Countdown to FF facelift reveal?

You would think they deeply understand this better than anyone, but I do worry with new leadership and an IPO.

 

A few hints.....
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That looks amazing.. good gawd, I hope they don't make me buy a new one.. but they probably will.

 

So your received your invitation? Any verbiage included?

I am still waiting, but the closer it gets the less likely I'm going to go :-(

 

Ferrari FF facelift teased in investor presentation
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Thx for the post

Well it definitely looks a lot more different
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That's pretty sexy.

 

I can send my office errand boy and order a Speciale today and as long as he has a cheque in his hand he will get one. TDF is already sold out so I can't get one of those.

1) The guy named VaderINC will NOT get your allocation because you are not in the same market. I said that this is how the Middle East market works. Nothing to do with your dealer.

2) I am sorry you have to kiss your dealer's ass to get the car you like

3) However if you think that everyone who got a TDF had to: (i) spend time at functions and events (ii) went on to Dealer-run trips (iii) be a loyal enthusiast, then you are a bit naive. Yes a large number of owners meet your criteria above but there are a lot of owners who just have a big cheque book or they know a guy who knows a guy at the dealership. That's why you also see a lot of brand new "special" cars that were only supposed to go to "loyal enthusiasts" being flipped on the secondary market the moment they are delivered.

Dealers sell to other dealers, to people that pay them a lot of cash and are most certainly NOT loyal enthusiasts just because money talks. A big percentage of these cars ends up to the type of people that Ferrari and it's dealers always say they never sell to ...

I know of at least 3-4 LaFerraris here in Dubai that were flipped the moment they got delivered, some are still available for sale right now with zero miles. If that happens with a super limited hypercar then it sure as hell happens with every other car Ferrari makes.

 

I would contend that your errand boy can do that because he is representing you, their well-known friend.
I find it hard to believe that you wouldn't be upset with your dealer, with whom you have an established relationship, if he sold the last tdf to a complete stranger who offered him more money than you. I suspect you would be quite irritated, understandably, as would we all.
It's not about "kissing the dealer's butt." It is about being an enthusiast, enjoying part of the "Ferrari lifestyle" purchasing cars and demonstrating that you are an all around "valued long term client."
Recall...the dealer can't charge over MSRP for their new allocations...so quite understandably they will allocate their precious cars to people they "prefer."
The rub is in how one defines that "prefer" word, and I suspect there is quite a bit of "gamesmanship" in that interpretation....I have been accused of being overly cynical numerous times, but never naive.
I see this as a simple and rationale business model, and one that I embrace as such.

 

Thanks Traveller for posting pic. So, chrome strakes!? WT- ?? They're trying to turn it into a Bentley... or a Merc.

Looks like the same heavy-handed, overwrought, baroque detailing applied to the California (especially, but also the 488) since FerrariDesign took over. The front engined GT cars seem to be bearing the brunt of the offensive.

Without even seeing the whole car, I miss the clean originality of Pininfarina already

 

I don't think it's chrome, but merely a reflection of the light on the grey paint.

 

let's summarize

Revised roofline
4 rear tail lights, of the 488 style lights
active aero (likely flaps like Speciale, front moveable flaps)
front splitter more like F12
revised upper nose with next gen lights (LED's I hope)
rear roofline spoiler
enhanced chassis software and 4RM
rear wheel steering
completely redesigned interior (I have zero idea what this will be)
enhanced infotainment (which, while people complain about it, it less important to us)
upgraded power
? new gearbox, or 8-sp DCT? or multi-speed 4RM?
wider/pronounced rear haunches

from the preview pics, I would not get too worried about the chrome (chrome grill is optional on current car). I'm trying to imagine the post-Pininfarina design influence

Sign us up! (though we just got our latest FF about 8 months ago, the timing may be right)

As for the event, we received the invite, unfortunately it's logistically impossible for us to attend - too much going on before and wife/one daughter need to be in FL that Tuesday morning. Tough to pull off a winter trip to Lake Como for a weekend, stay in Milan, drive to Como/back, etc.... so we'll have to be patient

 

Many criticise Ferrari for moving on from Pininfarina. I get that, and I too fear PF's absence. But did Ferrari have a choice? PF is now owned by Mahindra. Hasn't the PF we admire gone for good anyway?

Regarding Brian's point about the tdf, time will tell. I remember lofty opinion formers slamming the 550 Maranello by comparing it to a Toyota Supra when the 550 first appeared. Even those being kind said it was bland. Now it's positively beautiful.

 

Good point. Didn't consider that the chrome bits could be the grille - my bad.

 

Hilarious

 

I'm not criticizing, but more "wondering"....the separation from Pininfarina was inevitable. What I sort of fear is an accidental repeat of the Chris Bangle influence on BMW design, though BMW itself was shifting into more mainstream volume cars concurrently.

As for comparisons....I had and F12 and getting a tdf....even I can see some common themes with a Corvette (particularly the C7 GTLM), but both cars are low, long hooded, rear hatch. The tdf is very distinctive to me. The FF reminded me of a grown up BMW M Coupe, if only as they are shooting brake with emphasized fenders.

There is a lot of commonality in macro design elements, it's the details that really make the car different. (had not thought about Supra and 550, but you're right). The more cars are sculpted in a wind tunnel (where the laws of physics are the same for everyone), the more clever designers are going to need to be to create/preserve identity.

