Marchionne Comments - Production Numbers and "SUV"

Interesting comments from Marchionne this morning at the New York Stock Exchange:

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2017/10/09/brand-is-finally-getting-its-place-in-the-marketplace-ferraris-sergio-marchionne.html

 

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1113160_sergio-marchionne-confirms-ferrari-will-build-an-suv

 

Sad, but inevitable.

 

Has anyone had experience with a triple layer paint from the standpoint of a. Maintenance and b. Repairs from stone chips to repainting a quarter panel? Any input would be appreciated as I wrestle with a 488 Build between Rosso Fuoco and Rosso Corsa.

Thanks,

Cucc1967

 

I believe you meant this for a different thread.

 

I've said it before....Sergio will ruin Ferrari...

 

I'm sure we'll get the usual responses of how bad an SUV would be for Ferrari. But if you accept the idea that Ferrari needs to grow its unit volume faster than the growth of the super-high-end luxury car market, then he basically has two choices. He can reduce prices on the current range - not an answer if the goal is also to increase profitability unless there are big opportunities for cost takeouts, which seems unlikely given Ferrari's scale - or he can expand into new segments. Ferrari has even more of an urgent reason to do so than most marques given the drag on the business currently coming from the race side.

So my question is - give the vicissitudes - if its not going to be an SUV, what should it be? A pickup truck?

They have to do something.

 

They cannot let Porsche get all the money. But on hindsight, porsche has better quality control. Can they match the german automakers quality in mass producing SUVs.
WE will see.

 

Rob, I understand your anger at "you would have to shoot me first" Marchionne - but I do truly believe an SUV will not necessarily destroy Ferrari. I know I may be wrong.

 

I agree. I think a well managed Fiat group with Fiat, Lancia, Maserati, Alfa and Ferrari would probably fill in every necessary niche without having to sacrifice too much of any brand's core values. Instead Marchionne pillaged and plundered for a quick buck...

 

The Ferrarista in me cries. The businessman understands. I think they can do the SUV and retain credibility but they need to continue to win at racing. They are doing well in some areas, but F1 needs to do better.

 

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/chrysler/2017/10/09/sergio-marchionne-ferrari-suv-fca-jeep-sale/106471572/

 

As others have said, when a company goes public, the only thing it worries about is the stock price. This is what drives the decisions at the top, and at times, the decision doesn't necessarily make sense. In order for this to even work (expand market share and consequently profits), Ferrari will need to change their philosophy with regards to how people purchase vehicles. In other words, if they keep the "exclusivity", then are they really going to pick up new customers, or are they simply hoping that current Ferrari owners will purchase the SUV. If it is the latter, then I don't see this being successful as you will immediately limit your customer base. If it is new customers they are targeting, then the current ordering/warranty/service model will not be sufficient to win or even take share. Just my .02

 

Despite all the level-headed analysis found in this thread, THIS is a sign of the impending apocalypse!

 

Sorry, new to the forum.

 

If exclusive means the price starts well above the V12 Lusso that's one thing. If they start showing up like Cayenne's in the morning commute then your GTO story won't go over so well.

 

A changing world that us purists don't like at all!

 

I couldn't care less. If they keep building supercars, winning in F1 and GT's, and building class leading sports/touring cars, then if they build an SUV that I'll never buy that's perfectly fine. I don't see how it damages the brand unless it's a dud, which I doubt. I hope they make a Dino/911 fighter as well. Even if it is a dud, look at some of the duds they made under Enzo/FIAT (and there were a few), it didn't damage the brand because they always had something else that was a world beater. Even when the line-up was an aging TR, ancient 412, also old but worked over Mondial (T) and the much maligned 348, they made the f40 so nobody cared.

This is the old rose-colored glasses kicking in making people lament that things aren't like they were, even if they weren't that great 'back then.'

 

I actually tend to agree with your formula.

- Kick ass in F1
- Make amazing mid-engine sports cars
- Make great GT's
- Make mind-blowing super cars in design and performance
- Continue with limited production variants of each (some very limited, such as the LaFerrari Aperta and 458 Speciale Aperta)
- Test the limits with something different every so often - such as a new "Dino"
- Introduce a raw sports car for the purists - I would love this.
- Respect the heritage and take care of the past - I think they are demonstrating a new commitment to this as of late
- Broaden the platform if needed but restrict production and price aggressively
- Continue the spectacular worldwide client engagement/events they had this past year (which really isn't discussed enough)
- And, make your SUV. The more I ponder this, what's the big freakin deal?

I agree with bobzdar - I think a lot of people lament the loss of a company that never was. Ferrari had some amazing hits and a few misses. It still is a brand of dreams. Truth be told, I haven't seen many misses, if any, lately. The product line is great and it seems to have a great future. Are they perfect? No, but I don't think its a scorched earth by any means.

 

Pure speculation: if they actually make a Ferrari SUV- or FUV as they might call it (I hope not as the name has some interesting variants)- then I think they likely use a V8 turbo hybrid setup as this will give the best torque and fuel/emissions economy and also likely packaging economy as well (if just). I would expect the pricing to be around V12 GTC4 levels. I think they are different cars. One thing I would like to see is a garage parking mode that allows the suspension to lower enough to fit under most garage lifts.

 

I think the Ferrari SUV will just be the same platform as the Maserati SUV already in production. I doubt it will be 100% a new design...

 

He's just pulling whatever he can out of the company before the doom of cars as we know them today

 

For me that would be a total disaster. The Levante to me is easily outclassed by all of its competition a Ferrari built on that platform will be equally outclassed in my opinion, irrespective of the engine put into it.

Really, I fail to see why a SUV is the way to go. Why not the Dino, sell in numbers, common engine with Alfa and the excellent V6 it makes which is essentially Ferrari in some respects. Built 3500 Dino's a year rather than maybe 1000 lumbering SUV's.

I suppose this post needs some context, I am not an SUV fan at all.