296 VS

Car guys are car guys - Hot Wheels modifying bike spokes with playing cards etc. Doesn't really matter what the brand is - guys will spend more money on car stuff than they have. Ferrari chat - we met thru here and have met many others that are close friends. I deleted it as didn't want to upset some guys who take things wrong. How many of us went to Vegas - not sure I've ever had more fun with a group of people never met prior. We are more alike than different - we need expensive hobbies to go to work. Cars are the cheapest form of therapy - fact.

 

Let's be realistic, the 296 VS will be a great car but nothing more. It won't something special model like a Competizione or SP3.

My guess:
30-50 hp more
- 70 KG
Slightly louder but quieter than a Pista from the outside!
Small spoiler at the rear like the Enzo FXX 20-25 cm high.
Price 100k over standard 296

First cars 200 K over list and within the next 12 months they will fall at list price.

Spiders will most likely stay above list.

Looking forward to Tuesday to see if I'm right.

 

I got the 296Challenge new for racing... the GT3 would be new too but I did not take up a spot that came up recently as it was for a 2 seater (no FIA racing). A 296GT3 Evo would be something I'll happily wait for.

FXXK Evo... what a car. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it in person at the Corsa Cliente collection. I think it was at that time I decided I'm just going to stick to Ferrari's and go on this journey for as long as it'll take.

Spreading the love across the brands just doesn't excite me anymore. Got to stay true to what makes your heart skip a beat... that's how I got into my first Ferrari, when a friend drove up my street in the 812 GTS demo as he folded the roof down.. i just went oh...my... God.. and fell in love.

 

Wow so you went so hardcore that within a few years you already have a Challenge!?

 

I think more or less you’ll be right. The base car is amazing. Incremental improvements will make the VS magical if done right. Beyond the numbers, it’s the feel they can dial up. Make it more intense.

 

i really hope what you say about "make it more intense" comes true. It will make the experience more visceral and raw.

 

Yeah, I love track driving but I don't love track work in road cars. I have a Porsche GT3 Cup and a Lambo STO Evo2. So I told my dealer if one day I could get a 296challenge for my collection, that'll be ideal and he got an allocation for me but asked that I raced as well which I didn't mind.

 

I love this idea, but in this regulatory environment, I doubt that the development costs would be nominal. The implications for their fleet emissions would likely be a massive hurdle. And there's an opportunity cost to taking up space on the production lines, so there's no way shareholders would allow them to sell it for under $250k.

I'd buy one in a heartbeat, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

In this post-IPO world, Vigna has little choice but to focus on profit maximization. And even without the IPO, an enthusiasts' utopia would be impossible in this regulatory environment.

However, as a privately held company, Ferrari could have made some different choices - producing the car @ryalex describes, for example, instead of the Puro. I don't buy that Ferrari couldn't have remained independent and profitable while producing 7,000 enthusiast-oriented cars annually. Look at the margins they're generating, the strength of the demand, and the prices us lunatics are willing to pay.

But, this path would have required Elkann and others to sacrifice vast amounts of wealth and income, simply to serve enthusiasts. I wish they had. Perhaps their predecessors would have. But I'm hardly surprised that they declined to write that check.

Fortunately for all of us, profit maximization doesn't preclude them from making great cars. And I have a feeling that's just what we're going to see in a couple days.

 

I wonder if people that own and love their 296 GTS but only get "offered " a 296 VS coupe, will trade in, keep both or just skip the VS if they can't get a spider?

 

either keep both or keep the VS coupe. I will be surprised if anyone offered a special series would turn it down (not considering post reveal if tariffs impact decision). Dealers that i have talked to have said their allocation are spoken for.

 

..or get the VS to then get opportunity for VSS since that usually comes 6-12 months after coupes, then sell the VS?

 

That would be very bad for the brand and will therefore not happen. That is not how successful luxury goods are managed. IMO.

Porsche made a Boxster GTS with a normally aspirated 6 cylinder engine with manual transmission (or the same in a Cayman coupe). It’s a great car that does/ did not sell in high numbers at around $100k. And until more recently a manual GT3 was under that threshold. The enthusiast market is just not that big outside of forums.

 

spiders have been allocated already. As said before, spiders went to the top clients. Dealers have say in who gets coupes. (At least that is my understanding from talking to dealers in the US).

 

296 Mugello!?

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I wouldn't give up my GTS for a coupe. I don't even think I'd give up a Speciale. The Spider VS is the one to have providing they haven't butchered the rear with the winglets.

 

This is so true. Since their production and prices have skyrocketed I sincerely doubt if any new cars will see over sticker unless a dealer takes advantage of a newbie. Ferrari has changed their business model and their objective is not to leave any price appreciation to the client. Their special editions aren’t special anymore. Roughly speaking there were 2000 scuds and 5000 488 specials made. I’m guessing there may be upwards of 7500 VS and may have more than one production year. An allocation to a VS is going to be like a tax bill.

 

Well it seems that the name is now almost confirmed, albeit unofficially. Welcome: Ferrari 296 Mugello and 296 Mugello Spider

 

Will there be a livestream or premiere on Ferrari's Youtube channel for the reveal?

 

Yes, but ferrari din't have share the link yet.

 

Dealer has say in both.
Factory received a list - gave X allocations - dealers choice from that list who received coupe and spider. I am not a coupe fan - speciale with a good offer would go.

 

It's interesting to imagine a "what if" scenario where Ferrari remained private. They were owned by FIAT and its successors. Which is a public company. How different would the pressure be on Ferrari then? My guess is we would have about the same amount of pressure, but it would be less transparent.

 

I think it's easy to say "bah humbug!" "the specials aren't special anymore" "things were better in the past"- and indeed, they did make some amazing cars. But I think what your analysis is missing is the size of the market for these cars. I bet the market was far larger when they did the Pista than when they did the Scuderia. And I bet the market today is larger than when they did the Pista.

In the end, the most important thing is if it takes a great driving car- the 296- and makes it more involving and makes you think you are driving a "track car" on the road. I have no reason to think it won't deliver these things. I think these cars will hold value fairly well relative to how things have gone in recent times, but that is just one man's opinion.

 

With all due respect I think that this is a false generalization that ignores the facts. Looking at all mid-engined special series cars, none have really depreciated. Despite the fact that the Scuderia, Speciale and Pista coupes (and the Pista Spider) were not limited in production. So I think we can agree that if the 296 VS depreciates it would be the first mid engined special series to do so. As for the “modern F-cars that depreciate” the 812 Competizione and SF90XX which are the other 2 special series that are based on production models are both trading significantly above list price. So what exactly is the “modern F-car” that depreciates? The regular 296, the Roma and the Dodici Cilindri? Of course they do, exactly like their predecessors, the regular 458/488, the F12/812, the California etc. That has always been the case since Ferrari moved out of the 1970s

I am not able to predict the price trajectory of the 296VS, however past performance of similar models does not suggest depreciation. As you say the world has changed, but it is not clear to me that the change has impacted the desirability of the Ferrari line of products or the strength of the brand

PS. We also heard the same about the F80 and the trouble Ferrari had selling the full production number. Haven’t seen a post in that section in months…

 

SP3 XX 812GTS 812Comp Purosangue and soon VS all prove otherwise.
7500 VS - 1/2 the production will be VS ... makes perfect sense.
Their special editions are not special - not one owner would agree.
Yes, Ferrari has made a lot of money, so have the owners buying them.
Tariffs interest rates hybrid production - yet people are seeking VS allocations.