200k car and a bunch of guys celebrating their work - far from a race team with F1 technology applied. This is their first generation - given Cadillac is opening a 400,000 sf plant and running F1, things are changing, Ford GT with Treynor who we all know him and his wife are talented - is braking every track record on a NA Ford - we are talking about a seriously talented and no spending limit heavily invested in Ferrari's whose choice is a Ford GT to break every record at every track he visits - with a Ford. Ford and GM are seeing their targets and they are hitting them dead center. Love Ferrari but there is a massive difference between US factories and bespoke Italian factory who's offering a very different elite experience. Ford vs Ferrari 2.0
Tariff premium adjustment? https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/ferrari-has-scope-trim-us-premium-after-eu-tariff-deal-2025-07-31/
Yet Ferrari sells everything it can make for more profit per car than any of the makers whose cars are on the top 10. There is a message in that: A Ferrari is so much more than a Nurburgring lap time and people who buy them clearly don’t care. Also not sure what the big deal is with the Corvette time. The AMG GT Black series is faster around the ring and so is the 992 GT3 RS. Both with a lot less power…
Unfortunately, the tables have turned. Ferrari isn’t sellling every car they make anymore. SF90s and 296s are for sale everywhere preowned and new and for huge discounts.
and the other lesson is... Ferrari is more focused on being a luxury brand vs building world beating cars, winning in F1....etc. A majority of new Ferrari buyers are buying for non-traditional car enthusiast reasons. It wasn't always that way. As far as ring times go, I think you meant GT2 RS not 3. The ZR1X was quicker vs the 3. And yet, no Ferraris until you get to 18 on the fastest list (a 296 GTB!). Clearly, IF Ferrari wanted to set record ring times, they could.
Not picking a side here for the argument sake but, I am seeing it everywhere right now that there are thousands of NEW ZO6's sitting on the lots and dealers can't get rid of them. Yes we are talking ZR1 but it's still corvette. It begs the question of everyone on the forums who complains that the manufacturer isn't making "the right car" for us. Everyone says they want a N/A V8 that screams and it would sell like crazy, well... In the first couple years it did but it has worn off and now "something better" has come out and everyone shifts their focus away from it. Nobody seems to even care about the ZO6 anymore. They made a corvette that "everyone would want", it had the engine and was affordable and now 2 years later imo, nobody seems to care about it. There may be other factors like quality or reliability or they made too many at stake but everyone these days likes to focus on what engine is in it. They gave us the engine everyone has been asking for and a short time later it all wore off. It does make me wonder what would happen in today's world if Ferrari put out an N/A V8 how it would do after a couple years, of course it would be "sold out" but considering what that term means today show me what deliveries actually are. It may be apples to oranges but trying to find a correlation to a manufacturer putting out a car that everyone is asking for and it not selling well like we have talked about before on this thread. Again I don't really have a side but all this talk about corvettes recently sparked the thoughts. If the 296 M somehow came with an N/A V8, how would it do? Some people may like the traditional Ferrari engine but not the "untraditional look" of a modern Ferrari. In a world of chasing speed records, it would be significantly slower than the 296 so how would that affect it? They could put turbos on it again to compete with ZR1 numbers but that affects the sound and frankly I am not the biggest fan of the 488/F8 exhaust. I really want to see the Speciale be a home run for Ferrari, I agree it is pushing the limits of the price tag but that shouldn't shock anyone. I did not care for the 296 platform for awhile until I got to experience it a few times and then get real seat time in it. Once I did, I have fallen in love with it. No car is perfect these days and everyone has their own opinion and things they like and don't like. For what we have been given with the 296 platform, I am extremely excited for the Speciale and hope it lives up to my our expectations.
Z06 is an amazing car. Resale be damned. I’ll drive mine for a decade. I guess same with 296. Porsche secondary market is only sure bet at the moment. But for how long?
