FNA has decreed that dealers cannot advertise models in production

It really doesn't matter one whit whether people use or spell words correctly. It's really their/there/they're problem. At the end of the day most of those with poor communication skills will find themselves serving coffee to those who can communicate effectively. It's the the way the world works.
In my business a person who presents a resume containing spelling and grammatical errors will simply not be hired. I really don't need illiterates representing me in the business world.

Now back to the thread. Luca owns FSF? interesting, but hardly likely. FNA owns FSF? Also interesting and perhaps possible, but the current owners might be surprised to hear that. Luca owns a piece of Ferrari? BS pure and simple. Luca is Chairman of Fiat S.p.a and probably is a shareholder - Fiat S.p.a owns Ferrari. Does that make Luca an owner of Ferrari? I suppose in the same way as I own Google and Apple and GE and a whole bunch of other companies. I didn't realize what a mover and shaker I am

 

Was this a successful strategy? What was the outcome? Did markups occur anyway? Or were they mitigated? I don't follow BMW and Porsche.

Yes, the double-standard of perception is very strong.

 

Ferrari is now thge automotive equivalent of Harley.

Harley used to sell bikes now theyb sell lifestyle.

 

I dont see ferrari stores in every airport (there are a few but not like harley). I dont see Ferrari dealerships churning out mass produced "sports" cars.

Not even close, but it draws closer.

 

There is a Ferrari of Denver kiosk at the Denver airport. They have the usual T shirts models etc. Every Puma store I've been to has Ferrari shirts, bags jackets and shoes. Every Ferrari dealer I've been to has a huge T shirt shop. The lifestyle is getting bigger than the car.

 

Then I guess you won't be representing yourself. Luca owns FSF is not really a question and doesn't deserve a question mark at the end. BS pure and simple is a sentence fragment. Try writing in complete sentences and then you could look down on others.

 

In total sales dollars it is already. At least Ferrari merchandise is of good quality.

 

I agree with you 100%

my post was a joke buddy...

 

The strategy was successful... but often times when a strategy is succesful in its goal, it is at the sacrifice of something else.

In the BMW M5 M6 market... markups were HUGE for the first month or so (between 20-40k over) then it trickeled down rapidly... soon the markup was brought down to around maybe 5-10k if the dealers wanted to sit on cars. However, the stores with larger alotments of M5 and M6's couldn't possibly sit on 5 or 6 m5s and 5 or 6 m6's just so they could make and extra 5k on each car. Also, when the customers saw more than one or two sitting around... they didn't buy... they knew the markup would be gone... someone would want to sell one.

One of my buddies bought an M5 and tried selling it for about 10k over sticker after paying sticker... (taxes paid and reg ads about 10.5% in AZ) so at that point he wasnt making much... if any at all. I told him not to do it because, i knew of BMWs pipeline supply.


So BMWs supply did help diminish the markup in my opinon. However, by doing so.... and in combination of the jerky "flappy paddle gearbox"... they also KILLED the value of the E60 M5s and M6s. 2006 M5s can be had in the 50s!!! When you compare this to the E39 (2000-2003) M5 they were fetching about 50k or a little less for a superb 2003, up until about a year or so ago.

Same basic deal with Porsche and the Turbo.... They built many... cars... but then again... look at the 996 turbo... they are as common as toyota corollas

 

That can't help FML.

 

I represent myself quite adequately, thank you very much. The questions that you question are really questions - they are my questions, which I answer with my opinion. Perhaps you are a speed reader, and speedily passed over that literary device. No matter, as your opinion is of no matter to me in the grand scheme of things.

 

The problem with the new M5 is that it is stylisticaly challenged, mercedes makes faster autobox cars, and it is a the ultimate machine that can be driven as opposed to the ultimate drivers machine. The porche turbo, most of those came as autos, it is an irrelevant car other than to pose, too heavy for the track too fast for the street, basicaly a porche for those who do not know better. Reminds me of the old guy doing 25 in a 30 in a new m5. I asked him why he bought it and he said because they told him it was the best bmw.

But I digress. Porche with its gt3 strategy lost at least one sale. I had a deposit on a GT3, when it looked to be time the dealer said porche had decided to build so few 08 gt3's to keep the supply tight it wasnt getting any, this was confirmed by the stories on rennlist where smaller dealers got no 08 gt3 allocations.

