SA Aperta - Why build only 80?

Just curious as to why Ferrari limited the production to just 80? As a profit making company, why limit the enormous potential profit by building so few?

If they easily sold 599 of the GTO, then the SA Aperta being open would be even more desirable and they could have sold even more if not at least as many. This does not make any sense to me. I thought it was Enzo's philosophy to build one less than what the market would demand. So did they think they could sell at most 81 of them???

The previous generation limited editions of the 550 Barchetta and 575M Superamerica were made in 448 and 559 examples respectively also - not 80 or so!

Another thing, how much more is the price of the SA Aperta over the 599 GTO?

 

the reason is simple. 80 copies to celebrate 80 years of Pininfarina.

the SA pays respect to Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina.

 

The F50 came out to celebrate 50 years of Ferrari, but they did not limit it to 50 pieces!

About the SA Aperta, they could have named it SA80 Aperta instead to pay tribute to 80 years of Pininfarina.

It still does not make economic sense...

 

I would be surprised if there are only 80 being made...

 

I would be surprised if a hard top 599 came out in a few years. Maybe that's why.

 

its a Ferrari, an ultra rare one at that. i am sure if i were one of the lucky 80 to be chosen to have an allocation, i would be ecstatic that they limited it 80.

in regards to SA80, i'm sure you will agree SA sounds more appealing. just marketing.

the fact that the GTO and Aperta sold out before it was officially unveiled to the public, makes perfect economic sense to me. and Ferrari!

 

I would say 80 because the 599 generation (including HGTE, GTO and Aperta) is coming to an end and the producton line cant really make more than that if they want to launch soon the 599 replacement.

 

Ferrari probably knows they built a car that in a few decades will be worth what the Ferraris of the early 60s are today, and they want it be just as rare and collectible as those. In other words, they limited it to 80 to preserve the name of the company for future years. I don't know, just my 2 cents.

 

My guess- SA limited by number of remaining chassis with marketing department called in to determine best way to squeeze every last $ from each cars sale.

 

Judging your post with the laws of economics I'd say spot on.

 

+2

Squeeze every last dollar from speculators. Ferrari played the whole 599 GTB-HGTE-GTO-SA thing brilliantly.

(As did Porsche by building only 356 of the Porsche 997 Speedsters. Instant, modern manufactured "collectible".)

 

What is the price of this car? How does one merit an allocation. I actually know someone who's car is on the way to him right now. He has been a Ferrari collector for years but i am surprised that he got an allocation.

 

Moreover, wasn't it Enzo Ferrari himself who said "Always build one less than you can sell"?

 

I also agree with you guys.

80x 599 "shells" laying around, this is the PERFECT way to get rid of them before the new model comes out.

Well played Ferrari.

 

Except that isn't the case. Ferrari are still selling/taking orders for standard 599s and I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard for them to knock out a few more bodies if they needed to for Apertas anyway. I do know they were considering various build numbers for the Aperta before settling on 80. Presumably based on how many they thought they could sell in the end. Certainly there are more coming to the UK than originally planned and I was told that was because they were struggling to shift them in some markets.

Jonathan

 

Maybe Ferrari are getting back to making lots of versions of the same car, get collectors and enthusiasts keen on recording all the different variations.

Maybe it also rewards their top customers, after all there are plenty of gtos around.

 

Thanks for clearing that up. They 599 replacement is due next year so I didnt think they would still be taking orders mid year for the 599.

Would they still take a mid year order and sell a 2012 599? Or will they have a 2012 plated 599 that was ordered last year that is still on the waiting list to be built?

 

Now you're asking! Don't know. I just know that at least a couple of UK dealers have recently acquired new 599 demonstrators which are standard cars, albeit in HGTE spec. That would certainly imply they're still punting for new orders (wouldn't make sense if it was only a question of fulfilling existing orders) and that they expect to get some. Of course, the UK won't get the 599 replacement in RHD for 6 months after Europe based on the usual way of it with new models.

Jonathan

 

I didn't realise these were numbered so if there will be more than 80 how does Ferrari get past that?

 

I don't think they are numbered are they? I've only seen one and didn't notice a sequence number on it. Ferrari stopped putting sequence numbers on cars a while ago. They just say "1 of Y" rather than "Number X of Y" these days. The cynical might say that was so they could sneak out extra cars more easily.

Jonathan

 

Waiting for the conspiracy theorists to respond.
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Ah, interesting. Well on the 550 Barchetta which was numbered "X of Y" they just whacked out a few extra "prototypes" without numbers. The same with the F50. The 612 Sessanta wasn't numbered but each car has one of the 60 Anni icons on the centre console but presumably they never thought they could sell more than 60 of them...

Jonathan

 

That and they owed 60 favors to the guys who bought a 400k Seesenta that is worth 225.

 

Actually, it was Luca who said that. When he announced the Enzo, he was asked how many would be built. He said, "We'll make 349 - one less than we know we can sell." But demand was so strong, they made an extra (1)50.


Like Jonathan said, they can simply make a few pre- and post-production examples around the 80 numbered cars and call them prototypes as was done with the Barchetta. Part of the car's value is in the fact that it's a limited edition.

 

after 80/80, cars will get a badge 1 of 80 or something like Limited Edition.