The prancing horse was the symbol displayed on the tail of the aircraft flown by Count Francesco Baracca, a great pilot who served with the Italian Air Force during the First World War.
In 1923, after the victory of Enzo Ferrari (also nicknamed the Drake) on the Salvio circuit, Baracca’s mother, the Countess Paolina, donated to him the symbol of the horse saying “Use the horse, as it is the true symbol of my son.  Place it on your cars and it will bring you luck.”
Ferrari then added to the horse, the yellow colour and the symbol of the city of Modena.  Since that time the prancing horse has remained Ferrari’s trademark, and now the ‘Cavallino Rampante’  is proudly displayed on the P180 Avanti.
The logos aren’t the only connections between the car and the aircraft.
As the president of Piaggio Aero Industries and Vice President of Ferrari S.p.A, Piero Ferrari transcends aviation and automobiles as one of the most authoritative ambassadors of Italian technology.