Ferrari to open assemply plant in USA! | FerrariChat
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Ferrari to open assemply plant in USA!

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by parkerfe, Dec 19, 2004.

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  1. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

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    #1 parkerfe, Dec 19, 2004
    Just kidding. But, with Ferrari adding Maserati to its lineup and the loss of the dollar as compared to the Euro along with the fact that the USA is its largest market I suspect that such news is only a matter of time. Just think, BMW, MB, Ferrari and Maseratis all being made in USA.
     
  2. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    #2 2000YELLOW360, Dec 19, 2004
    Frank:

    Never happen. All Ferrari factory owned dealerships have an Italian running them. Tell you something? Control, control, control.

    Art
     
  3. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

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    #3 parkerfe, Dec 19, 2004
    Money is money though, And, Luca is American educated and understands the economy of having multiple manufacturing plants, likely for Maserati to begin with.
     
  4. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #4 WILLIAM H, Dec 19, 2004
    Maybe its time for a Ferrari V6 again :)
     
  5. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

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    #5 judge4re, Dec 19, 2004
    But Luca also wants to be PM of Italy. If Ferrari or Maserati went overseas, it will never happen...
     
  6. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

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    #6 snj5, Dec 19, 2004

    Yes - it's called 'Alfa Romeo'
    :)
     
  7. ClassicFerrari

    ClassicFerrari F1 World Champ
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    #7 ClassicFerrari, Dec 19, 2004

    The day this happens is the day Ferrari dies.

    Let it stay in Italy. Nothing against the U.S but Ferrari is beautiful for what it is and of course where it is.

    Just my .02

    Vasco.R
     
  8. F SPIDER

    F SPIDER F1 Rookie
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    #8 F SPIDER, Dec 19, 2004
    If you look further back than a few years, you see that the exchange rate is back at where the dollar was 10-11 years ago. To a great extent, Ferrari is only giving up surplus profit.

    Now, if the dollar keeps slumping to, say, $2.00 per €, they will have to raise the prices considerably. If the F430 cost $230K, it will still sell. Less to the US maybe, but more to China. 4000 units per year should never be a problem.
     
  9. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

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    #9 Birdman, Dec 19, 2004
    Yes, it would save them money, but what do they care? People pay whatever price they put on their cars. They don't NEED to save money. It would cheapen their image to stop making them in Italy. It's part of the mystique. It will never happen, at least with Ferrari. Maybe Maserati.

    Birdman
     
  10. zjpj

    zjpj F1 Veteran

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    #10 zjpj, Dec 19, 2004
    Is this true?
     
  11. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

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    #11 parkerfe, Dec 19, 2004
    That's what the pundits first said about all the Japanese car companies, then Mercedes, then BMW, what company is next. Likely Saab and Jaguar to begin with, then Porsche with its' 'hot pepper truck' and so forth. Maserati will likely be before Ferrari, but a Ferrari plant in Southern Californian in 15 years is not out of the question. Just think, a Ferrari theme McDonalds across the street from the plant where you could buy a big mac with roso corsa fries and a schumie-shake.
     
  12. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

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    #12 snj5, Dec 19, 2004
    Ristorante McCavallino
     
  13. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

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    #13 Ferrari 360 CS, Dec 19, 2004

    Nothing against America and its industry but that above image of a McDonalds in front of a Ferrari factory is too gastly to contemplate.....yuk!
     
  14. Uberpower

    Uberpower Formula 3
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    #14 Uberpower, Dec 19, 2004

    Hi Art- that's an interesting theory... which dealerships are the factory owned dealerships? All the ones I've been to are franchised, and one is owned by an Italian and the other is not...
     
  15. 348SStb

    348SStb F1 Rookie
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    #15 348SStb, Dec 19, 2004
    As my Italian grandparents would say...

    gahhhhhhhhh forbit.
     
  16. 4i2fly

    4i2fly Formula 3

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    #16 4i2fly, Dec 19, 2004
    I don't think it will happen. Germans (BMW, MB) are more like Americans in their manufacturing jobs. They will put their plants where it makes more sense financially not because it makes sense politically. Italians have too much pride and are emotional people. They would rather lose money than cause job loss! I would never compare them to Germans or Japanese.
     
  17. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

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    #17 parkerfe, Dec 19, 2004
    In the past that was likely true. However, in recent times Ferrari has hired more and more non-Italians in upper management. Even a lot of the new Italian born management have been sourced from positions outside of Italy. Isn't the designer of the new F430 from Japan? A NA plant is especially likely if Ferrari ever goes public like they have recently been considering. Ferrari used to sell road cars so they could race. Ferrari now seems to race to help sell road cars.
     
  18. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    #18 FarmerDave, Dec 19, 2004
    If Ferrari really is racing solely as a means of promoting their road cars, then their racing budget rivals what Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, Honda, Toyota and Nissan spend on advertising. I was curious how the numbers compared and found this: See the bottom of the page I linked to.
    http://www.brandweek.com/brandweek/features/superbrands/automobile_01.jsp

    I don't know which drives which. But I suspect it's more like a symbiotic relationship rather than Racing driving Road cars or Vice Versa.
     
  19. kevfla

    kevfla Formula 3

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    #19 kevfla, Dec 19, 2004
    Their F-1 team run by a Frenchman and the chief engineer an Englishman!

    KevFla
     
  20. Tenney

    Tenney F1 Rookie
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    #20 Tenney, Dec 19, 2004
    Maybe they go third-world or "emerging nation" for some inexpensive (yet motivated) labor, and build a QP with a back seat for three.

    Then again, maybe they'll carry on with assembly in Italy.
     
  21. PrancingHorseFan

    PrancingHorseFan Formula Junior

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    #21 PrancingHorseFan, Dec 19, 2004
    ferraris being built in america. i dout it. i'd hate to even think about that. it would just be another car..... it just wouldnt be the same if they started building them here. and enzo would be spinning in his grave if they werent built in Italy. also i would lose a lot of respect for them.
     
  22. Perfusion

    Perfusion F1 Rookie

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    #22 Perfusion, Dec 19, 2004
    In 10-15 years, it'll be rosso corsa fries and a Kimi shake...
     
  23. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #23 Rifledriver, Dec 19, 2004
    Have you ever been to Trevi Fountain? Don't laugh.
     
  24. Gsus

    Gsus Rookie

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    #24 Gsus, Dec 19, 2004
    How long till they have VTEC?
     
  25. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #25 Rifledriver, Dec 19, 2004
    Exactly
    All Ferrari owned operations have a factory guy at the top and usually several levels below him as well. Art is right, those last three words are the corporate watch words.

    Also my prediction is that Ferrari will not own Maserati long enough for it to even be considered in long range company planning.

    Ferrari's cost to operate in Italy compared to what it would be here is very low even with the current exchange rate. They are well known for example for their low wages even by Italian standards.
     
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