Believe it or not, some of the few individuals among us that are fortunate enough to own a Ferrari may find their car a little…ordinary. Do not fret: most of these people pay for exclusivity, and having the exact same car as someone else just doesn’t make the cut for them – not even when it comes to a Ferrari.
That’s why the Italian supercar maker introduced a “tailor-made” customization program at last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show. From now on, customers can order almost anything they want from three lines named Classica, Scuderia amd Inedita.
“Being different is important for Ferrari buyers as these cars are all about status”, IHS analyst Rebecca Lindland told Bloomberg News. “It’s like showing up to a gala at the same dress: funny at first, annoying if it keeps happening.”
At the same time, the personalization program is a very nice way to create some additional revenue, increasing profits from a paltry 20 to an extravagant 60 percent. Thus, Ferrari will satisfy its customers, increase its profits and stay true to CEO Luca di Montezemolo’s promise that its annual production won’t exceed 7,000 units – all at the same time.
Di Montezemolo stands by his word even though Ferrari will reach the 7,000 mark at the end of 2011, and he will increase production to an “absolute limit” of 10,000 if waiting lists exceed an 18-month period.
Personalization programs have been employed as a handsome way to make extra money by luxury brands like Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Maybach. Now supercar makers are catching up: besides Ferrari, McLaren also launched its Special Operations division at the Pebble Beach festival.
Even mass manufacturers employ the same tactic: the Mini, Fiat 500 and Citroen DS3 are prime examples of mainstream companies trying to make an extra buck by letting buyers customize their cars.
Of course, the experience is quite different: you may be able to paint the Italian flag on your 500, but you won’t get to visit Maranello’s special Atelier where your own personal designer will help you choose and match items from a very, very long options list.
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