Ferrari says over 90 per cent of all the cars it's ever produced are still on the road. And the iconic Italian sports car maker wants you to buy a good one. Say hello to Ferrari Approved...

It’s shiny, glamorous and exotic with the signature prancing horse badge proudly attached to its nose. But is this pre-owned Ferrari as good as it should be, or do unseen gremlins and a patchy ownership history make it less of an automotive dream and more a potential nightmare?

Enter Ferrari Approved, as the name implies, an official certification program designed to ensure the car you’re looking to buy is in pristine, factory-fresh condition, aligned with its original specification and mechanically flawless.

To achieve that, the factory has developed an extensive set of technical inspection and verification protocols supported by global Ferrari Academy training for technicians and streamlining of vehicle data research channels.

Applied to vehicles from zero to 16 years old, a Ferrari Approved inspection consists of 201 checks covering everything from powertrain and electrical systems to the bodywork and interior.

Any defects are rectified using original Ferrari parts “to ensure that the car fully complies with Maranello's extremely strict safety, performance and reliability standards”.

As well as those checks, the car’s provenance is authenticated via the brand’s global dealer sales and service network data, before final exterior and interior preparation and a “test-drive by a professional driver”.

And in the interests of transparency a list of the checks and repairs carried out is placed in the glove box.

According to Ferrari, around 60 per cent of its cars from zero-30 years old are serviced within the brand’s authorised network, so the data set for research is solid. And even if a proposed vehicle has been serviced once, or even more times, outside the official network it can still be considered.

Cars subsequently offered for sale are covered by a factory warranty and roadside assistance for up to 24 months (unlimited km). You’ll also receive a two-year subscription to Ferrari Magazine.

Interesting to note the La Ferrari hybrid hypercar from 2013 is eligible for Ferrari Approved and even its hybrid battery will be replaceable with a smaller, more modern and energy-efficient unit, however its casing will be weighted to maintain the car’s original homologation.

The Head of Ferrari Approved, Andrea Scioletti says more than 90 per cent of the more than 300,000 Ferraris ever produced are still on the road. 

He believes “a Ferrari is forever” and notes other factory programs designed to keep that impressive ratio intact include Ferrari Premium for vehicles 10 to 20 years old and Ferrari Classiche, the latter typically involving restoration and verification of high-end cars beyond two decades old.