If you owned Ferrari what would you do?

I brake left footed too in an automatic (have been for over 30 years). The F1 Trans seems to be a manual-automatic to me.

It is the ONLY WAY to drive an automatic especially on ice and snow.

 

I would make entry level GT cars priced for those making less than $100k per year. Not the fastest on the road, but very stylish. Back in the 70's, I remember seeing spoke wheeled Ferrari's on the streets as a kid. Back then you didn't spend $300k plus for a car, adjusted for insanity. But maybe exclusivity is more important for the quest to show the difference between the have's and the have not's.

 

You mean like when Ferrari owned Maserati?

 

I like the 'drive the cars in the museum' idea.

If I were running the show, I would hire Luca to run the show - he's been doing a kick-ass job so far!

Then I would spend all day, everyday, on Fiorano with Dario. I would have him teach me how to drive like a pro. On the days that he's off, I would consult Michael to fill in.

At night, I would immerse myself in the entirety of their serial number information.

In addition to the already-stated idea of fabricating parts for older cars, I would appoint a division to manufacture newer parts for older cars - i.e., carbon ceramic brakes for cars like Testarossas and F40s.

 

You could also add to that sign 'we will not cheat/lie too/manipulate legitimate customers'....

 

Close the wind tunnel to eveyone expect the Racing Department and hand a paper and pencil back to the body designers. Let the artists who made this marque what it is have a say in how it looks.

Who really cares how it handles over 150MPH? The Top Speed wars are a thing of the past, make it small, light, nimble, neutral and powerful with the looks that turns heads.

Dave

 

I'd immediately commission the building of an SUV, and a 4 door sedan based off our topselling model, then call them both stupid names

Seriously though I like some of the ideas people have suggested.

 

I would grab the keys from Kimi, and head over to Monza with his F1 car.

 

They did that 30 years ago. It's called a 308. We still love it because it is pure and void of all the modern crap manufacturers put into their offerings. It'd be easy with today's technology to build a 308-like car that is 200kgs lighter and gets 100HP more out of 3 liter capacity. Who really needs more?

Then make Classiche answerable for their certifications; research should be public domain.
Agreed, no merchandise that has nothing to do with cars.
No Chrysler component will ever find its' way into a Ferrari. (Or Mercedes component, for that matter)
More racing activities outside F-1 Once this is established, quit F-1 altogether.
Plan for lighter production cars, with energy regeneration systems etc.
Ban anything electronic that once a car is out of production cannot be re-produced by anyone at a smaller cost than X.

 

Oh, forgot:

Have Classiche build me a brand-new 288 GTO with a 430 powertrain for my own personal use....I suppose one is to have perks, not?

 

Make myself one of every Le Mans racer they've ever built, then build a 12 pot minimalist barchetta for my personal on road fun.
Offer it at as low a cost as possible and maybe run a spec series for them too.

 

No bidness.

 

Fixed

Add 4 airbags, crash bumpers and side impact stuff, cats, BF brakes, and an inline engine and gearbox as well as AC that works. I had and loved a 308. Different time, different world. 308's aren't a 166 either, but they were right in their time, and still are great cars.

 

Load up on non-auto related endorsements.

-Cavallino Crunch Cereal (little red horses with yellow shield-shaped marshmallows)
-Microsoft Windows 7, Ferrari Edition
-Trojan "raging stallion" condoms
-Right Guard Maranello Deodorant.

 

I would build retro-style bodied cars of the most beautiful Fcars with the hp and technology of today. with modern technology should be lighter and safer without compromising looks. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I haven't seen the California in person, but it doesn't do much for me in the beauty department.

 

I like this idea a lot!

 

Mmmmmm yeah. Um, I'm going to have to ummm... disagree here. Did you get the memo?


Seriously, one thing Ferrari IS doing right without question is continuing to make the best SOUNDING cars on the planet. It used to be the V12s had that honor, but now they are too quiet. The modern V8's carry that torch, so of all things, don't put it out!

 

I agree, we need new body designs. Let Pininfarina handle all body designs. Also we have the technology, start building cars that will crush anything that Lambo, Pagani, Bugatti or Koenigsegg can build. Scrap the California. Increase the production of Maserati's and lower the production of Ferrari's. Bring back the V12 engine noise. Finally make Ferrari's not so civilized I want more of the racing heritage in them, make Maserati the civilized car.

 

Bring back the design curves from cars like the 288GTO, 512TR, F50, F40, 250GTO etc.

 

"I would build retro-style bodied cars of the most beautiful Fcars with the hp and technology of today. with modern technology should be lighter and safer without compromising looks."


IMO the P4/5 proves it's possible to integrate the elegant curves of the 60s with modern technology in a way that isn't retro just referential.

 

Pininfarina designed the 612, 599, the Enzo and California . It's definitely time to throw those guys out and get some new blood in.

Bertone is gone, is Italdesign still around?

 

They need to survive the long, cold winter of this recession. In addition to the other ideas floated here, I would try some creative programs to add cash/profit to the bottom line.

I would implement a program to restore or “remanufacture” the 308/328, just like Nissan did a few years ago with the 240/260Z. I don’t think this program worked well for Nissan (?anyone have any details?), but I think it would be a homerun for Ferrari. Some of them can be bought very inexpensively ($15k-$25k), shipped to Italy, restored/rebuilt (low cost Factory labor), then re-imported and sold at Ferrari Dealers (help them weather the storm). With a $35k markup, they would sell for $50k - $60k….restored to perfection, certificate, and a short warranty. I don’t know if there would be enough cars to make this worthwhile (example, 2,000 cars), or enough profit per car; but it would keep the workers employed, firm up the market for the 3x8 cars, bring in new buyers, and help the image and mark; all without undercutting the prices of recent models. If they time it right, the cars will show up at the dealer just as the economy starts to recover. A few years ago, Ferrari said that the entry level Ferrari is a used Ferrari; this would take that concept to the next level.

 

No joke.

And don't leave out the 430.

They need to stop outsourcing to Asia. Are there no Italian car designers anymore?

 

Thanks, that was my car you were looking at. Interesting that you say that because we followed a beautiful 599 over the bridge to the Cavalino and my wife commented that the car in front was so big compared to ours.