Ferrari In-House Tuning Company

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...I was watching a few videos on AMG and the M cars today and caught myself falling in love mit das Deutsch all over again... So what if Ferrari had an in house tuning company? This is a question many would call irrelevant and I would most certainly agree with anyone who said that although just think about it for a minute.

Where Ferrari come out with special edition models from time to time, wouldn't it be a good business decision to have something by Ferrari for Ferrari that would make people second guess going to Novitec or another modifier company? The Scuderia and CS are two great examples. What if there were a 599 edition like that? Not talking about the XX programs, but a 599 SF - Scuderia Ferrari version. Lighter, more power, more exclusive.

Now, Ferrari could obviously call the line what ever they wanted to, but lets go with SF for a moment. Where BMW go Fancy is with the M cars. Imagine a 612 SF. Tweaked engine, upgraded this and that, but it would be different from the one-to-ones or HGTEs. It would allow Ferrari to avoid all of those little one-up editions and simply have the standard cars and their special editions. A program like this would most likely include a high-level of customization with more options unique to the SF editions and would give Ferrari the opportunity to try many new mechanical ideas in these special editions as seen in the XX programs. Only in this case, it would be for the street with more than 29 buyers.

Rarity would be firmly intact while giving collectors something more to look for than the next 458 track-to-street edition. It would encompass the entire range of Ferrari cars and would not exceed a set, low, number of editions. This program would allow Ferrari to take quicker steps towards newer, better technology. Imagine a 430SF. The Scuderia for instance with a double clutch. That would be the special edition. Adding new technology in an exclusive, customizable package for each road car. The XX programs would remain as it would be the highest echelon of track-to-street, customer involved development and exclusive ownership Ferrari had to offer, but would allow customers to purchase an extremely limited edition model for far below a $1.2 million price tag.

The idea is that Ferrari could keep intact the Ferrari image (ie, not having customers buy a 430 and go to Hamman or Novitec) while giving buyers an exclusive and technologically advanced edge in their new car. Eliminate the customer's desire to out-source customization when they can do it at Ferrari, by Ferrari.

This may also allow Ferrari to extend production years. Similar number of cars produced, only stretched a year or more longer to allow a higher level of R&D, which may end up earning the company more money.

This isn't a sarcasm contest mind you, so please be constructive and weigh the pros and cons of this idea. In no way do I think an in-house tuning company would hurt the company or tarnish the brand, it would only add to the lore of Ferrari and heighten exclusivity, give more time for research and development by extending the product's live-span and make any sort of after market notions irrelevant in the eyes of the buyer.


What are your thoughts?


_J

 

Exactly. We know Ferrari want to keep their buyers away from after-market tunning. You hit the nail on the head with the Tubi comment. Providing exceptional, customer specified mods for exclusive editions would only make them money and dent the business after-market companies receive.

BMW has had M from the beginning of the M1's development. And from each M car there has been a trickle-down effect into higher end models.

Ferrari could capitalize in many areas. Dissuading buyers from after-market purchases in favor of going with a factory guaranteed package "compatible" with warranties etc allowing Ferrari to expand on available products and promote interest in their product by the "wait, there's more" tease in customers thinking Ferrari is too finite in what's offered, and added exclusivity doesn't hurt either ... the list goes on.



_J

 

Well from one Woody Allen fan to another (my real name is not Leonard) that's not the angle I was going for. I don't think that BMW "need" an in house tuning company any more than Mercedes, but the point is that they allow with that extra bit of power, something a bit more exclusive. Ferrari are indeed supposed to make the best balanced performance cars on the market; however, I believe that adding an in house tuning company would earn them more money as well as limit (not make Novitec disappear) the amount of people that would chose to go to an outside tunning firm. Each special edition Ferrari would be that much more exclusive as well as provide that added performance a limited edition model should supply. It would make the purists feel a little better about the whole thing as one could chose from different Ferrari performance exhausts and special edition racing seats etc etc....

To be honest, by stretching each car's lifespan, this would make Ferrari even more exclusive and even more performance oriented.


_J

 

Jim's P4/5 was designed exclusively through Pininfarina and Fioravanti did Juichiro Hiramatsu's SP1. I wouldn't say this is Ferrari's work. It's custom coach-building, which is completely different.




_J

 

I'm just saying eliminate the middle man and bring somebody like Michelotto under the same roof.

If AMG were an independent company like Brabus, Mercedes would only make fast plush sedans; however, having them under the same roof adds a little something.


_J

 

That's clearly too far over the top to even be considered ugly and not in any way what I am talking about.

Ferrari wouldn't be "improving" on perfection but adding their mechanical know-how in added package form to buyers interested in the Programme. And no damned body-kits!



_J