Should Ferrari do these exceptions?

[dropot2]

I think the objective of Ferrari is not getting money, it isn't a factory to earn money. Obviously, he has to get some benefit but its stay depends on the Fiat money. So, should Ferrari sell its image (and damage it) doing this kind of "things" because they are required by very rich people (in this case Sultan of Brunei)? I think they shouldn't...


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[deth]

well, i can sorta see where u're going with this, but then again Ferrari does need to make money to support their racing programs etc. Making money may arguably not be Ferrari's sole purpose, but who is really going to say no to a relatively easy source of income?

[SFDMALEX]

Im pretty sure Ferrari makes tons of money.

[DeMoN]

All of those models, exept for the F50-Bolide, are crap. Maybe ferrari should have designed those for him, but not put the ferrari badge. I think the 1st one is insulting.

[i_hate_the_enzo]

i think they make the bacon come home fairly easily, but i dont think thats the point of ferrari...what i think is that ferrari is just out to make cars that i dont like, so i bitch about them to a bunch of car nuts (myself included), and get verbally bitch slapped because of it...see, its just a conspiracy against me...i swear :D

[DMbaseball1604]

I do not really mind or think it is "insulting"for Ferrari to build something like this...becuase this can show how much talent a car company really has.

[redbaron]

In the past Ferrari had some specials of normal models with a body of another designer, so why wouldn't they do it nowadays?

All these cars are Pinifarina specials, specially build for the Sultan of Brunei. That Sultan didn't like the F50 Bolide, so he didn't bought it and left the car at Pinifarina.... I thought Aston Martin, Bentley, Mercedes and Rolls Roys had made some specials for him too.

[dropot2]

I thought Aston Martin, Bentley, Mercedes and Rolls Roys had made some specials for him too.

probably it's true but I think the tradition of Ferrari is very different from these signs...all of them have racing cars and luxurious cars to satisfy all their purchasers but Ferrari set up its cars thinking mainly (and probably only) in racing cars (even in the most "luxurious" Ferraris as the 456)
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[S0300182]

They in the money, they probably make millions evey year, emagine bieg enzo ferrari think of the money

[redbaron]

Do these cars have no racing car thinking? Ferrari made lots of specials especially for the Sultan of Brunei. There are lots of racingminded cars among them.
He asked for an Estate for the everyday use, because the boot of the normal 456 GT was too small. So ferrari and Pinifarina made it. So what's your point, you would probably never see it in real!


B.T.W What about the 550 Barchetta? You think tey wouldn't have made that one either?

[dropot2]

dropot....i think you might be giving Ferrari too much credit. Even though it has a racing background, it is still just a business.

Ferrari are money hungry....that's the bottom line...in fact any car company would do it for a price.



Perhaps you're right, probably I'm thinking more with the idea of what means Ferrari for me than in the business...However, I believe that the money hungry of Ferrari won't be solved doing such things. I'm sure Sultan of Brunei gave to Ferrari a lot of money, but nothing compared with the money that gave the "traditional" sales around the world...If you want to make money improve even more your cars and that will increase your gains but don't sell your image for a handful of dolars (even I'm sure it was a big one...)...
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[ravenpaua]

I'm sure that Ferrari is wining lots of money in the F1... because if the F1 shouldn't be a good business, teams like Minardi or Jordan wouldn't be there.

[dropot2]

I'm sure that Ferrari is wining lots of money in the F1... because if the F1 shouldn't be a good business, teams like Minardi or Jordan wouldn't be there.

so I think they don't need to do this kind of cars to get money...but perhaps I'm wrong...
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[dylan99]

Every carbrand does it. They make 399 Enzo's and nobody see them so think about ONE car absolutey nobody will ever see it because for one the customers lives in remoted country and they will keep in their museum or drive them in private racetrack and they will never go out on public roads. Ferrari doesn't want to depend on FIAT, no CEO of a company wants to have poor results they want to flourish in their speciality and to make money but not the degree of selling their soul.

[The359]

Aston martin has had some outside builders make them special versions of their cars in the past, however I don't believe any of them are currently owned by the Sultan of Brunei. Some of their more popular ones were the V8 Virage 3-door Shooting Break, V8 Virage Sedan, and the V8 Vantage 5-door Station Wagon built by Roos Engineering.

