Is Ferrari selling out?
In the age we live it is great to see certain companies/ brands sticking to there core beliefs, not selling out for money or commercial gain. However, I have to ask the question, is Ferrari selling out?
I grew up like so many, wanting a Lamborghini or a Ferrari. I managed this goal some years ago, and delighted I was and still am to be a Ferrari owner. However, it does grate me that in the past 35 years Ferrari has exploded with its merchandise and now Ferrari world. What next, television adverts?
It is what is I suppose! What would Enzo have thought?
In 2010 Ferrari opened Ferrari World, a Ferrari themed amusement park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The park is situated under a 200,000 square metres (2,200,000 sq ft) roof making it the largest indoor amusement park in the world. Ferrari World officially opened on November 4, 2010. The theme park is home to Formula Rossa the world’s fastest roller coaster.
Then there is the Ferrari stores, which are predominantly merchandise focused, they have 37 of these. They have one in Venice for goodness sake, you cannot even drive cars there!
Maybe its just me, but I do not hanker for merchandise, I just want to own and drive the cars.
Then there is Fiat, industry rumours suggest that they could be toying with the idea of offering Ferrari shares to the public, possibly leaving itself as little as 51 per cent.
Such a move would be risky but would generate huge amounts of cash – a recent Morgan Stanley report suggested that Ferrari is worth £2.6bn – something that Fiat could desperately do with to help reinvigorate Chrysler.
Food for thought hey! So what do you think, is Ferrari selling out or not?
Carl,
You highlight valid points, and if I ever visit Abu Dhabi, then yes I wound likely visit Ferrari world.
My point is much more than this though. I’m passionate about Ferrari and they have made some truly beautiful cars, however, some of the cars that Ferrari has released in recent years have taken it in a different direction, opened its brand to new customers (such as the Ferrari California, and the recent (horrific) Ferrari FF). I suppose this is globalisation and inevitable. I just think it is a shame. Is this what Enzo Ferrari would have wanted for his brand, maybe, but I would like to think not.
Ferrari is meant to be about racing, that’s what Enzo loved; his road cars were to fund his passion for race cars.
I’m not so sure that it’s Ferrari selling out as much as repositioning their brand to appeal to more people.
As an avid F1 fan, and part-time, Ferrari fan, after McLaren of course, I welcome the idea of Ferrari World adding some family fun to both the F1 weekend and reason for people to visit these great locations at other times of the year.
And who knows, families visiting such places, could be inspiring their kids to become racing drivers, which propels the sport and the brand further as a positive in the public eye.