Ferrari

When it comes to supercars, one of the first names that always comes to mind is Ferrari. Ferrari is synonymous with insanely fast, beautiful cars that are a different and rare breed compared to the typical automobile. There are cars that are much faster - McLaren, Bugatti and SSC all hold the speed records. However, no car brand exudes the class and prestige to go with the horsepower.

Legendary on and off the track

Ferraris are racecars built for the road. Enzo Ferrari, founder of the company, was a successful racing driver in Italy. Alfa Romeo hired Ferrari to head the company?s racing division in the 1920s. He founded Scudera Ferrari, or "Ferrari Stable" to sponsor and outfit Alfa?s race drivers.

He eventually left after a falling out with Alfa and founded his own company. He needed to make and sell a road car to keep the company afloat, so he produced the 125 Sport in 1947. Though Ferrari himself was known as being reluctant to sell a road car instead of a racecar, the 125 quickly became very popular. That set the tone of nothing but excellence on and off the track -- what Ferrari is known for.

Legacy of superiority

When the family of legendary Italian flying ace Francesco Baracca allowed Ferrari to use Baracca's personal emblem that adorned his plane, the prancing horse, the family did it knowing full well that they were gifting the emblem to someone special.

The company built a reputation on bold and innovative automobiles that excelled on the track and were unmatched as pinnacles of design and performance on the road. In motorsport, Ferrari has won touring car glory at Le Mans and Monaco, and has no real "peers" to speak of in Formula 1. The firm has won more designer championships than any other, and Ferrari drivers have won 15 Formula 1 titles, including five by Michael Schumacher, widely considered the greatest F1 driver of all time.

Ferrari's road cars are in a class of their own: devastatingly quick with gorgeous design that pushes boundaries. A Ferrari carries prestige; that's why so many people buy clothing with the Ferrari logo. Some cars may be better at one thing or another, but no car in the world is the complete package like a Ferrari.