Back From Ferrari Town | FerrariChat

Back From Ferrari Town

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by Oblio, Oct 31, 2004.

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  1. Oblio

    Oblio Karting

    May 9, 2004
    129
    Puget Sound, WA
    Full Name:
    Todd R
    Just got back from Maranello today. We had a terrific 2 weeks in Italy and visited many historic sites including Maranello and the factory. I know many have heard about the factory and seen pictures. But here is my story.

    We started the day by going to the Ferrari Store where I picked up a shirt and a sweater. Nothing that exciting since most of this stuff can be purchased on line from many domestic distributors or the Ferrari Store itself. Next we ate at the famed Cavallino across the street. Finally the tour. It was scheduled for 1 hr 15 min but we stretched it to 2 1/2 hours. Fantastic modern facilities. Lots of new building produced in the past 5 or so years. There were lots of the new 430s running around. My personal opinion is that the new CS sounds the best. One interesting thing that I noticed was how young the workers were. Many were in their 20s. Considering at Boeing we are in out 40s and 50s. We were told that Luca (who is head of the Italian industrial commission) helped put in place a government incentive program that does not require a company to pay for unemployment insurance if a person has not worked for the company more than 18 months. So there is high turnover in many positions.

    We then quickly toured the Ferrari Museum. Some fantastic displays. I especially liked the engine displays.

    After the tour, we went to visit the Schedonis who do the custom leather goods. We toured the factory and had some of their private Balsamic Vinegar. Things that I saw just laying around randomly on shelves were seats from the F1 cars, suede seat covers, a pair of Michael’s shoes, several carbon parts off of F1 cars, special edition leather bound books that will be on sale for $1,500 a copy and the list goes on. We saw some of the products that they are preparing for other customers such as custom luggage for the Audi TT and carbon fiber luggage for Lamborghini. They also have some items to be sold for VW in development. Interesting thing is that the Schedonis did not build the luggage for the Enzo. Ferrari demanded many suppliers to provide product free of charge.

    Next off to dinner at the Montana Restaurant on the other side of the test track. We ate in the private room that MS, RB and the rest of the team eat in when in town. At dinner many stories of Ferrari were discussed. Simone told us about the year that his dad did not deliver his annual Christmas gift of 1916 vintage balsamic vinegar. Enzo was concerned. There was some event the prevented the delivery on Christmas Eve however his dad was able to deliver on Christmas day. Enzo was pleased. The vinegar is one of the traditions he looked forward to every year. Simone told us several other stories about working with the team and Enzo.

    So those are some highlights of my day at Ferrari. Wonderful experience and I plan to do it again some day. I definitely suggest that you go take the tour if you can.

    Also while in Modena we drove past the recently beautified Maserati factory and saw the Scaglietti factory where the chassis are assembled. Quite unassuming. Note that Maserati is roumerd to be for sale and several companies have taken a look including VW.

    The next day Simone took us to a Ferrari engine restoration shop and a Ferrari chassis restoration shop In Modena and we ended with a visit to a friends private collection of 40+ Maseratis on a Parmesan cheese farm.

    While in Italy we saw many other sites such as Pisa, several days in Florence, Venice and Rome. Great trip and glad to be home. Also can't wait for the next trip.

    Now I must go get the Ferrari started and go to get some gelato.

    Ciao

    Todd R
     
  2. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2001
    3,928
    Redmond, WA
    Full Name:
    Willis H
    Todd,

    Any photos you care to share?
     
  3. Oblio

    Oblio Karting

    May 9, 2004
    129
    Puget Sound, WA
    Full Name:
    Todd R
    I hope to post some photos soon. Some photos are not available until after Thanksgiving since they are in another camera in europe.
     
  4. Sophia

    Sophia Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2003
    298
    Dash Point/Federal W
    Full Name:
    Peter Barbin
    My wife and I also returned about a week ago from our 14 day stint in Italy. Our factory tour was on the 8th of October, 10am. I need to size some photos for posting and I'll have 'em up. Yup, 430's blasting around town, the black camo.ed 575 replacement mule was out and about too. My wife loves the 612!
     
