Ferraris still harassed by police in Italy?

My wife and I are visiting the factory in Maranello later this month. When I had visited in 2010 with my son, we rented a 430 spider to drive the Futa Pass to Firenze. It was a highlight of the trip and one that my son recalls as fondly as our too brief time in Maranello

This time I am considering the same, but recall the targeting of higher end cars by the police for tax collection purposes in various news articles last year. Is this something to be concerned about? I have no local tax exposure but really have no interest in being pulled over at random and interrogated because of the car I am driving?

Would love to hear some local enthusiasts' perspectives. Thanks.

 

You're more likely to be shot by a cop in California then interrogated by one in Italy.

 

I guess SlowV8 doesn't drive in Italy.

I get stopped about once a month or every 6 weeks driving my 360 in the north part of Italy. I have been stopped twice in an hour, but that's unusual. About half the time it's the regular Carabiniere (normal highway cops) and the other half it's the Guardia di Finanza (money cops). Since I'm a resident of Italy, even though I'm an American, I get the third degree about why I'm driving a Ferrari yet I have no job. The stop takes about 45 minutes and involves plenty of paper work, computer typing, and telephone calls.

I suspect you will be let go and not put through the wringer if you just show a foreign passport and drivers license.

But you can also expect to be stopped by the Carabiniere since they regularly stop cars to check for insurance, drivers licenses, etc. That usually takes only a few minutes.

I also get stopped driving my Fiat, my Ducati, and my Suzuki, but only by the Carabiniere, not the Financial Police.

By the way, these officers are invariably polite and very professional. Don't be put off by the second officer standing a few meters away with his finger on the trigger of his machine gun. They don't point it directly at you or your car................... as long as you keep smiling.

Make sure all your documents are in order. I have never had one ask for my safety vest, reflective triangle, etc. but I suppose they could. So be sure to have all the proper equipment too.

 

Unless they catch you breaking the rules in some way, I don't think you will get into any kind of annoyance, being a foreigner on a rental car. They'll just check your license and your rental contract. There is a possibility they won't even stop you, since I suspect the cops round Maranello might recognize rental Ferraris by their plates.

FWIW, I might have been lucky or something, but I've never been stopped and questioned. When I've been stopped, it was because the officer wanted to have a look at the car. Once I spent about half a hour showing a Carabiniere round the car, popping the hood, and explaining him everything about it. Made his day.

P.S. Mozella, will you be at the Ferrari meet in Mirabello Monferrato on Sept. 15th?

 

This is the first I've heard of it. When I use Google, I get a web site which hasn't been updated since 2011, as far as I can tell. I figured the club was dead.

In fact, when I search for Ferrari meets I find all sorts of history, but it appears that nearly all but the high-profile events (like the Ferrari Tribute to the M.M.) are no longer being held, perhaps because of the well publicized raids by the Financial Police.

Where can I find information about this meeting or any other Ferrari get together in northern Italy?

 

The Mirabello Monferrato club is alive; it's just that they are in a very small town, most of the members are local to the area, and that they're not very technologically inclined. They do have a facebook group. I've sent you the link via PM, along with the program for the Sept. meet.

Not sure about other events, but the Ferrari Tribute to Mille Miglia has been normally held in 2013: FerrariTribute

 

Many thanks for the local expertise.