Will the F430 Have a Short Production Run?

Has anyone heard that the F430 will have a very short production run? I spoke with a Ferrari source who has heard the rumor that the F430 production run might be only 2 years. Supposedly Ferrari has been working on entire new car to replace the 360 and the 430 is just a stop gap.

In one earlier thread someone mentioned that they had heard the production run would be so short that Ferrari would not offer the 430 Spider. It appears that the 430 Spider will be produced but it's still possible the entire 430 production run might stop at 2 years.

I'm not trying to start a rumor about the 430. But this is the third time I have heard about the possible short production run. Could there be some truth to this? Has anyone heard anything?

 

That wouldn't make much economic sense -- why spend loads of money on engineering and retooling when there were enough people on the waiting lists for the 360 coupe and spider to carry them through 2 more years without making any changes. I think the 430 will be here to stay for awhile.

That said, I would welcome a new Ferrari model which is lighter and smaller and sportier.

 

Ferrari is a small company and they do not build transition vehicles. If you read the various specifications of the car you will understand that this car was built for at least a 5 year run. The wait list probably will run longer.

 

They dont build transition vehicles? Then what is the 575? Just had to throw that out. Also the 430 wasnt some big R&D project. Its a Maser engine and the rest of the car isnt all that different.

 

???
575 came out in 2002 and will be here until the new one which will come out as a 2006. 4-5 years. Hardly transitional.

It's the same or more than the 328 ('86 to '89)

As for the 430, no, I haven't heard this "2 year" rumor; and the spyder idea is almost certainly false, as spyder prototypes have been seen cruising around Italy.

 

probably a similar run if not more to the 360

 

Ferrari is not the "small" company you think it is. It's ownd by Fiat as you probably know.

Their F1 budget to a major extent came from Marlboro cigarettes! And it was due to this that Ferrari altered the red to match Marlboro's color!

Here's the scary part.

GM has an option on 100% of the purchase of FIAT that they may exercise.

Can you imagine looking at the mfgr's plate in a Ferrari and seeing GM's name on it!

If the 430 is believed to have a short run, it could be tied to GM's possible take over of the company! But who really knows?

Now that should get your dander up!

 

A Ferrari source here in Sweden told me that Ferrari plans to only make 2500 cars of the F430.

 

Ferrari is not owned by Fiat motor. Your story will never pan out.

 

It is not a Maser engine, if you know 1/2 a thing about engines, look at them and you will see it is very dissimilar.

 

i SERIOUSLY doubt this short-cycle run stuff. the car is a substantial engineering investment. maybe it's not as substantial as the 355 to 360 transition, but it's WAY more substantial than the 550 to 575M.

anything is possible, but i'd bet against it in a heartbeat.

if you search the archives you can learn more about the very convoluted ownership structure of ferrari. GM isn't buying ferrari anytime soon.

GM isn't buying FIAT auto anytime soon either - but that's another story.

doody.

 

Wow, talk about rumor mill here. It certainly wouldn't make a lot of business sense to make the car a short production run. I'll bet there goal is to out sell the 360 and there are 17,000 or so of those floating around out there if I remember correctly.

 

They use the Maser block added a 180 degree crank bored it to a 4.3 and completely different heads and intake.

 

1. generally speaking, won't a bored engine have a shorter life? 2. Will this engine's long-term reliability be affected?

 

Thank you for the clarification, still qualifies as a different engine, IMO.

 

I think 4-5yrs then the next generation car???
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This will NOT be a short-run car. Remember the 550 to 575 M was a minor upgrade and it will be around for about 4-5 years still. The F430 is a huge upgrade, so I am thinking at least 5 years or so. Not to mention that the 550 came out in '97, while the 360 not until '99. Finally the 550/575 M platform based on the 456 came out in '92. The 360/F430 platform came out in '99 and for the F430 was upgraded further, so it's just to new of a design to go anywhere soon IMO.

 

Can you guy's believe they have built 17,000 360's..with more spiders still to be built? Say that out loud..SEVENTEEN THOUSAND!!..geez and that is only in a 4 1/2 year period. That is just increidable for a "small" car builder. Man these things are going to be like Corvettes soon. I know when I go out for a cruze I usually see at least one per day. And that is here in Canada. I'm sure you guys in the southern states see plenty more.

It took Ferrari 12 years to build the number of 308's they built. They have matched that number,and may pass it in only 4 years!!. I don't know about you guys..but so much for the Ferrari exclusivity and mystic.

Sorry about the hijack...just somthing I needed to say and felt it didn't need a thread of it's own.

 

Neat brake, where'd you find that picture?

 

Sorry to break it to you man, but 16,000 cars for a model is a SMALL number. They make about 45,000 Corvettes PER YEAR. And the 360 came out in '99, so that's 17,000 units for 6 years plus. Still VERY small for a car model. I also live on the eastern end of Long Island, lots of money here, and a 360 sight is still rare indeed.

 

Still a huge number for a company that is building "exotic" cars..that are supposed to be built with love and passion. Ferrari was once a car that people really didn't know about. They thought for the longest time that the 308/328 was the only car the Ferrari produced. Now it has become the most recognizable name in the world. They throw their name on any product that they think they can sell for an inflated price. This is exclusive? For a company like Ferrari..16,000 cars might aswell be a million..

 

For those who refuse to accept that Ferrari is owned by Fiat, please consult with Automobile Magazine (www.automobilemag.com) August, 2004, page 20 entitled "Ferrari Chief Takes Fiat Helm".

There are many other articles in other magazines which have given the whole story. Autoweek is one.

Ferrari is a wholly owned subsidiary of FiatSPA and so is Maserati!

Had Fiat not tken over Ferrari after Enzo's death, Ferrari would most like have gone into extinction by bankruptcy ten years ago! This takeover has definitely accounted for Ferrari's resurgence.

And this also accounts for the 430 using a punched out Maserati V8 engine!

Sorry, folks, but it is a reality!

 

You claimed that Ferrari was owned by Fiat that was going to be taken by GM. You were referring to Fiat Motor. Fiat Motor does NOT own Ferrari. The Fiat corp. does (ie Fiat SpA)

In other words, while DChrysler owns both Benz and Dodge, if Dodge is failing, and will be sold off, it does NOT mean Benz is going to be sold off as well.

Second, the engine is not the same...the block is similar. The engine from the headers to the crank is different. But does it matter? No since in fact there is no such thing as a Masi engine anymore...they are all Ferrari made.

BTW Masi is a sub of Ferrari, and not equal..ie it is not an oldsmobile caddi relationship it is more of a lexus toyota.

 

Greg, the ownership issues have been discussed here before.

Maserati is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrari. One of the selling points for purchasers early US version Maseratis (like me, for example) was Ferrari ownership of Mas and the Ferrari built engine.

Fiat's investment in Ferrari of course dates back to the 60s, long before Mr. Ferrari's death.

And, as Auraraptor says, Fiat SpA owns, in addition to other companies active in other industries, Fiat Auto (Fiat, Lancia, etc.) and, separately, the Ferrari Maserati Group.

GM and Fiat SpA entered into a somewhat complex transaction relating to Fiat Auto, NOT the Ferrari Maserati Group. The GM deal for Fiat Auto has received a fair amount of press.

All of this can easily be verified on Fiat's corporate website.

 

Actually, the rest of the car as well as the engine are significantly different from the 360. Check the threads that give the detailed briefs on all the new technology, including two international patents that are in this car. The 430 is almost to the 360 what the 360 was to the 355-- almost. Don't let the styling similarities deceive you.


Forza,


Cavallini