  5. Sophia

    Sophia Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2003
    298
    Dash Point/Federal W
    Full Name:
    Peter Barbin
    #5 Sophia, Nov 4, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Let's hope that camera finds its way home safely!...Here's some pre-thanksgiving photos for the locals in descending order:
    Train station Milano, Sights around Maranello, A 430 I couldn't capture fast enough!,Factory entrance and workers on a lunch break, Inside the V-8 part of the museum, Adding a new exhibit for the museum, Lift just outside the museum lobby to load the upper gallery, F1 lower gallery.
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  6. ToddB

    ToddB Formula 3

    Nov 4, 2003
    2,241
    Vancouver B.C./OC
    Full Name:
    Todd
    nice pics!
     
  7. StoryBook

    StoryBook F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Mar 1, 2003
    4,304
    PNW
    Full Name:
    MPL
    Awesome images Peter............my favorite is the one of all the Ferrari workers........looks like taking a coffee of smoking break...........and they're all in RED!

    Hey, thats you talking to one.........wheres your red?
     
  8. Sophia

    Sophia Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2003
    298
    Dash Point/Federal W
    Full Name:
    Peter Barbin
    #8 Sophia, Nov 4, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Well now that I've hijacked Oblio's thread, (hurry up and post your pics ToddR!) I'll add some to this touring experience.

    We flew into Milano on the all-nighter from Boston on Alitalia, bussed to the the central train station, then caught the intercity train getting off in Modena. Two city busses later we dragged our rolling bags to our hotel located on Piazza de Liberta in Maranello. From the "Hotel Domus" we were able to get around to all the Ferrari attractions by foot.

    14 solid days in Italy, not one car rental. After 2 days in Ferrari mecca, we bussed back to Modena and trained around the country for the remaining 12 days. Next was Venezia (staying in a cool town to the north, Treviso), Firenze, Roma (staying outside in the sea-side town of Villa Claudia near Anzio), then a final 2 nights in Milano.

    Funny, during the entire trip (OUTSIDE Maranello) we only saw 1 355TB and 1 Maserati coupe...and the weather was good. They're in the pics below. Note the tail-lamp arrangement on the Maserati!

    Coming home and being home has taken some adjustment...it was a wonderful experience which my wife Lauren and I wish to do again soon:)

    Here's a few more pics to share:

    Treviso just north of Venezia-355, I dig these little cars, Eurostar train...we rode it for three segments Venezia-Firenze, Firenze-Roma, Roma-Milano...300km/hr!, Train's designer!, Fellow F-chatter (Greg Owens, Florida) we met on the bus to Maranello...we linked up throughout Italy...the two of us in red-Firenze, Venice has sunk about 48" in the last 500 years, My F-car supporter who digs the 612 in silver with "Sabia" leather, a great way we stayed fed!
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  9. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

    Dec 20, 2003
    11,148
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Chris
    Awesome pics. Looks like you had fun (who wouldn't?)



    Also, any one else see an F430 Stradale here?
     
  10. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    Peter,
    GREAT photos!!! :)
     
  11. Oblio

    Oblio Karting

    May 9, 2004
    129
    Puget Sound, WA
    Full Name:
    Todd R
    Those are better photos than I have. (I guess I need to go back and get some more.) I will post some this week end. Been busy catching up on work doing 16 hr days.

    Like the Maranello pictures. I'm still jazzed about my experience and can't wait until my next trip in a few years.

    Those pictures are great of the train station. We took the same type of train from Rome to Venice.

    Thanks for posting your pictures.
     
  12. Oblio

    Oblio Karting

    May 9, 2004
    129
    Puget Sound, WA
    Full Name:
    Todd R
    #12 Oblio, Nov 8, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    So finally here is a picture from in the Cavallino resteraunt. Still working on getting some of the others down to size so I can show them.
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  13. Oblio

    Oblio Karting

    May 9, 2004
    129
    Puget Sound, WA
    Full Name:
    Todd R
    #13 Oblio, Nov 8, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  14. Sophia

    Sophia Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2003
    298
    Dash Point/Federal W
    Full Name:
    Peter Barbin
    When I get back to Maranello, I hope to find this garage Greg stumbled into...it was not associated with the factory and he did indeed get a tour of tours.

