Why has Ferrari abandoned the upper middle class ?

I dont really see it at all.

If someone in the middle class wants to buy a Ferrari there are plenty of Ferraris to be had at many pricepoints. Many of the lower end cars may not be exactly the most desirable by a lot of standards, but they are out there.

Here is one for less than $5000

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/2129556054.html


So, if you have $5k you can be the owner of a real Ferrari. That would include admission to the Ferrari Owners Forum on THIS SITE no less, not to mention admission at Ferrari.com as an owner. Obviously, this car is a fixer-upper, but there are cars that sell for a lot more that are fixer-uppers as well.

Thats why it is my belief that there is a Ferrari for everyone if you look at the right price point. Ferrari hasnt abandoned the middle class. You can find one from $5,000 all the way to $30,000,000 if you want.



PDG


PS - no connection with the advertised car, just one I found as a reference (being discussed in the 308 forum)

 

With the styling of the FF and other new Ferraris, one could also say that Ferrari has abandoned those with good taste.

 

It's like with everything else, real talented music is not for the masses, movies for the masses are "empty", a painting for the masses might be a plain monochromatic rainbow crap, etc... It needs to be that in order to appeal to the masses because the discriminating Ferrari sports car enthusiast can really give a hoot about this model.

 

(Clap-clap-clap-clap) WELL put!!!

Hell, my GF's 370Z does 0-60 in 5.1 sec to the Countach's 0-60 of 5.2...with half as many cylinders!

The best part of what you said that I like is about "creating an exclusive, stipped down Lotus Elise-inspred car with say a V-6 or V-8, say 350 HP and, accordingly, weighing approximately 2000 pounds...it would not only sell like hotcakes for the true enthusiast, but it could also be priced for the "upper middle class". That being said, it doesn't mean they would have to make a boatload of them; they could still keep the cars exclusive simply by limiting the number built. On the other hand, the car would not have to be aimed at the upper middle class; it could still be aimed at the true upper class, for a car like this would be in incredibly high demand for the true driving enthusiast. At this price-point, Ferrari could manufacture the car in carbon fiber or all alluminum, or a combination thereof, and maybe, just maybe, they would bring back the gated shifter"

Before anyone starts in about the demand making the price go out the roof, let me point out something here. The "fat-cat" status symbol seekers will have zero interest in a car of this nature...it won't be comfy enough for their floozy bimbos. No demand by the posh-poseur set would mean that the car would remain attainable by the true car enthusiasts (racers).

Secondly, the dealerships will be required to sell them AT MSRP or risk loosing their allotments.

Lastly, a point many (myself included) are making that misses Jerry's original question is, we're talking about FERRARI pricing, not the SECONDARY MARKET!

I think we all agree that the pre-owned Ferraris serve the price point in question, but that doesn't come from Ferrari directly. Ferrari DOES NOT have a car that answers to the segment that Jerry is saying WAS served by the 3X8 series...that's gone. Let's stop saying that, in "answer" to Jerry's original question, that the pre-owned market covers that; yes, it does, but that's not what he's asking about.

Bring back something along the lines of a tribute to Enzo's way of thinking (real race guys can attain this car & drive it the way God (& Enzo) intended it to be driven!)

This would NOT hurt the Ferrari brand...it would further it by bringing it a tribute back to it's roots.

 

Nonsense. Tazio Nuvolari was a much better driver than Michael Schumacher!

 

And Christian Lautenschlager could whoop them both.

 

The fact is there are soooooo many good cars out there that cost less and are cheaper to maintain than a Ferrari it's not even funny anymore. Let them charge whatever they want IMO. The only reason to buy a new one is because you want to be "different" at this point.

The older Fcars have way more character anyway. By older I mean the F355 and older.

RMX

 

You're forgetting about the technology leader that has already "been there, done that" (& knows how to play Formula One): Honda

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=310077

 

And probably Lauda, Gilles V., Fangio, and of course I dont even need to mention Senna.

M.S. was really good, but he had the right cars and team at the right time too.

 

MS was part of the team responsible for making the cars as great as they were. If you recall, when MS arrived, Ferrari F1 was ****, he and RB turned the team into world beaters.

 

Of course, your statement is correct too. Everything worked out perfectly for Ferrari in those years and I think that special formula will take a long time before we see it coming around, and thats including any the F1 team.

 

See what you started?