The Z06 starts under $130K new. Sure, they built too many—typical GM—but that just means a whole new generation gets access to a true exotic sports car experience. These cars are driven, tracked, abused... and loved for it. Car breaks, GM dealers everywhere. Low miles? not a thing...a few rock chips, all the better. Is Corvette stealing Ferrari buyers? Doubtful. Ferrari buyers, for the most part, aren’t car nerds anymore. But Porsche, McLaren, Lambo? Absolutely. And when the Z06 and upcoming ZR1/X prove themselves as reliable, track-dominating weapons, that migration will accelerate. Track rats don’t care about brand—they care about lap times, reliability, and seat-of-the-pants performance. Expect the ZR1 and ZR1X to land around $200K–$250K. Hypercar performance for Boxster money. Now stack that up against Ferrari’s pricing—296 Speciales in the mid-$600Ks? Ferrari still sells the dream, no doubt. But it’s no longer the benchmark for performance. The old line—“Corvettes are great for the money, but…”—is dead. These new GM machines are world-class, period. Interior, exterior, suspension, build quality—this isn’t 2004 anymore. (I owned an '04 Z06, so I get it—those interiors were tragic.) The truth? Ferrari has tapped out on earning the enthusiast. It’s a fashion brand now, selling image and exclusivity more than driving passion. I still fantasize about Ferrari building a sub-$400K, mid-engine, V8 (or hybrid V6) manual—small, raw, lightweight. No clutter. Just soul. But that’s not where they’re going. And for the record—I own a 296 GTS and a 718 Spyder RS. So yeah, I’m objective.
From some reports about the F80, it seems Ferrari is still able to set performance benchmarks; but they reserve that for their multi-millions, ultra exclusive cars.
@09Scuderia In your opinion would a move from a 296 GTB to a ZR1 (in a couple of years be a downgrade or more a lateral move? On paper and the vids the ZR1 looks amazing specially with the upcoming 2026 interior upgrades.
I wonder if this is a good thing in the long run. When you see people backing out of cars they ordered, they either lose the deposit, are black listed, or both. I am sure there are exceptions but isn't this in general what happens? If so, the 296/SF90 depreciation may have worked to flush the flippers down the dealer's lists and moved up the enthusiasts who would take delivery for the car they ordered, whether or not the secondary market is currently unfavorable.
It would be a downgrade. A Corvette is still a Corvette. The performance between the two are similar unless you are a track junky. If you look at fastest laps, the 296 GTB even outperforms the ZR1 in a few metrics. The ZR1 is a very capable car but it visually there isn't that much of a separation from the base model for most enthusiasts appetites'. I have both a ZR1 and a ZR1x (Zora) on order from 2 years ago. Waiting for my allocation. Won't be getting rid of my 296GTB AF. I don't see myself getting rid of my 296 for the foreseeable future. I also don't intend of paying $100k premium for the ZR1 either. There are no limits on ZR1 builds. If there is demand they will build as many as needed to satisfy and probably then some. The biggest appeal to the ZR1 is they tuned much of the the lag out bringing it's instant acceleration closer to a Hybrid without the battery concerns later down the road.
I'm planning to add a ZR1—maybe even the X. And frankly, I don’t expect markups to last long on these cars. A Ferrari will always be a lifetime benchmark—an achievement few things can match. Especially when you’ve earned the right to spec a brand-new one exactly how you want it. But here’s the real question: What’s that actually worth when Ferrari is no longer the clear performance leader? Set aside the brand prestige for a moment (yes, I know—that's nearly impossible), and take a hard look at the 296 Speciale. On paper, it's a direct competitor to the ZR1. But is it really $400,000 better? Now, the Zr1X with AWS and 1250HP...for less than $300k. Its wild. Do yourself a favor and spend time inspecting a ZR1 in person. (We went to the actual factory last month and picked over many just completed Z06s and 1 ZR!. I assure you that I am a picky mo-fo) Look at the panel fitment. Check the paintwork. Sit inside and experience the cabin quality. Compare the user interface, the displays, and the real-world functionality side-by-side with a modern Ferrari. If you’re brutally objective, you’ll find yourself asking: why exactly is the Ferrari priced so far above? And here's the kicker—modern Ferraris do depreciate now. The old justification that “it won’t lose money” no longer holds water. I’ve seen a ZR1 in the wild, and it absolutely has the presence to stand toe-to-toe with any exotic. The wide body is pure muscle and menace in person. As Jason Cammisa said, Corvette has officially out-Lambo’d Lamborghini.
