High End Automobile Food Chain......

You know, back in the day, I was driving with a friend who was in his Gallardo. I was in my Ferrari. We were driving in a town in Wisconsin of about 3,000 people and stopped at a light. High school kids (guys/girls) pulled up next to us. They didn't even look at my car and were snapping pics of his. I laughed about it with him after that, "The food chain was pretty clear there at that light. In Dodgeville, WI only a Lamborghini could make a Ferrari disappear."

So, in thinking about that I thought I would put down my "food chain" and see what you all thought. Of course I am looking at overall marque, not the one-offs (like the Enzo, Reventon, CGT, etc.)

Here's mine:
McClaren F1, Zonda, Koenigsegg (co-#1)
Bugatti
Rolls Royce
Bentley
Lamborghini
Ferrari
Aston Martin
Maserati
Lotus
Porsche
Jaguar
Mercedes
Lexus
BMW

 

Gotta disagree on the Rolls and Bentley placements. Those things (especially the Continental) are common enough to not even make waves anymore. They're somewhere below the Aston

 

Interasting idea. The "food chain" really depends on who's "eating".
I think you are right when dealing with kids who need "flash" and really have no depth or if you are dealing only in new cars.
For instance most old Ferrari's trump almost all Lamborgini's. Very few cars drop faster in desire and value as a RR. except maybe Maserati and the only Maserati's that seem to be above the average Porsche is new or over Thirty years old. Jags, E-type and older trump any new Jag. and move up past alot of other cars.

 

What were the colors of the Lamborghini and Ferrari? If the Lamborgini was yellow, orange or luminous green compared to a silver or blue Ferrari, the Lamborgini would be alot more visible. I drive a gray Ferrai and rarey anybody notices it which is fine with me.

 

What. No Spyker?

 

Where does the Amphicar fit in the hierarchy? It may not have the flash of a newer Lambo or Ferrari, but it's got 'em both beat when the road ends at the the water's edge, unless....

 

I don't think you can compare marques without comparing cars of the same model year. Of course a new Gallardo will get more looks than, say, a 355. Unless we are talking vintage, it's only logical that newer cars get more looks. Cars are designed for immediate audiences, not future ones. I don't think an older Ferrari would ever outshine a new exotic. Those highschool kids probably see Gallardos on TV all the time, but I highly doubt they've seen a 355 in the last 10 years. People can tell new cars from old cars from vintage cars. New cars just have an appeal to them, regardless of how rare or good looking the older one is.

 

Precisely why Lambo paints in Cartoon-Day-Glo-Lifesaver-Crayola-Froot-Loop colors.

 

I would take Lotus off that list


Antony

 

Pretty subjective, but I'd leave the boutique cars off the list. How many Zondas, McLarens, etc., do you ever see? Most people probably think they're kit cars. I'd also forget about Panoz and TVR -- basically not enough of them to mean anything.

For modern-era cars, I'd tweak it as follows:

Ferrari
Lamborghini
Aston Martin
Bentley
Rolls Royce
Maserati
Lotus
Porsche
Mercedes
BMW
Jaguar
Lexus

The big issue with Rolls/Bentley is that depreciation on those is mindblowing. There are decades' worth of old Rolls and Bentleys around that are basically like the Ferrari 400 series -- they cost more to fix than they're worth. Also, there are decades of dowdy-looking cars. Park a Bentley Brooklands next to a Ferrari 575M, and I think the Ferrari gets all the stares and the love.

Ferrari's on top. It's still the blueblood of exotics, and one that seems to impress the hell out of everyone. Lambo's are rarer, but have a sort of bad-boy/drug dealer image. The Miura is automotive royalty. After that, Lamborghini can't really compete with the GTOs, Daytonas, F40s, etc. Even the 360s have cachet -- you can tell it's something exotic when you look at it. There's also a purity to the Ferrari marque, in that its only corporate ownership change of any note (Fiat, in 1969) was a benign one. If you look at all the other ones higher on your list - Rolls (BMW), Bentley (VW), Lambo (Chrysler, then Audi), Aston Martin (Ford, now Tata), Lotus (Proton), Maserati (need a scorecard...) - they have muddled pedigrees. It's big deal to me: when you turn the key in a Ferrari, a Ferrari engine roars to life. Everything else has a bunch of footnotes.

Aston hurt itself with the DB7, which is appallingly mass market. Still a legendary name, although being part of Ford didn't help.

Maserati is coming back nicely. A spider version of the Gran Turismo coupe would put it back in the top tier.

Lotus stays on my list because they're RARE. Yes, even the Elise. Only a real gearhead even thinks to shop for one of these. And the Esprit sold maybe a few hundred copies a year here -- RARE RARE RARE. It's all glued together out of aluminum bits and runs a track like nobody's business -- the 2008 equivalent of the 1950s Porsche Speedster and Jag XK-SS.

Jag has fallen because its flagship car is available at 50% off in practically new condition. And it's a retirement home car. Legendary name, destroyed by platform sharing and the bean counters.

Merc has an edge over BMW in design, and the BMW 3 series is literally everywhere -- and it no longer looks good.

Lexus is still a Toyota, albeit a nicely appointed one.

 

This is a thread that is going to get a lot of interesting responses......

I (think), I understand the premise of the question.