[veilsidebr]

Well for Ferrari Corporation is not important the money they earn, yeah, it is also, but it´s more important the people dreaming in to have one, to have this myth, to aprecciate it, than just sell cars like Volkswagen, Fiat.

In this case of sports cars, the number of cars that they sell for year it´s not important. It´s more important how much fans they aquire for year, and, in this case, they´ll sell so much more than with ads on the streets.

:wink:

[RC45]

I think the objective of Ferrari is not getting money, it isn't a factory to earn money. Obviously, he has to get some benefit but its stay depends on the Fiat money. So, should Ferrari sell its image (and damage it) doing this kind of "things" because they are required by very rich people (in this case Sultan of Brunei)? I think they shouldn't...


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Pointless topic really ---

Let's think about this:

Without a positive income, would ferrai stay open forever? Do they have access to a bottomless money pit?

Of course Ferrai as a company is in it for money (shareholders and corporate officers) - without positive cash-flow and profits, they would go bankrupt and close up shop for ever - as MANY car and bike companies have done over the last 110 years.

Do a little reading/research as well - custom body automobiles are nothing new, and have been around since the automobile was invented.

Many times in the 50's and 60's, the only way Ferrari could continue racing (and stay in business) - was from the money made selling customers cars (race, standard and customized).

Ferrari may be part of a large conglomerate today - but they are still (as is Porsche, Audi etc ) obligated to turn a profit - or risk going under - like Bugatti, Cizeta etc...

Building and selling cars, is no different to building and selling widgets - you either sink - or swim.

That's the cycle of business and life. How historically significant or well known you are means squat if you can't make money.

[dropot2]

I think the objective of Ferrari is not getting money, it isn't a factory to earn money. Obviously, he has to get some benefit but its stay depends on the Fiat money. So, should Ferrari sell its image (and damage it) doing this kind of "things" because they are required by very rich people (in this case Sultan of Brunei)? I think they shouldn't...


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Pointless topic really ---

Let's think about this:

Without a positive income, would ferrai stay open forever? Do they have access to a bottomless money pit?

Of course Ferrai as a company is in it for money (shareholders and corporate officers) - without positive cash-flow and profits, they would go bankrupt and close up shop for ever - as MANY car and bike companies have done over the last 110 years.

Do a little reading/research as well - custom body automobiles are nothing new, and have been around since the automobile was invented.

Many times in the 50's and 60's, the only way Ferrari could continue racing (and stay in business) - was from the money made selling customers cars (race, standard and customized).

Ferrari may be part of a large conglomerate today - but they are still (as is Porsche, Audi etc ) obligated to turn a profit - or risk going under - like Bugatti, Cizeta etc...

Building and selling cars, is no different to building and selling widgets - you either sink - or swim.

That's the cycle of business and life. How historically significant or well known you are means squat if you can't make money.

Hard to see the reality in a so clear way... :roll: Thank you for your point of view, I suppose you're right but...well it's hard for me to accept Ferrari can ruin such beautiful machines for big quantity of money. Probably I'm an idealist...but business owned by idealist usually sink...
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[HeilSvenska]

Well, if it is any comfort, you will probably never see them in your life...

and Ferrari made really good cars for the Sultan too.

Like the extremely rare 550 Maranello convertible(s), not the Pinifarina Barchetta, but one(s) with a real working soft top.

[PATo355]

Well, if it is any comfort, you will probably never see them in your life...

and Ferrari made really good cars for the Sultan too.

Like the extremely rare 550 Maranello convertible(s), not the Pinifarina Barchetta, but one(s) with a real working soft top.

The 550 Barcheta top does not work ?

[FerrariFerrari]

I don't really think that it damages their name at all. even Mclaren
builds custom cars for people and it doesn't ruin their name at all.
And their not just selling it to any body for any price, the sultan is
paying a very high price for those cars. Really the only way to ruin
their name is if they started selling a bunch of cheap cars with low
quality, which I don't think there about to do.

Believe you me, Ferrari, as well as many other makes, make a lot
of money off of the Sultan of Brunei. AMG has a whole department
dedicated to building cars for the Sultan, called the "Sultans Room",
if it wasn't profitable they would go to such lengths to facilitate it.

