car that tells a story of passion, far from the economic or collectors’ speculation that we see everywhere.

Is there a car you haven’t managed to include in your collection?

The Lancia Fulvia HF I drove in the Rally World Championship. At the time it cost far too much. Then a Lancia Delta Integrale, an extraordinary car, a true piece of FIAT heritage which was let go.

Your story has been full of satisfactions.

The 19 Formula 1 World Championships are certainly unforgettable, but also the 11 lost at the last race… Then Italo! Starting from a blank sheet of paper and creating the first ‘private’ high-speed train in Europe, competing with the Railways monopoly, was truly a titanic undertaking.

Let’s move on to another of your passions: what attracted you to Manifatture Sigaro Toscano?

In addition to a passion for the product, there is an aspect in the relationship with the world of manufacturing and tobacco that somewhat enthralled me and convinced me to get involved in this company. The Toscano cigar is a product of the highest quality, which expresses its made in Italy identity in all its power. It is a concentration of Italian culture, history, traditions and know-how.

What about timepieces? Is there one more important for you?

It happens when they are objects linked to particular people. In this regard, I cannot help but remember a great friend of mine, Gino Macaluso. When I returned to Ferrari, at the end of the 90s, he was the owner of Girard-Perregaux and I told him: “I want to make beautiful watches with you that can become collector’s pieces”. I didn’t want them to be generic ‘Ferrari’ watches, but for each model to be linked to a particular event in the life of the Maranello company. Today I own two of those models, with a special personalized dedication. Then there is the Rolex given to me by Michael Schumacher when he won the World Championship in 2000. I would also add a limited edition Richard Mille which Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had made on the occasion of the first Formula 1 Grand Prix held in Abu Dhabi.

What watch do you wear on your wrist?

I can’t consider myself a true collector, especially since I’ve been wearing a Swatch on a daily basis for almost five years.