    Greg, please elaborate on your find here!

    It looks like my return will be about 2 years from now, late Sept.to early Oct. 2006. Next year I will be under the knife and saw in October getting upper and lower jaw surgery. So there will be time to plan...perhaps a group of us could meet in Maranello & Modena. Our gals can hang out in Modena and take cooking classes for a few days and buy balsamic vinegar:)

    PeterB.
     
  15. Owens84QV

    Owens84QV F1 Rookie

    Oct 2, 2001
    4,485
    Somewhere in NC
    Full Name:
    Greg
    Peter,

    While Michelle was taking a nap, I went out for a walk...a 3-hour walk. About one-block away from Hotel Planet is the unassuming white-block building. No big signs, nothing that would hint at the mega-dollar auto's inside.

    I'll post some more pics...

    I'm walking down this street and the same older gentleman that showed Michelle and I to our hotel saw me and motioned me over. We walked over to this building and took me inside to talk to his friend, a Ferrari F1 racing mechanic from the 60's & 70's. He spoke broken english, but enough to where we could speak. He showed me some of the cars in the shop and gave me the green-light to be walk around.

    He said if you know where to look, there are 5-6 places in Maranello that have shops just like his.

    I'm up for a trip to Maranello. I'd love to tour the factory again...I wonder what the time limit for tours is?
     
  16. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,505
    Cape Canaveral/Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Walt P
    Greg and Peter, how did you arrange the factory tour, through FNA? I recently talked to the people at F of Atlanta and they basically said that there was no way to get a tour because my car is too old. Thanks in advance.
     
  17. Oblio

    Oblio Karting

    May 9, 2004
    129
    Puget Sound, WA
    Full Name:
    Todd R
    I talked to my dealership, Ferrari of Seattle, and provided them information on my car, when I was scheduled to be in Modena, and how many guests. The dealership then contacted FNA and I recieved confirmation about a month after my request via FEDEX delivered letter. I have not heard of any age limit on the car ownership. I'll look up the FNA contact tonight and provide that to you so you can contact FNA directly.
     
  18. glorified_bug

    glorified_bug Rookie
    BANNED

    Sep 27, 2004
    5
    Stuttgart
    Full Name:
    Mr. Porsche
    great story! i love to hear about all these stories how everyone goes to italy and visits the ferrari joint. i am a bit confused though. when i went got my 997 from the factory, i went to italy and tried to race all the ferraris i could find. i am that confident that my 997 will eat a 360 and a c6 vette in a flash. anyhow, i went to montana restaurant as well and there is no private room there, is there? i noted a room in the back that was maybe ten feet from the normal part of the dining area. did you get special treatment because you own a 308? if so can i go buy a 308 and get the same treatment and maybe get to meet shumy? you must be also on the inside thread with maserati to know that they might be getting sold to vw. next time they have a board meeting, can you invite all of us so we can get all the juicy details in person? if vw buys maserati, they are sure to buy it just to shut it down since they afterall do make a far superior car (that being porsche). tootles!
     
  19. Rosso360

    Rosso360 Karting

    Jun 3, 2004
    56
    Three things.

    1.) That room in the back...at Montana's is just another part of the joint. I dinned in the back so it cant be private...Unless they bought in that I was Denzel Washington. (Maybe they did)

    2.) The 997 is an amazing car...I am shocked that no one is talking about it except the BUG. Its a hair slower than a GT3, and its faster than a C6 AND a 360...its damn near Stradale fast. 328s 355s and older need not apply....they would all be very very small dots.


    3.) Its nice to see someone talk about the cars...and not Dating or the lights of Qwest Stadium.


    Peace out!
     
