Charles Pozzi: A Legacy Built on Passion

Who was Charles Pozzi beyond the name associated with Ferrari?

A.N.: Charles Pozzi was first and foremost a car enthusiast and a true entrepreneur. Ferrari obviously represents a major part of his legacy, but his story begins much earlier, with the creation of his own garage in 1932 and his business focused on prestige cars.
What's particularly interesting about him is that he wasn't simply a businessman who worked in the automotive industry. He was also a racing driver. He began competing in 1946 and notably participated in the French Grand Prix in 1950.
He therefore had a very personal relationship with automobiles. He knew cars, he drove them, he understood their qualities and the emotions they could evoke. This passion, combined with a genuine entrepreneurial spirit, certainly contributed greatly to building his career.

Pozzi established his own garage in 1932 before becoming the first official Ferrari importer in France. What, in your opinion, contributed to his success and enabled him to forge this relationship with Enzo Ferrari?

A.N.: I think that's precisely his ability to combine passion and business acumen.
Charles Pozzi understood that an exceptional car wasn't sold simply on its features. It was necessary to understand the person behind the wheel, their expectations and desires, and to build a relationship of trust.
His experience in the world of competition also gave him real legitimacy. He knew the drivers, the teams, the people involved in motorsport and, above all, he understood performance because he had experienced it himself.
I think that's also what created a close relationship with Enzo Ferrari. Their relationship was certainly based on a business opportunity, but it was also founded on a shared passion for competition, performance, and automobiles.

What was the true nature of the relationship between Charles Pozzi and Enzo Ferrari? Was it primarily a business relationship, or was there a genuine friendship and a shared passion for racing?

A.N.: Everything suggests that their relationship went beyond a simple business relationship.
Charles Pozzi was close to Enzo Ferrari and their relationship was built around an environment they shared: competition, cars and the pursuit of performance.
We must, of course, remain cautious when discussing historical personal relationships whose details we don't fully know. But their collaboration clearly demonstrates a genuine closeness and mutual understanding.
They were ultimately two men from the same world, but with different roles: Enzo Ferrari was building one of the world's greatest automotive and sports brands, while Charles Pozzi was developing his presence and reputation among French enthusiasts.
What united them was probably this shared conviction that the automobile could be much more than a means of transport: a story, an emotion, a competition and a true culture.

Charles Pozzi built his reputation on a very personal relationship with cars and his clients. How do you maintain this close relationship today, given that the company has grown enormously?

A.N.: I think it starts first and foremost with our teams. They are car enthusiasts who want to share their passion and, above all, meet other enthusiasts. Our role is to build a long-term relationship and help our clients fully experience their passion for cars, whether through their car, events, driving experiences or simply conversations.
And finally, what we try to dedicate as much as possible to our customers is what we perhaps find most precious today: time to talk about cars.
Taking the time to discuss a car, its history, a model you are looking for, an experience on the track… It is often in these conversations that the true relationship is created.

Today, your customers are not simply buying a car: they are buying an experience and joining a community. How has this relationship evolved since the time of Charles Pozzi?

A.N.: Yes, and that's also why we launched Charles Pozzi Approved.
The idea was to be able to support our customers throughout their entire automotive journey, and not just when they buy a Ferrari.
At Charles Pozzi Approved, we can sell cars from many different brands. This often allows our customers to discover other manufacturers and models, all while immersing themselves in the Charles Pozzi world, which remains historically closely linked to Ferrari. But regardless of the car's brand, we want to support our customers in the same way: with the same level of attention, advice, and service.
Ultimately, we sell cars of different brands, but we try to build the same relationship with our customers.