[stradale]

First of all, I think the specially designed cars for the sultan are great cars. As redbaron already pointed out, Ferrari has been doing this for ages (think about the 375 MM for Ingrid Bergman for instance). It only underlines their exclusiveness I think.

Second, yes, Ferrari needs to make money. However, making a profit on them does not rule out building great cars. If you want Ferrari to build cars just for fun you won't be able to enjoy them much longer. You don't want Ferrari going bankrupt or getting sold to GM now, would you?

Third, these one-offs for wealthy owners don't provide a substantial amount of profit for Ferrari, although it does keep some of these customers happy and will ensure orders in the future. But think about the enormous amounts of 360s and 575s being sold, that's where Ferrari makes their profit.

[DMbaseball1604]

yeah I agree, the 360 is the most successful ferrari of all time(in regards to sales), I think there are over 11,000 owners

[oscargarza88]

r u sure ferrari did them?
because maybe he had them custom made for him but from someone els enot drom ferrari, and ewmwmber that with money eveything can happen

[sads]

my question is why the hell would u turn athing of beuty into a bloody WAGON?

[Gnome]

Actually I like the looks of that estate.

I think the thread has drifted of the topic. Of course the company has to earn mony to stay alive. That's not the point here, RC45. Should Ferrari be in it for the mony or be in it for the cars. I think Ferrari have to watch out and not make too ordinary cars just to make more money. A Ferrari have to be to special and have "the Ferrari quality" whatever that is. If Ferrari lose the Ferrari spirit they will lose everything.

That said, I don't think the Sultans cars are in conflict with that. Cars designed by request of a Sultan sure are special. I think it strengthens the Ferrari image. At least it doesn't make Ferrari more normal.

[nejcdolinsek]

I think the objective of Ferrari is not getting money, it isn't a factory to earn money. Obviously, he has to get some benefit but its stay depends on the Fiat money. So, should Ferrari sell its image (and damage it) doing this kind of "things" because they are required by very rich people (in this case Sultan of Brunei)? I think they shouldn't...

I totally agree... I have an enormous amount of respect for Ferrari (and its my favorite car company... who would have noticed :wink: ) but with idiotic adaptations of the 456 and other cars, I find it quite annoying. Ferrari shouldn't do such things. :roll:

[bmwfreak]

i actually thought the estate was done quite tastefully. although i cant really say much for the others. The F50 Bolide looks like something straight out of Midnight Club II.

Well, how would you feel, if you were LDM, approached by a HEAD of STATE, to build a one-off special for him, knowing you;d get sackloads of money, whilst showing, maybe not to the world, but at least to one person, and his family, that your company is CAPABLE of doing something like this? Actually trying to evovle and adapt a design that took years to put together and hone in the first place?

I know, ppl will say,. just becos you can, it doesnt mean you actually have to. Take BMW. Just because they COULD take a completely different design direction, didnt mean thtey had to.

Ferrari, like BMW, are a business. They may have started out as a racing outfit with a burning ambition to conquer the world, but 50 years later, ambition alone wont get you anywhere. They need money, and they need to show ppl that they deserve the money they earn. Sure, 50 years of racing success and heritage should mean you dont have to prove anything to anyone.

But the greatest challenge that Enzo himself would've have thrown at the staff of Ferrari today would probbaly to prove to themseleves that they can do better than what they already have done.

Imagine that, Enzo, pipe in hand, staring at LDM, and saying "Suprise me."

[No.1]

insulting or whatever...the Sultan is a PIMP daddy! LOL

and Ferrari is essentially his byaaatch

Damn right! He is spankin Ferrari ass!

Really though... why shouldn't Ferrari provide a custom service for their most valued customers? They pay a lot of money, but this also creates exclusivity for the owner. These cars are priceless. Don't Bentley do the same with Mulliner (i have seen a bright yellow Continental SC) and Rolls-Royce who made the Sultan a 4x4 based on the Range Rover?

++++Plus how cool woul it be to have five people in your Ferrari Estate (with a boot full of shopping + the dogs)! :lol:

[No.1]

Ps. DROPOT 2 - with regards to the title "Should Ferrari do these exceptions?"

It should be MAKE exceptions, you do not Do an exception, you MAKE it.

Just pointing it out... :wink:

[yellow_rice]

oh for god sake, no....


thats all i have to say..