Will Ferrari respond to The Senna and should they?

I am not sure where to post this, but it seems McLaren are staking out a new middle ground between production cars and hyper cars-will Ferrari respond to this?

http://cars.mclaren.com/ultimate-series/mclaren-senna?utm_source=crm&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta_P15&utm_campaign=P15_WinterBall_ROB_961080000

http://www.evo.co.uk/mclaren/20491/mclaren-senna-revealed-mclarens-most-extreme-road-car-yet

 

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There is already a thread about it in the McLaren section of this forum:

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/mclaren-senna.565786/#post-145714332

 

No they won't and why should they anyway? Ferrari has its own product strategy and it's not driven by the product mix of other companies.

 

From what I read, it's part of the "Ultimate series", limited production (to 500) and already sold out.
It's not a threat to Ferrari's business, Ferrari does not need to react directly - they can go on with their market plan, whatever it is.

 

I mean from a price point of view as this is more than a series production or LE car and less than a halo car, in effect a new segment.

Thanks, I will have a look at the McLaren thread.

 

Ferrari will be kicking themselves for not naming the last supercar LaSenna instead of the daft LaFerrari.

 

This is exactly what I always said. With Ferrari being in the situation of having limited production capacity, they should aim for cars with higher margins. The gap between the normal production cars and the hypercar has very much increased in recent years. Result is that a new niche has opened, where the McLaren Senna perfectly fits in.

So it’s not that Ferrari SHOULD RESPOND to the new McLaren offering. It’s more that they should think of how to design the best portfolio possible to support their high margin approach.

 

Even though I understand that your comment was "tongue in cheek", Senna had no history with Ferrari nor is loved by the tifosi. Anyway, as funny as it sounded to me in the beginning, I really like the LaFerrari name now. It is what is says, THE Ferrari!!! The only problem is how do you surpass that when the time comes for the new model?

 

Ferrari won't respond, they'll just introduce their next supercar when they are ready.

I have always wanted them to incorporate a Formula 1 driver with a supercar's name - like a Ferrari Schumacher or a Ferrari Villeneuve...............

 

ferrari could make the rumored "other version of laferrai". i have doubt it'll really happen.

 

I think you could turn around and ask how McLaren responds to the Ferrari V12s, especially the LE cars such as the TDF. I just see it as a different approach.

I am sure the performance will be otherworldly, but I don't care for the aesthetics.

 

It's the price point I am really commenting on which is a different and new market segment, more expensive than an LE or production car but less than a halo car. given the likelihood that the next La Ferrari will be around $2m, would there not be a market for a car with 95% of the performance for half the price? This is where the Senna sits and I think it's very interesting positioning.

 

I think that is a good point. However, I wonder if the successor to the LaFerrari will be at $2m? If I were in Ferrari's shoes, I would be looking at the median price on LaFerraris to help guide my decision. Right now I think that is roughly $3m. So your point would be is there a market for a Ferrari model in the $1-1.5m range. I suspect the planners at Ferrari know better than we do, but since speculation is fun I will guess that there is a space there. What kind of product could Ferrari put in there? It would have to have a clear mission. I will have to really think about this.

 

I would like to through in this article back from 2016. It says Ferrari has collaborated with Altair to design the next generation platform and there is the point, it will be used for “several flagship derivatives”.

That sounds like the future will bring more than one hypercar per decade.

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/ferrari-prepares-next-generation-sport-car-platform-with-altair-design-109877.html

 

Why would they respond? McLaren embarrassed themselves with that thing. No reply necessary.

 

Sorry, meant throw in.

 

I think the only proper response by Ferrari would include knee-slapping and laughter.

But seriously, let McLaren have this new segment.

 

This is not just the Senna. Ferrari has no answer to the Senna, the Vision One, the Valkyrie.

Ferrari was always at the top of performance charts. Now, any of these cars will lap any track a good several seconds faster than any Ferrari.

Not sure how it will matter but I'm guessing young people will grow up not looking at Ferrari the way we did.

 

That's incorrect. Ferrari always followed their own plan and launched their super-hypercars every decade or so irrespectively of what the competitors did. It remains mythical and this will not change.

 

Thinking about it, I would really struggle with a new LF successor, whereas, I could probably see my way to a Senna equivalent.

 

How is that incorrect? Ferrari was always at the top of the performance charts. And only Porsche or Lambo would challenge it. It helped it remain mythical because people wanted the fastest car. Of course that was not the only reason but being the fastest or equally fast as the top 2 was one of the reasons. Within the next year, we will see the Vision One, the Valkyrie, the P15, the Kseggs, all will be much faster than a Laferrari around a track. Sure the Laf is already 4 years old so hopefully Ferrari is working on something that will at least put up a fight against these cars.

Just because Ferrari was and is mythical doesnt mean it will always be so, esp if they start falling down the speed/performance charts. They might still be the best driving experience around (which is debatable today already - a 997 GT3 RS is surely up there with a 458S) but how many people can experience that? Not many. When i grew up, the 288/ TR/F40 were at the top of the chain with the 959/Diablo and it helped solidify the mystique about the brand. If the next generation of Ferrari supercar doesnt keep up with the Merc, Aston, Mclaren etc..why will people who have never experienced a Ferrari care? I can tell from some younger friends that they do not care about Ferraris as much as i did. They like them but are more impressed by Mclarens, 918, Ksegg and Paganis.

 

It's incorrect because between the F40, the F50, the Enzo and the LaFerrari there were many cars that surpassed these Ferraris in terms of performance after they had been launched. It's only logical as you can't stop progress. Ferrari lost none of its mythical status, which is evident by the demand which surpasses supply by far. As you said the LaFerrari is already nearly 5 years old (was launched in March 2013) and the next hypercar is some 5 years away from now. Nothing will change and people will still line up to get one. Formula 1 also plays a major role.
By the way, why wouldn't the new hypercar be at the forefront of performance?

 

I believe the 'mythical status' is slowly eroding. Based on what I see and hear, McLaren and Lamborghini are taking on a new image that gels better with the times. They appear to be more open, forthright, and enthusiast-minded. It feels like Ferrari doesn't care because they don't have to care. It has worked for a long time but unfortunately it won't work forever.

My opinion is coming from the view of a early thirties male who grew up on the west coast of Canada. I grew up with an F50 poster above my bed and multiple Ferrari die-cast model cars on my night stand. My first supercar will be a Ferrari no doubt but I get the feeling that people younger than me will not have the same approach. They will go for the Lambos and McLarens. Firstly, because they are flashy and of the moment. But most importantly, because Lambo,McLaren, ect are way more accessible from an enthusiast perspective. The Ferrari dealer here doesn't do any cool Christmas events other than saying "bring toys to our dealership." The Lambo dealer had a huge event with Santa and food donations and ect. You were able to sit in the Performante and talk to the sales staff. This would be unheard of at Ferrari of Vancouver!

I am a die hard Ferrari fan and will continue to be but I don't think the majority share that same sentiment.

 

According to the auction world, Ferrari is still top dog and is unlikely to be beaten at that. The rest are all playing for second best.

Ferrari don’t need to respond to anything. They set the market and make the segments. Own goals like the Senna are unlikely to change that. Pagani, Ksegg, Glickenhaus - all good, but tiny and in no way a threat to Ferrari.

One day, if the waiting list for McLarens become huge and Ferrari can’t shift units, things might change. But until then, it’s business at usual for Ferrari.