PERSISTENCE BRINGS FERRARIS TO QUEBEC

Born and raised in Italy, Luigi Della Grotta became a mechanic during World War II and, following the war, found employment in Argentina before settling in Montreal, Quebec. After years of hard work, his business began to thrive, and he quickly gained a good reputation for his attention to detail and work ethic.

With a passion for Ferraris in a country that previously had no Ferrari importer, Luigi took it upon himself to bring Ferraris to Canada. Deciding that it was best to lobby Ferrari for the rights to sell their cars in person, he booked a flight to Maranello where he met Ferrari’s international sales manager, Amerigo Manicardi. Manicardi thought the idea of selling Ferraris in Canada was foolish and would not even let Luigi meet with Enzo.

However, Luigi was persistent and never gave up on his dream. He returned to Maranello to lobby Manicardi again to allow him to sell Ferraris in Canada. Once more, he was quickly shown the door. In 1960, he decided to return to Maranello for a third time, where he was finally granted an audience with Enzo Ferrari. Enzo believed the Canadian climate would be too harsh on his cars, but Luigi convinced Enzo that the cars would only be driven during the summer. Enzo relented and let Luigi bring his cars to Canada.

As Ferrari’s significance in Canada grew, so did Luigi Della Grotta’s popularity, supported by his stellar reputation in the industry. Not only did he bring the first Ferrari to Quebec but he also started the first Ferrari club in Canada in 1990, the Luigi Ferrari Club, an organization founded upon Luigi’s and his customers’ passion for Ferrari.

LUIGI DELLA GROTTA’S TESTAROSSA

Presented here is Luigi Della Grotta’s very own Testarossa, a car ordered through his own dealership and retained as his personal car. When new, the car was driven by him and taken to various parades and shows with the Luigi Ferrari Club, and later the Club Ferrari Quebec, and it was frequently seen on display in his dealership as well. It is believed that during this time, the car was fitted with its current modified seats with contrasting black Daytona-style inserts. The car remained unregistered from the time it was new until Luigi passed away in 2012.

Purchased by its current owner from Luigi’s estate shortly after his death, it was registered for the road for the very first time just last year. Since then, the car has been regularly maintained and driven sparingly. Driven just under 4,900 kms since new, only 1,000 kms were accumulated by its current owner. Since its purchase from Luigi’s estate, the car has been maintained by Monaco Prestige, a Ferrari specialist based in Saint-Laurent, Quebec, and run by Luigi’s former chief mechanic, Ralph Mastromonaco. In April of 2012, the car received an oil change and new battery, and its fuel filter was replaced. In March of 2015, the car returned to Monaco Prestige for a major service. The engine was removed, and its timing belts, valve-cover gaskets, seals, O-rings, shocks, and brake hoses were replaced. Receipts for both of these services, along with its original books, tool kit, and jack, will accompany the car.

For the tifosi looking for a car with a great story, there can be no better Testarossa.