For nearly 70 years Enzo Ferrari dominated a motor-sports empire that spanned the globe and defined the world of high-performance cars, yet he lived virtually as a recluse. When he died in 1988, he was referred to as the pope of the North - only partly in jest, for he was possibly, after the Holy Father, the most revered man in Italy. Was he, however, the benign padrone so often portayed by the world's Press, or a ruthless despot who drove his staff to distraction and his drivers literally to their deaths? Aiming to penetrate Ferrari's elaborately constructed shell, this book examines many aspects of his life, from the bizarre relationship with his illegitimate son to his marketing of the famous Ferrari image; from his sordid affairs to his involvement with the Fascists in World War II; from his passion for speed to his manipulative but highly effective management techniques. The book also provides a history of high-performance cars and motor sports since World War I. The author has been a writer on motor sports and the car industry for 30 years. He has also written books and screenplays, including Cannonball Run.