Rebadging a Ferrari...can I do it?

Here's a question for guys.

I've managed to get hold of what may be the last new "348 Challenge" badge.

The 348 Challenge cars in Europe were actually road going 348TB's that had a "Challenge" pack installed which included a roll cage bar and other modifications. the engine and brakes were standard, although the suspension bushes were stiffer.

Since I've had my 348GTB, I've done numerous modifications to it including:

• Around 40 bhp more than a 348 Challenge
• Revs limited to 8175 (CH limited to 7800)
• Better brakes (6 pot AP racing brake kit)
• Stiffer suspension bushes
• 18" 355 wheels (CH used standard 348 wheels and 355 challenge wheels later)
• Hyperflow cats (CH has standard 348 cats)
• 360 Carbon sports seats
• 360 Challenge steering wheel
• 4 point race harness with 355 Challenge fixings
• Carbon interior bits
• Other stuff I can't remember right now

So the question is.....

seeing as how my 348 is faster, has better brakes, similar equipment levels etc.... can I put the 348 Challenge badge on my car and get away with it?

Remember, the Challenge cars themselves are just re-badged TB's.

 

Or TS's.

 

could you send your girlfriend to get new tits installed like the ones on some other girl you really want to do, then start calling your girlfriend by the other girls name and get away with it?

 

What he said

 

Interesting analogy.

However, my girlfriends tits would in this instance be much better than the original girls as the technology is now better.

Also, by having the tits made bigger there would be no need to change her name as she is a singular person and not a group. Only the group to which she belongs would change.

So my girlfriend would move from the "Average titted women" group to the "Tits are like melons" group.

Same as the 348. Enhancements made, therefore the car can be legitimatly moved from the 348GTB group to the 348 Challange group.

 

Sy----I say do what YOU want to do----I certainly think your car in theory would out perform any 348 CH car out there, just a matter of preference when it comes to badging...

 

I wouldn't do it. Bit like a GT3 badge on a Carrera. That Challenge badge should really go to someone with the actual car who might need it. I know it's impossible to get certain badges (ie Evolution badges for genuine Merc 190 Evo's) due to people buying the badges and rebadging the non-genuine article.

Sorry, you did ask!

 

Reminds me of my neighbour back in the 80's, who put "Ghia" badges on his Ford Capri GL .

Why not call your car the "348 SCC" (Scuderia-Come-Challenge)? But if it makes you feel more respected/important/wealthy/knowledgable, then why not? The average man on the street wouldn't know if it was a TB/GTB/TS/GTS/Challenge anyway, but your mates who you meet up with would, could you live with that?

It's a bit like 360Trev's 360 Modena with the "Challenge Stradale" badge on the back, OK, he's spent well over and above what it would cost to buy an original CS, but it's still a Modena (albeit with the majority of CS add-ons!).

 

Yes... but a Carrera doesn't have the same performance as a GT3.

Perhaps the question should be......what makes a 348 a 348 Challenge?

If I went to a main dealer and had the $14,000 challenge pack put on, would that make my car a 348 Challange?

Like I give a **** what you think.

I'm suprised you aren't banned from ferrarichat yet. Here's hoping.

 

Do as you like, its your Car. I picked up a 348 challenge bad from TRutlands a few weeks ago and am going through the same question, and I have not done what you have done to your car. SO let the flames begin.... Yet am seriously thinking of doing it anyway.

 

I had a 348 that a previous owner changed to look a 355...AND put a 355 F1 badge on the back...(which I took off)...

I agree with the previous poster who said "It's your car ... do what you want."

Mike in Kuwait

 

All this talk about badging I think I might put VW Bug badges on my car. That should confuse people bigtime.

 

What makes a 348 Challenge? In period, people paid to have their cars modified to be able to compete in the privateer series. Therefore, a proper challenge car was modified by Ferrari to compete in this series - in period. I am not aware of any Challenge cars that didn't compete, but maybe they exist.

Not sure why you want to put the badge on, to me it's up to you of course it's your car, just I don't really see the point. You have a gorgeous car, why badge it something that it isn't? It's already a fantastic Ferrari it doesn't need a Challenge badge. It's not as if the Challenge badge actually meant greater performance, it generally didn't, just track focussed as most of the mods were around reliability and safety on the circuit not increased performance. Again, up to you, opinions go both ways and do whatever floats your boat. However, you did ask for opinions and I still wouldn't do it.. LOL

 

Good points.

To be honest, I just like the look of it.

Nothing to do with my car trying to be something else. It's just teh more I see them on 348's the more I like the way they look.

With the amount of mods I've done to my 348 already, one rear badge aint going to hurt.

Not like I put a scuderia stripe on the car is it.




PS. obviously I wasn't refering to Neil in the last part of the reply he quoted.

 

I remember "reverse badging" a VW Golf GTI back in the 80's by removing the GTI badge and fitting a "CL" one! People were always impressed by the way a "1.4" Golf used to go! You could always do the same and fool the public by doing the same..... Why not put on a 360 Modena badge as you know these are far too civilised and un-raw compared to a 348 .

 

What about the muscle car craze, there are clones everywhere and nobody cares as long as the clone isn't sold as the real thing! Your cars not 100% original so I would do what made me happy.

 

Don't put them on yet. Send it to me and I will put it on my car and poll those who see it as to what they think. I'll let you know the result after a sufficient sampling (say, 1 year). If the result is favorable, I will send it back to you. If it is unfavorable, I'll keep it so you will no longer be tempted. Hey, what are friends for?

 

Well, you DID kinda start a thread asking for opinions. If you do so, you're pretty much always going to find someone who has one that brutally diverges from your own.

Me? I say put it on if you think it looks neat. 99.44% of the population isn't going to know what the heck it means anyway.

 

+1!

 

There is history between Derek Trotter ("The troll" as he is known on more than one other forum) and Angelis. Angelis takes constructive criticism from anyone but not this guy

 

I'm thinking of renting the badge out for $200 per year.

As you are a friend I'll give give you a $50 discount

All is not what it seems.

I've encountered Derek Trotter before. He is both a liar and a well known troublemaker, who in the past has harrassed me across various forums and at one point was sending me offensive PM's as well as trying to intimidate me by showing me he knew where I lived.

He's also permanently banned on the biggest UK Ferrari forum and is currently serving a 1 month ban on UK's largest automotive forum.

He's obviously here to cause more trouble.

 

"The Troll"........that hurt!

 

The usual Angelis BS drivel........

 

For those that may be interested in what this troll is really like:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208063&highlight=Sunday+August+31st+Lunch+Meet

 

Thanks for that, my comments made then still stand.... I don't portray myself too badly there do I?

Anyway, I posted my answer to your thread question, I'll leave it as that as I have more important things to do like to go and release an otter out into the wild!