Ferrari's expansion was based on Audi - my .02 Audi needs to take Lambo to the next level - start racing and add a few models. Even Porsche tries new models - I see those Pan's everywhere lately. I would have fallen down if the dealer called and I was able to spec a 599 GTO but the more posts exchanged in these threads the less I am starting to care and looking at Scud's and Strad's - patience is a virtue but so is my right foot.
Completely understand. Recently bought an 09 Scud. Really enjoy the car. Got a good price have already put 1000 miles on it in one month and am tracking it for the third time in two weeks. Dry weight 2750/curb2950 and 510 horse which gets you to 60mph in 3.5 sec. With a top speed of 199mph. Its loud and will get you where you want to go in a hurry.
champagne 612: you sound like a level headed guy. dont get suckered in by 'limited'. nothing's limited. get a scud. or a 'lightly' used 599. and enjoy it. the GTO is non-sense. they'll be sitting at dealers lots in abundance next year. just like every other car.
We recently bought a new Scud for our platform for P 4/5 Competizione way under msrp. from an authorised dealer. I've driven her a bit and like her a lot. My only thoughts are radio/gps is crap and exhaust is too quiet. As for a 599 GTO if you really want one try another dealer. They're selling but some dealers are having to dig very deep. Personally I like mid engined cars better and especially as you have a 612 you might want to think about a Scud or a 458. If you like spyders there are a number of 16M's for sale as well. Cheers
Got to agree on the radio gear/gps. What a piece of junk. As to the sound I guess its all relative. Compared to a P4/5 it probably sounds like a prius . But coming from a 599 I found it loud enough to shake the spare change out of my pockets. By the way, Continental currently has a tdf 16M for sale with 750 miles. But the price may need some adjustment.
I was told that the only dealer available for my region was Chicago. Then again it was the dealer who told me that, as he stated to make it more legit if they would register my request. The Scud is the winner of the bunch, it offers every single aggressive feature I would ever want. The 458 may be the newest toy of the bunch but I spec'd it at 317 and it was still plain Jane to a Scud. Appreciate your help - and calling Plano tomorrow.
I was comparing it to my 8C which has the best exhaust I've experienced especially downshifts which sound like a WRC. Sound plays a bit part in how fast something feels. P 4/5 has a great exhaust note especially with the cockpit switch set to "Loud Mode" but when my Wife rides with me listening to her ipod I set it to "Quiet" and marital harmony continues.
Absolutely true (or as a well-known fchat rock star has been known to say, "dat is tru" Interesting. In HK the dealer sold full allocation in 1.5 days and has a waiting list. 599GTO has not suffered one bit from the bad after taste of the 16M. 25 16M's came to a small market like HK and many are for sale with no takers. It looks to me that the 599GTO will have a real following in HK. I admire the passion of the buyers as a very young used HGTE would be well less than half the price
I was seriously considering upgrading my 07. Unfortunately my s/n would only except the handling package. Made the decision to hold on until a slightly used HGTE became available at the right price. Thats when I started to her noises about a possible 599 GTO.... Just when I thought I was out........they pulled me back in.
Those are quite possibly two of the least believable and most uninformed statements I've seen on this board in a long time--"nothing is limited" and "they'll be sitting in dealer's lots in abundance next year". Nothing is limited? I don't know--how many 288 are there? How many Stradales are there? How many Enzo's are there? I'm sure Ferrari made way more than are listed in most authoritive compilations...its surely a shame we've not been able to find all these extras that were made secretively by the factory... As for open slots and uninterested customers...Not at my dealer. Not at the one's I know personally. In fact, I met at least 40 customers at the world premier, more at Atelier. Not one I talked with wasn't planning to buy the car. As noted earlier in the thread, you can't find a slot in Asia...at least unless you know someone at the dealer very well. So, where exactly will the abundance of cars come from...imports from Africa, Europe or the UK--or just customers that decide after order to not pick up the car at the dealer...
Unfortunately it is not "THE" 16M. THE 16M had a cuoio interior to go with it's TdF exterior! Tech fabric dark color inserts on the seats as I recall to. As for the price that car would be 50k more in Canada so it is all relative to where you are. CH
Carbon can point you to the Enzo's and there are more than 400. Take F40's for example, Ferrari stick to the number they promised to limit production to? Perhaps Joe will comment. F 50's? How many 99999 chassis plated F 50's are there? Think if you made as a condition of purchase, that the entire run of 599 GTO's will be limited to 499 that they'll agree to that in writing? No question the 599 GTO has buyers. No question it will be a great GT car. No question within a few weeks of hitting the US there will be some for sale at ?$ over msrp. If I were Ferrari I'd build as many 599 GTO's as I could sell. Why not? They have the parts and the productive capacity. I'm not sure I understand laying off hundreds of workers instead of building to demand. The good things stay the same...
Lets all make this one of those threads where knowledge and honest opinions are accepted vs below the belt comments. A 599 GTO may be or may not be one of the best, it only matters to the peole writing the check. There will always be a better Ferrari, but a GTO will be a Trophy of any collection. Ferrari does not have a crystal ball and times are a changin!
Didn't the laying off of workers come as a result of Ferrari not consigning a cross-town rival to the scrap heap? Instead they used economics of scale to get Maserati work (paint and motors for example) for their own employees. They also got a platform on which to launch a new Ferrari model that didn't conflict much with their current product mix. The problem always is that if you don't have new products to encourage the customer to 'trade-up' then demand goes stale and the wheels grind to a halt. While building more and more cars is one side of the coin on the other side you need the support in place for timely after sale service. I don't think the worker problems can be hung on a lack of Ferrari sales. CH
Ferrari sales numbers like 11,000 or 20,000 units a year are pie in the sky numbers that are not realistically supportable. CH
They should build a GTO for every customer that wants one That way I can pick one up next year for less and relieve myself of the drama. Different Note - thinking outside the box Since you have a P4/5 and Apple is launching the Iphone G4 - sponsor thought!
Since the new P4/5 will be shrunk from the original dimensions how about 'AVODART' as a sponsor to? CH
No. They are blaming Maser but they didn't double productive capacity to build Maser's. They doubled productive capacity to build their version of a Maser the Calif. and they will not likely be selling 6K California's in the foreseeable future. Their statement blaming slow Maser engine sales doesn't impress me especially as Maser YOY is way up in the US compared to Ferrari which is about flat YOY.
Flat Ferrari sales seem to be by choice and artificially limited. Remember a few years ago when all the dealers were moaning about allocations being cut back? CH
Which was fine before they doubled the line. Doubling the line makes no sense unless you want to increase sales and they can now make 12K cars per year but will only be selling the same 6K as last year.
