Cavallino magazine

I already have the covers. They're attached to the magazines!

With the price increase, I was given the option (by Chaters through whom I subscribe) to cancel my subscription. After perusing issues 250 and 251 that is what I did. They told me quite a few people had done the same. Basically the magazine might have more pages but the amount of interesting (to me) content has remained the same whilst the price has gone up hugely. I guess they need to sell fewer copies to make a profit at the higher price, so maybe it will be successful but it isn't immediately obvious how they will attract new readers. In the past, they periodically published their print numbers. I wonder if they will do that again. If so, it would be an interesting comparison.

 

The best days of Cavallino magazine are behind them. Too bad . . .

 

On the plus side I dont feel obligated to store them anymore...Malcolm

 

It appears that an editing note slipped into publication of #252. Directly quoting from page 60, emphasis mine:

“That makes a total of 38 Ferrari 250 and 330 GTOs. [delete the following words through to the next blue bracket-although 3673 SA only wore its original GTO berlinetta body briefly because it was damaged in a road testing accident when new. It was rebuilt with a slightly elongated shorter wheelbase (SWB) berlinetta style body, although it has a Series 1 GTO body now.] All 38 cars exist today…….” it continues….

 

252 is full of errors and incorrect chassis numbers, a tragedy.
On page 23 of issue 252 they publish my correction re issue 251 and 250 MM chassis number 0254 MM. But then, in the SAME issue 252, 17 pages later, on pages 40 and 43, they make the SAME mistake again, with the same car, describing 0254 MM once again incorrectly as 0298 MM, two totally different 250 MM PF Berlinettas. 0298 MM did not participate in the 2022 Modena Cento Ore Classic (organised by Canossa.....), it was 0254 MM (of a different owner). This really leaves me speechless. Zero quality control, proofreading, checking and understanding.
On page 49 of issue 252 is a partial list of Ferraris at the 2022 Cavalcade Classiche, an event organised by Canossa (same as Cavallino magazine) in the Dolomites, listing entrant #75 as a 550 Barchetta with serial number #124287. That in fact was serial number #124358. See photos below. They don't seem to know which cars are in their own events. Or just don't care.
I could go on for much more incorrect information, it's almost endless. It's so sad to see the quality of this magazine going south so fast.

Marcel Massini


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I guess they think they’re adding to the historic context of the cars, which they should do, but by the gross inaccuracies they’re doing the exact opposite. They should just stop doing it if they can’t make the effort to get it right.

I’ll give them this: In their entry list of Ferraris at Goodwood Revival they identified the replicas, recreations, etc. The problem is that their credibility is so compromised that the reader can’t really have confidence in any of the information.

 

I don't have issue 252, having cancelled my subscription, however, I do think it is a little unfair to be seeming to suggest there were no mistakes before and now there are many and they are all down to the change of ownership. I assume that, as has long been the case, lists of Ferraris at events that are published in Cavallino are provided by the contributors who are, I assume, still named in this issue as in those past. Therefore, errors in the lists either originated with the contributor (or possibly in the transposing of the contribution into print). Were those lists cross-checked in some way before and aren't now as seems to be suggested? I don't know, but I suspect not. I do know that the model guide long printed in each issue still gives 378 for Challenge Stradale production when the Factory say 1288.

In other words, I suspect that if readers went over older issues with a similar fine tooth comb as they are apparently doing with the latest issues, they would also find errors. Some corrected in subsequent issues and some not. Assuredly it hasn't got better in that regard but nor has it gone from perfection to shambles.

 

I received #253 today in good condition. The proofreading may commence!



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That flash is a light bulb reflection, not part of the cover photo.

 

So, on page 25 of issue 253 in their own CORRECTION DEPARTMENT Cavallino says (once again) that the 250 MM pictured on page 30 of issue 251 is S/N 0298 MM.
@cavallino: again: it is not. For the third time in 3 consecutive issues, and despite my correction (which they printed!) they mis-identify that car. It is S/N 0254 MM.
Simply not the same car and also not the same owner.
I think THEY DO NOT WANT to listen. They are totally resistant to any advice.
Now I am really absolutely totally speechless.
What a massive shame.

Marcel Massini

 

Unreal.

There are still no photo captions. This has to be a design decision. My opinion of uncaptioned photos is that the editors believe the pictures are merely decoration and not intended to convey any context to the article they accompany. It’s also an indication that maybe they think their readers aren’t especially interested in information. This isn’t to say that every picture needs a caption, but some definitely do.

 

They are totally paranoid and do not want to share information.
Just look at today's Saturday Cavallino Concours 2023 program (from the same company), no chassis number and no names listed.
Just a sample: 2011 - 458 Italia.
What kind of b.s. is this? Absolutely worthless.
They also fear making mistakes and the editors/producers must be very insecure. They lack know how, experience and knowledge.

Marcel Massini

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Appalling...

 

do the placards in front of each car have names and sn?

 

hahaha, good joke

 

Adding that information doesn't transfer to the bottom line well. This is not the work of someone who is passionate about the subject. It appears it is being done merely for financial gain.

 

I just received an email, as I’m sure many of you have, promoting the five volume Cavallino series of books depicting the covers of the 250 issues. The message generally describes the books but it gives no information about how the various covers are bound, presented, paginated, paper characteristics, if there’s any description of the cover cars, photographers, interesting facts, etc.

So, for a commitment of $1,250 I think a lot more information about the contents is necessary.

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At 50 pages per volume, they must be made out of cardboard...

 

Nowadays $1250 will go a long way of buying a full set of second hand Cavallinos. For the same amount you will then have the full magazines (however probably not pristine) to read of leaf through instead of only a fancy reproduction set of the covers.

Lately there have been more and more high end market offerings of automotive books. But at least that were still books containing valuable information. This new five volume Cavallino cover set does not even pretend that; it is purely aimed at the speculation market only.

 

Kevlar......

Marcel Massini

 

Off topic a little, but which Ferrari book would you take if you were stranded on a desert island? I would like to hear the lone book taken by one of the world's leading Ferrari authorities.

 

I would not take a book, I would take Mr Doug Nye, he could write whatever book you want to read on your favourite subject... sorry...

 

No, after thinking twice, I would take BRM 1-2-3 & Mr Nye...

 

So very true. Definitely some kind of crazy irony somewhere in all of this...