Ferrari World and Ferrari Stores et al

can all of these threads just be mrged into one mega giganormous thread...maybe even just start it's own section altogether on the board?

 

I'm more puzzled why the 458 was brought up into this?

 

Yes it does cheapen the brand. Esp with some of the products they are licensing themselves to (Anti Virus??? Weather Station??? Ski Boots??)..but Merchandising makes more money than selling cars so i dont think LDM will stop. He likes his fat check at the end of the year like anyone else.

 

The Ferrari stores do seem a bit tacky and unnecessary....kind of reminds me of the Walt Disney stores full of the Made in China costumes and toys; its not about the fairy tale anymore...

It still boggles me why the Ferrari world theme park is in Abu Dhabi, and not Italy.

The next logical step in the business, is to move the Ferrari factory production to Taiwan.

 

Interesting to note that Lambo says China is an larger market for them than the US.

Not sure about moving the factory to Taiwan but moving it to China might make sense...

 

If that happens, I hope that they would still care enough about maintaining the true Italian/Ferrari character to ship the cars back to Maranello for the final touch where the imperfections could still be installed by hand !

Mike

 

You could make the point that others have done this as well - Porsche, Corvette, Harley-Davidson are a few that come to mind.

 

Do you know who shops in Ferrari stores? Is it owners? Hardly.

It's fans. Fans buy this stuff. Fans who will never own a car but love the marque, the team, and what it stands for.

I suppose the NY Yankees should not have a concessionaire stand because it "cheapens the brand" too.

After all, if you wear a Yankee hat and Jersey and don't play on the field, you're just another poser, right?

Bobble heads...for 15 bucks! Darn you Yankee management for being so greedy!

The only reason this stuff exists is because... people want it.

 

OKay...okay....I'll admit, I BOUGHT those ski boots, but mine were pretty old and how else can i keep up with Napolis, on the steep runs????

My skis remain three decades old....PREs were hand made in Squaw Valley....by woodland elves the legend goes....

First Ferrari branded clothes I have purchased in along time....

 

I have the Indy 500
bobbleheads too.....looked for them for years....expensive.....AJ Foyt and two other guys....

 

Yes, I have shopped at a Ferrari store for years because I am a fan of the marque. Just because I bought a Ferrari doesn't make me not want to buy the apparel in a Ferrari Store.

 

A Chinese production site wouldn't happen....Its too easy for the Chinese contractors to copy and reproduce many of the production technology for their own gain.

The Taiwanese on the other hand would be more of a strategic ally, and value the foreign investment more seriously.

Although I was only joking with my comment, I could very well see a 2nd Ferrari Factory in China built in order to service the rising Asian customer base.

 

They already source parts from China based on a reputable source.

 

Ferrari's made in China..... Now that's funny....

 

Sadly, they will merge soon enough.

 

Ferrari brand merchandise broadens brand exposure and so in an important marketing sense enhances the marque. In addition the income supports the marque and the cash flow evens out fluctuations in car sales.
It would be great if there were fewer tacky trinkets but in today's commercial paradigm they're a fact of life.

 

Thats been known for a while. Many parts in a Ferrari are sourced from across the globe. I would assume many switches, servos, radio components and engine parts are made in China. Some of the body panels and other engine components are from Poland.

FYI Recaro, the legendary manufacturer of all Ferrari seats is now an American owned company.

We were all laughing 10 years ago when someone said Ferrari would be owned by the Arabs one day. You may have the last laugh soon enough....

 

That statement says alot about you....

I shopped at Ferrari stores long before I became an owner.
I am a fan of the marque just as bdelp pointed out plus my wife would bring me things when she traveled abroad for work and would see a Ferrari store.
When we went to Italy last year and toured the factory, the whole damn town was a Ferrari store and I enjoyed it.
Just because I bought a Ferrari doesn't make me stop buying Ferrari merchandise and supporting the team as well as the company as I have always done.
If that makes us commoners with poor taste, so be it.

 

You may just see a Maserati SUV rolling out of a Detroit factory before too long, with a Ferrari engine in it...

 

Fine, so long as all the replica watches also get rolled into it.

 

+100

 

I dunno; I rather like branded swag. I'm hoping to get one of the "P4/5 Competitizione," hats when they go on sale, and I'll definitely never own one of those!

That said, the only Ferrari swag that I have is the hat and keychain I cadged off the dealer when I picked up my car, and a huge cigar ashtray that my friend gave me for Xmas.

Edit: oops, forgot the Ferrari Panerai (as I put it on to head out for the day.)

 

Gentlemen, easy now.

I agree with some of the OPs initial points. However, my major concern lies not with the merchandising of the Ferrari name, but with the merchandising of inferior quality Ferrari-branded items. By way of example, back in the mid-1990s a company named "Nice Man" in England manufactured Ferrari branded clothing. The quality of this clothing was impeccable. Now, have any of you purchased any clothing from the Ferrari Store recently? Not good.

 

I remember "Nice man".....