I have been chasing performance and thrill in cars for a while. For a long time, more power was the answer. But at the 296 level, I'm convinced we have maxed out for cars at least on the road. I think stats are no longer relevant except for maybe weight, which is why I love what mclaren is doing. They're the lightest in its class. Anyway, in my opinion we should take a page from the watch world. A corvette is like a omega or rolex. Keeps excellent time and maybe even more reliable. Ferrari and co would be like the holy trinity. Do you feel different when you wear a vacheron? Answer maybe different for each individual but I think the analogy applies. Personally I would rather wear no watch than be caught with a rolex. Not meant to offend anyone sorry.
The ZR1 is an incredible car for what it is—brutal performance, wild presence, and huge value on paper. But Ferrari lives in a different space. Once someone has experienced building their own spec, seeing it waiting in the garage, and feeling it come alive on the road, the conversation stops being about numbers, depreciation (to a certain point), or screen layouts. It’s like Hublot vs Audemars Piguet—both get noticed, but only one carries that effortless, timeless weight. That’s what the extra money buys, and it’s something you can’t measure—only feel.
Agree- Except Ferrari was never about being the benchmark in speed. In fact, they have been producing better comparatively benchmark cars than at any prior time in their history. New Ferrari buyers mostly haven’t been about driving- just look at the mileage. Of course, some of us actually drive them. The exception. My 296 has plenty of driving passion. I am always anxious to get another drive in. It’s almost an obsession. It’s that good and I have a lot of other great cars. So why don’t you have a vette and which one would you desire and why (Z06, ZR1, or ZR1X)?
I have been purchasing regular production Ferraris since 1989. They have almost always depreciated, except during COVID. They always have a short pop as they trickle in- which is just supply and demand for early ownership- not uncommon to any manufacturer of a special regulator production car.
I don’t know how blacklisting real buyers is going to help Ferrari. I own a 296GTB and an 812GTS. I have an order open on a 296GTS. When my slot comes up- if I can buy a comparable car for $100K less- why wouldn’t I cancel? Ferrari has never sold me a limited production car. I buy my cars to use and enjoy- not as a game to make money or collect paperweights. I can always buy pre-owned- lots of unused cars to pick from or I can start a new relationship at another dealer.
Sub $400K Ferrari manual transmission: That’s not where the money is and they don’t want to cheapen their brand. That’s Porsche’s market (or was).
Ferrari (and all luxury brands) are chasing the crowd that loves showing off their success. That’s never really been my style. I have sold cars because they garnered too much attention. Wearing a $$$ watch seems bizarre to me. You just make yourself a target. Rich people buy stuff to show that they are rich, wealthy people do not. There’s this great story (maybe true, maybe just legend) about how Richard Mille watches became the ultimate flex almost overnight. Supposedly, their first watch was supposed to be priced at $13,500. But someone at the ad agency screwed up and ran the ad at $135,000. Total typo. But instead of fixing it, they rolled with it. And like clockwork, the “status/ recognition crowd” lined up to buy one. It sold out in 48 hours. Just like that, the brand was born—and a $135k typo turned into a badge of success. That’s what these brands do. Ferrari, Mille, Hermes all of them—they’re selling the feeling of making it. They are feeding into peoples desire to be recognized for their success. Whether it’s a supercar or a watch that costs as much as a house, it’s a way to say, “Look at what I’ve done.” And hey, I get it. People want to celebrate their wins. Nothing wrong with that. But for me? I just want to drive. That’s the part I actually love.
I think the 296 does all of that while being an incredibly entertaining super car. Does any Ferrari not show wealth? I have an 812 GTS in dark grey. Toned down but flashy at the same time because it’s a Ferrari. I love cars because of the passion, not the status- that’s just a byproduct of their history and success. Do you own a Ferrari? Which one?