Took my money elsewhere. Like ferrari most GT3 are bought by flippers, many seem to be for sale with very low mileage. When the "new" model comes out the price of a used Gt3 like a 360 will plumet. Had ferrari deigned to sell me a 430, even with a 2 year wait, or porche actuly delivered a car, they would have had a sale to a customer who would have actualy used the vehicle and kept it for many years keeping at least one of the used car (glut) market.

Sounds a bit bitter, more like dissapointed, funnily I only looked at the porche because the ferrari was unobtanium, but then I am not the only one, perhaps that is why Aston amongst others see a market for a more hard core car, and why even kits like Noble have a market. The two leaders Ferrari and Porche are alienating their core customer base while creating a used car pileup.


Still have the deposit at porche, maybe the 2010 gt3 will be a must have, but in the meantime I have a lotus 211 for the track, and others for play. Frankly if lotus or aston builds a true scuderia/Gt3 competitor based on experience I will much rather buy one of those.

Its kinda like going into a Gm dealership where no one will serve you so you become a loyal hinda customer. I also don't go to resteraunts where you have to pay to get a table. There are gotta be there gotta have it suckers everywhere. There are also lots of great resterants. I sell and deliver quality experience and quality product to my clients so have little respect for those who don't respect their customer base or those who cant manage their product by not over or underproducing creating bursting bubbles and brand debasement..

 

Ferrari is a killer car, clothing needs improvement though, someday they will make a shirt that has sleeves longer than 4"!

(XXL means 200 lbs of overweight out of shape USA Beef stuffed in it like me. Basically a small car over with sleeves is what we want.)

 

Sorry. Don't know much about that end of the size range. Still the material and workmanship of their stuff is first rate.

 

On one level this is all about arrogance. The US market is no longer as important to Ferrari as it once was. Given the soft dollar and high regulatory costs (do they even have an EPA in Moscow?), Maranello is giving us the cold shoulder.

On another level this is about greed. Ferrari SpA and FNA want to have total control over the Ferrari name. Even though the amount of money that dealers spent advertising in the Ferrari Market Letter did not raise to the level of chicken feed, Ferrari wants it all. There have been rumors for years that FNA wants to shut down the Ferrari Owners Cub. Now, I'm hearing tales that they want a complete take over of the Ferrari Club of America. Who is next? I wouldn't be surprised if Rob Lay gets a letter.

Then there is the insecurity and paranoia that appears to be rampant in Italian businesses. They don't trust nobody who is outside the family.

Frankly, I'm ready to move on. It has been fun owning a Maranello for the last five years, and it is one hell of a driving car. I'll also never forget my brief time with a Stradale. But I am tried of being taken for a fool.

Dale

 

I wouldn't be surprised either.
Not long ago M5board had to remove "BMW" from their name to avoid legal action by BMW GMBH.

 

The odds on Rob getting a letter at this late date are probably nil. There is something called statute of limitations, and since he's been running this site for more than 8 years, and I suspect that it's easily provable that Ferrari knew he was running the site, that any trouble they might think about causing him would be barred because it's way to late.

Art

 

Easy fix, just don't buy new cars.

 

Have you priced parts for a Maranello? $5,000 for an evaporator. $11,000 for a hood. I could go on.

Dale

 

You are right ,M5Board is based in Sweden,different laws....

 

BMW and VW are the biggest of the "car enthusaist Nazis" (I hope people don't take offense to that term... its a freakin joke)

anyways...

BMW and VW will go after you legally for just about anything that uses the BMW or VW name. If you make a polo t shirt with a BMW roundel on it... they will try to find out who made it... and sue them for reproducing a trademarked/copyrighted symbol. They even do this to there own dealerships if they have the employees take there white shirts to an embroider to get there button ups embroidered with a BMW roundel. They are freaking insane. A dealership can loose its franchise over not complying.

And yes... no other business in the US is allowed to use BMW in there name... or MINI or anything that belongs to BMW. They will hunt you down even if you are a non-profit orginazation such as a car club.

it is truely ridiculous

 

This decree must be over, because dealers (including FSF) are back to advertising used examples of current production models.

 

I prefer the term anal to Nazi myself.
Premium brands marketing is based on brand cachet and spend millions to create and to preserve it. That they're cautious in protecting it isn't surprising. However going too far (like threatening a Fan site) can alienate the customers they want to attract.

 

Gone, as of this summer.