  20. jknight

    jknight F1 Veteran

    Oct 30, 2004
    7,821
    Central Texas
    WaltP and others -

    We may have seen some of you that were in Maranello during that time frame of October 8th. John and I were at the Domus on October 10 & 11, Hotel Planet on October 12 and back at the Domus on the 13th. We took part in the Ferrari Factory Tour that started with a cocktail reception at the Planet, dinner at Montana, night factory tour, tour and drive on the test track then the stay at the Planet. We got lucky and got the top floor suite with the balcony overlooking everything. Next day was breakfast at the factory and a very intensive tour, lunch at Il Cavallino, tour thru part of the racing division -primarily the F1 cars available for the cliente corsa and museum tour. We were the only ones from the US on that tour and it was well worth the cost of 624,00 EUR for both of us. This tour is on the Owner Site and they have been doing them for approximately a year - next one is the end of this week!

    We are on the sked for the 1.5 hour owner tour for one of the days prior to the San Marino GP this coming year. This particular tour was arranged thru our dealer - Ferrari of Houston. That should be fun too. We had been in Maranello this past April for the San Marino GP and decided that any time we went back we would avoid Milan and go into Bologna - much closer. We wandered to San Marino and found another "must" if you are a Ferrari fan - that being the Maranello Rosso Museum on the left hand side of the road before you actually reach the gates for the Republic of San Marino. It has some absolutely stunning cars and the upstairs is a wealth of history of the man and his cars. They have a website - www.maranellorosso.com

    Suggestion - definitely rent a car (we like to experience cars we can't rent here - namely the Alfa 166 - that was some kind of nice!) - go to San Marino and drive to the top and walk the castle interior - bunches of shops and we found some very nice model car shops; go to Imola to see where the GP is held, the day we stopped there, a group of 360's were running on the track so we watched them for awhile and went back to where we sat in April and decided to change our seats for '05 (assuming the FIA gives the final okay on December 10 to the F1 calendar).

    When you folks stayed at the Domus, did you go over to the Maranello Cafe just across the parking lot in front of the hotel?? We got hooked on that place and went there late each evening for expresso.

    Sounds like you enjoyed your visit as much as we enjoyed ours.

    Carol
     
  21. stokpro

    stokpro F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jun 25, 2003
    4,383
    Himalayas
    Seriously, I thought this was Ferrarichat and not datingchat or colorofthelightsatqwestfieldchat. Oh yeh, and by the way those 997's are soweeeeeeeeeeeeeet. dooooo doooo dooo
     
  22. macassini

    macassini Rookie

    Mar 14, 2004
    27
    Seattle Metro Area
    Full Name:
    M. Cassini
    There are some very small dots out there, indeed! Dave Handa's 355 is an exception to the small dot though.... it's not what you know... it is "who" you know. Dave knows lots of people and lots of people know him.

    The 997 is an awesome car! Then again, I am the one with darth vador (a code name of which only some of you know what I am really talking about)!

    Ferrari's are great... they just need more power (low end preferred too)!
     
  23. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

    Feb 16, 2003
    14,648
    Land of Slugs & Moss
    Full Name:
    Han Solo
    Oh puuuleeezzzeeee!
    It's not like anyone ever goes "Off Topic" on Ferrarichat.

    I'll be sure to post any "non-automotive" topics in "Off topic-other off topic" on "www.Offtopic.com" in the future.

    I "live" cars. It's nice to create a balance once in a while.

    DJ
     
  24. glorified_bug

    glorified_bug Rookie
    BANNED

    Sep 27, 2004
    5
    Stuttgart
    Full Name:
    Mr. Porsche
    as a proud porsche owner and as someone who just happens to own a ferrari as well.... take your fiat 308 and your loser dating stories and post them on fu*kedfiat.com. i mean, do you think you are some kind of g*d just because you own a ferrari? do you think that you have a pus*y magnet just because you own a ferrari? if these were the cases, we would all buy $20K 308's and get laid all day long instead of buying the new stuff at $275K. get it? please go get a life. get a real car. if you are that concerned about getting laid using your car as bait, go get some car that is both newer, more reliable, and FASTER! most girls like fast cars, even if they do not fully admit it. or maybe you have to compensate a small pecker with your oh so cool 20+ year old 308.

    fiat loser!
     

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