 

Ferrari is pretty much following what it said in it's IPO, the cars are one of its revenue streams. They have been consistent in saying they will increase car production to around 9,000 by 2019. Marchiones also keeps repeating that they want to manage demand and I guess keep markets hungry for their product. They are pushing more cars to the Middle East and Asia. They believe by managing demand, it will add to their luxury cachet and also keep resale values high.

Cars are but part of their challenge, if they are to be perceived as a luxury brand, they will also have to up their merchandising which, is lacklustre at best but is one of the revenue streams they want to grow. To be measured against the likes of Hermes etc. they will have to up their game in many areas. They have started this process with Atelier and Tailor Made but they have a long way to go and I'm sure their staff hiring process will include skill sets that take them to their goal.

The IPO worried a lot of people but essentially they needed the cash to pay down debt. In doing so the Agnelli heirs basically retained full control of the company, so I don't think their objectives for the brand have changed at all and they are still in control.

 

Hmm...

I think I read somewhere that they produced 6 V12s and 18 V8s per workday. Now in some sort of statement (read the 7900 production thread in this sub-forum) the V12s have taken a 24% hit in production. That would be say 4-5 V12s per workday.

So if we assume (and that is a bad thing, assumption is the mother of f*ckups) 46 workweeks, and 5 days a week, might be a bit high, but anyway: 46*5 = 230 workdays (I think that number is a bit high, but for this experiment it does not matter much). And then 230 workdays * 4,5 V12s per workday = 1035 V12s. Divide that between FF and F12/F12tdf - and we might say that there is only about 3-400 of the V12s that goes into the FF. Now with such a limited (!?) production number for the FF, how can that become a problem?

The only reason FF was produced in high numbers when it was new (2011), might have been due to that the F12 was not in production (nor was 599?) so there was only V12s for the FF?

Anyway, what I am trying to write home about ;-) is that there are to low numbers of FF produced, so in a way, a tdf limited production is about 2-3 years FF production.

So in reality, FF is a very limited car when it comes to how many really are produced. No matter if it is or not face lifted.

Therefor lifting production numbers from 7900 to 9000 will not affect the V12s at all - the volume models are California T and 488 - the V8s.

 

Agreed, however I heard that the increase of cars will not come at the expense of current models but an additional one - V6? Anyhow the 488 wait-list in Toronto is now 2 years so Ferrari product is still very much in high demand

 

You said very well what I am thinking. And Bangle worked for FIAT! But- while I really criticized everything he did at the time, looking back, I think BMW was better off because of Chris Bangle. If I could time warp to 10-12 years ago, the me of then would say "WHAT!!!!!!" But its true. I think without his pushing BMW's design language to different places, they might not have had the sales success they have enjoyed....

While PF today is owned by an Indian firm, I'm sure there was a moment in time that Ferrari could have bought them out. I'm not sure why they did not buy out PF.

I think this was a mistake. Not for the typical styling arguments. I think styling is going to continue to evolve as they feel it must. Some will love it, some will hate it.

I think it was a mistake to not retain PF inside Ferrari or FCA somehow is so many Ferraris are designed by PF. That PF badge is part of the heritage. Name me one other auto manufacturer still operating today that features the name of a legendary design house on their vehicles. It was something that further distinguished Ferrari.

Maybe the PF we love was gone, but, I say there is some brand value to having that label still associated with Ferrari. And now that is no longer possible.

Perhaps I am making too much of this. Enthusiasts typically bemoan changes. I think likely they will still sell all the 488s (etc) they want to. I just worry that one day, maybe its 10 years from now, Ferrari won't be as special because of..... fill in your favorite arguments here.... and one of those arguments will be no more Disegno di Pininfarina... I think you usually want to play to your strengths and one of those for Ferrari was the association with PF.

As a fun aside, I found this article online:

Disegno di Pininfarina - Dupress

Anyway, I think the new FF details are encouraging and I hope its a home run for Ferrari. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

 

That picture makes me wonder how close it's going to look to this rendering...apart from the gullwing door, obviously.
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Can't wait to sit in a finished car rather than back from a clay plug. Hope to see some of you at Como

 

Good post. +1

Other points of interest maybe that some customers who may of gone for a v12 variant of the brand have been watching a phenomenal growth in the brand selling at ridiculous numbers over list on limited v8s and knowing the end of an era regarding the infamous soundtrack produced by the v8 which is no more, which in all reality has probably driven up sales of the v8 the difference in the fall of the v12.

 

I know Mahindra people quite well. I think their approach will be similar to Tata with JLR, that is to say they will invest but not disturb Pinin operations. They also own a Korean 4x4 company called SsangYong and have done similar. I wouldn't worry about it.

As for the TDF, I'm afraid to my eyes it's beyond wonderful. I think they did a stunning job on that car and if I would have been offered one I would have signed the line in a heartbeat. They clearly met the design brief; to muscle the car up, but with references to past 'great' V12s such as the 250 GTO with the fuel cap and the triple vents (which also allow tyre smoke through, looking impossibly great to this petrolhead anyway). Plus they turned an average front end into a masterpiece. The frontal work is very different to recent efforts and redolent of those 60's cars that the legend of Ferrari was so enhanced by. And the car didn't stop at aesthetics, they made a genuinely different (and challenging to drive) car with first for Ferrari technologies. Plus the very significant weight savings. A classic for sure.

 

Good insight, thanks. China is way down, I wonder if they saw that coming.