296 VS

Their special editions aren’t special anymore.
Are you sure they aren't special anymore? Based on the fact that they are all selling for way over their MSRP the market may not agree with you. There is also the data point that the initial allocations for all US dealers are already spoken for prior to anyone even seeing the car. Additionally, it appears that Ferrari will make fewer 296 VS (ask your dealer how many allocations for the 296VS they were given vs Pista...many of us did just that and learned that on average he dealers were given 15% fewer 296VS vs Pistas..) All of that said, you are right that when there are 1000+ of any 'special edition' car its not rare and thus isn't as special vs if there were fewer.

 

I always had the sense that Agnelli wanted to keep Ferrari insulated from outside pressure, and had enough influence to make it happen. That might not have been possible in today's business climate, it's hard to know. But I don't get the impression that his grandson cared to try.

It's moot now. The genie is out of the bottle and the company is too valuable to put it back.

Other than the implications for sticker prices, this is hardly problematic for us, so long as they keep making great cars. And clearly they're incentized to do so. They only real casualty so far is the possibility of a production car like @ryalex describes. Hard to know if a car like that would have been feasible in my alternate universe. It seems impossible in our reality.

 

Did you guys listen to the audio file on Ferrari.com of the 296VS shifting...that is pure race car noise. I would be surprised if Ferrari doesn't jump the shark with the new 296VS. Its going to be far more 296 Challenge/ GT3 etc vs the previous special version Ferraris that were more road cars. Its going to be a divisive design. Additionally, like Porsche does with their RS products the new 296VS will use the same parts as their 296 full on race cars.

 

"the audio file on Ferrari.com of the 296VS shifting" Where!? Don't see it.

 

i have multiple times. Cant get enough of it. If the shifts are as intense as they sound and the sound as high pitched (for a turbo) i continue to remain bullish on the car.

 

the sound is all you need to know...this isn't a warmed over 296. I bet this is beyond a sf90XX....

 

could it be they are borrowing the e turbo from F80?

Im excited to learn what they've done for the car.

 

Did you guys have a link to share?

 

Listen with AirPods or something. The cracks from 3rd to 4th and 4th-5th are unreal. Haunting!

 

this is exactly what we want. With some dressed up design, nothing else is necessarily needed. I will be happy with this.

 

It is in the my ferrari app. Just go there and look for the headlines a new driving thrill awaits.

 

Let's wait and see, the SF90 XX is a monster car, the gear changes are brutal and so is the sound. Ferrari has done a great job. With the 296 VS, everything will depend on price, numbers, emotions and design. By the way, it doesn't help if the car sounds good inside and like a vacuum cleaner outside. What counts is what comes out the back of the exhaust.

 

Oh okay, so on the App and not the website. Can't wait to see and heard it!

 

I’ve often considered trying some other brands. When a Lambo drives by, I roll my window down and listen. When a McLaren does, I think about its sculpture and aero. When a 360 Modena drives by, my heart skips a beat, the same as it did when I was 15 and my neighbor growing up got a 348 out of the blue. The same as when I was 8 and bought an F40 poster at my school book fair, having no idea what it was, but just being enamored with it. All this talk that the VS aren’t special any more is hilarious. What about a 360 is not special? What about a 296gtb is not “special?” The VS is designed to turn the special up to 11, and they always have, and always will. I’ve had 10 Ferraris, and the one I’ve not yet bought has been my favorite since 2008 when it came out: a 430 Scuderia. I still opine for that car, and it leaves something “special” in the tank.

 

No wing less downforce less rubber etc - XX on track is big brother to VS.
Best things about the VS - the amount of F80 296CH it receives.
Gears turbo downforce software wheels seats etc.
Flip side - 296 is a great Ferrari all on its own - hopefully owners will find the 296 & VS more different than alike - AF package does complicate things.

 

the competition from the other brands is why (I bet) Ferrari takes the VS game to the next level. How many of us haven't looked into a McLaren 765LT or a STO...those cars broke the mold for what a special car should be. (especially the Lambo). Ferrari has to do better than those cars...now, add to this what is coming to the market in the next 12-24 months? New Porsche products, crazier version of the already crazy Lambos....I am sticking with my expectation that the Ferrari 296VS is a slightly toned down 296 Challenge/ GT3, a tracked biased car that won't appeal to the masses. Perfect.

 

i just cant see the excitement for a hybrid v6tt. im sure they will make it as exciting as can be but that is a compromised formula based on govt regulations, not driving emotion. doesnt matter how much power and speed it has i think a speciale will remain the goat until govt eases rules or ferrari develops radical new tech. like matter antimatter new.

 

I doubt the car is too aggressive, I'm betting some nice aero updates and sportier suspension. I also doubt they increase power as it is already too close to the SF90. I can already picture the new hood, flared rockers, some vents and a more aggressive wing.

 

I had heard a while back that the back end of the car would be closed, as in no engine bay glass or maybe even rear window. Doesn’t seem to be the case with the mules, but an interesting talking point.

 

Unlikely. They have a hierarchy to maintain.

Can't see it happening.

For the passengers all that matters is how is sounds inside the car.


Regarding the proposed slower, manual Ferrari, not many clients would care for it.

 

Just reached out to my SA just testing the waters. He said "if you're interested in ordering one let's have a chat after the reveal on Tuesday". Doesn't sound like a "no"? haha I'm by no means a VIP except in my own mind!

 

Wild that there’s actually a manual gearbox “new” Ferrari running around Maranello!
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812 Competizione and 458 Aperta the best duo

 

You can't compare the 296 VS with limited editions and non-hybrid cars made years ago. And why do people keep comparing the upcoming V6 hybrid 296 Mugello with N/A V12 Daytona SP3 and 812 Comp?

We have to remeber that Ferrari has changed a lot since the Pista came out. Ferrari has turned themselves into a very different company. Their offering of "special editions" has increased significantly, as have their overall production numbers across the lineup. Also, the latest EU requirements has partly made it more difficult for automakers to differentiate their top-level cars from their regular production models. Also, during the LdM-era, many of their regular production cars (360, F430, F12, 458, etc) actually held their value pretty damn well, and in Europe, there were a waiting list for many of their models. This is not the case anymore, and I think this will be reflected on their upcoming limited editions too. Unless they actually make them super limited (less than 500 cars).

Yes, there is a bigger market for luxury cars today, but it's also much more volatile when it comes to demand. The new customer base Ferrari is now focusing on could disappear overnight due to changing trends and rapid shifts in the market. Young people are way more sensitive towards trends. What if the trend of tomorrow is to flex their money with something else than a car? And before people call me "old" with a mind stucked in the past, I can say that I am 28 years of age myself.

The 296 VS might see some high asking prices during its first year on the secondary market. But what about later on? There aren’t many SF90 XX cars for sale, and most of the ones that are available remain unsold, or am I wrong? I only know of one XX Stradale that actually sold. Yes, it did sell for an insane premium, but honestly, I have a bad feeling that whoever buys these cars at a premium is going to get their feelings hurt when they try to flip them a few years down the line.

Also, keep in mind that starting next year, the noise limit for cars will be reduced to 68 dB. I know for sure that I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on an "exclusive" car that's quieter than my dishwasher. And if young rich people find that "lame and boring", I bet they’ll quickly find something else to spend their money on. Ferrari will probably always sell the cars they make, but their future clients should prepare for an increase in depreciation, as I believe there will be less demand on the secondary market.

PS: Some comments here mentions the Purosangue selling over retail. Selling? All I see is unsold cars. And there's quite a few of them for sale. Maybe the asking price is too much?