Yet the problem remains....the 80/20 rule

80% percieve lambo as more "X" than Ferrari...right or wrong. Or Ferrari more "X" than Lambo, BMW, or Porsche or Corvette...or...right or wrong. I can't even spell Koinegse-ill-ggila...etc and I consider myself as a fairly educated car enthusiast.

Overall, I'd give my left nut for a 65' DB5 in lieu of the 308 or any Ferrari.... and where I live a DB5 wouldn't turn anyones head (which is not what I am looking to do)....yet while driving a 28 year old 308, I get camera phones and stalkers..... It comes down to education.

The original question is on some level is two fold.

1. Percieved food chain by the 80% of the world which is uninformed car wise
2. Actual food chain proposed by car crazy people who actually know a little about cars.

My view on car food chains is based on racing (F-1, Sports cars, LeMans, endurance racing, Indy etc) and I'm no where near the automotive historian that most are here....

As such Lambo is at the bottom of the barrel....barely making the list.

Racing/heritage wise....

Ferrari
Lotus
Lola
A/m
Maser
Shelby
Bug
Bentley
Cunningham
etc.

Pop Culture has made Lambo a "high-end" name. Fine......they produce a quality, high end exclusive product, but did they ever achieve any milestones in motorsport history?

Did Lambo ever win an F-1 WDC? Constructors Title? LeMans?

Lambo is the equal of Anna Kournikova. Everyone knows AK (won nothing), yet few remeber Chris Everrt-Llyod who was a champion many times over.

JMHO

 

CORRECTION: Jag is now owned by Tata. Aston is once again independent.

 

Anna Kournikova's OK.

I agree, though, the motorsports aspect has to factor in to sports cars. That's why I have a lot of respect for Ferrari, Lotus and, frankly, Porsche, although Porsche makes too many cars (and SUVs) to really be considered exotic.

Much as some of the others are impressively rare (Zonda, for example), they're kind of an automotive non-sequitur -- no grainy old racing films with Zondas in them, no bloodline.

 

The last two responses were exactly what I was looking for. I am interested in seeing others lists. Love the comments. All pretty correct too!!

Yeah, the Spyker. I thought about it but didn't add it. Same with the Vector. My friend has one but it is SO rare too.

 

You know, I think Porsche has won more overall races than any car. I was wondering if that would alter people's view on it....

 

How come people consistently poke fun at Koenigsegg's "long" name? It's got fewer letters and syllables than "Lamborghini."

 

My list... (I wouldn't call it a food chain, more like a ranked list)

Tier 1:
McLaren (F1, not SLR)
Koenigsegg
Zonda
Bugatti


Tier 2:
Rolls Royce
Ferrari
Lamborghini
Aston Martin
Spyker
Bentley


Tier 3:
Maserati
Porsche
Lotus


Tier 4:
Mercedes
Jaguar
BMW
Lexus

 

Interesting thread. Bullfighter, i disagree about your comments regarding the DB7. Far from hurting the company, it saved it from sinking, they were making record losses with the V8 Vantage cars they had on the market, and the six-cylinder DB7 was becoming very old. They didn't have the finances for an entirely new model at that time, Ford gave them the money they needed to develop the DB7, which ultimately saved the company. I was part of the research and development team as a development technician on that car, in their Newport-Pagnell r&d department.

 

Wouldn't this very much decide on where you live? If I live in Monaco and see 399 Enzos a day, you think I'm going to put it in the top 5? Anyways, heres my list. I'm using the same format of the guy above

Tier 1:
Bugatti
Zonda
McLaren
Koenigsegg

Tier 2:
Rolls Royce
Ferrari/Lambo
Aston Martin


Tier 3:
Maserati
Bentley

Tier 4:
Lotus
Porsche
BMW
Lexus

IMO, Porsche is near the bottom because they're not so much sports cars to me, unless your looking at the RS' and the CGT. Too many cars to even come close to getting high on the list.

Andy

 

In the southern US: Dale's #3
In NY: Ferrari
In LA: Lambo
Moscow: RR Phantom
Monaco: Zonda
London: McLaren F1
Sicily: 0846
Bahrain: P 4/5

 

You are all wrong if you are trying to impress those kids in "Dodgeville,Wisconsin".
Pull up in a Plymouth Prowler or Hummer H1 and no one would even glance at your Lambo or the Ferrari......

 

From my travels ive noticed the following....

Canada: Ferrari
NY and North East: Ferrari
South East : Lamborghini
Italy : Ferrari

Overall Ferrari edges Lambo. Sure, some Lambos will get you all the looks, but most people have a huge respect for the Ferrari brand.

 

actually this is about perfect in my opinion of course moving cars like the enzo, reventon, f40, and f50, into the first tier. and actually moving the rolls and bently down to tier 3.

 

It depends on the model. The reason Lambos get looks is the paint. I'm sure in the heart of some of the larger cities, that color gets you a lot of attention. However, doesn't mean it's a superior car. Resale tells it all: Lambos have some resale, RRs have done, and you pay MSRP for a 3 year old Ferrari. Says it all.

Art

 

you guys forgot the very top of the food chain. I kid you not, i've got a ferrari and a diablo roadster, and this thing gets just as much, if not more attention. so, i think it is really model and color specific. Hell, 90% of the people that ask me about one of my cars don't know the make.
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