by Wallace Wyss –
We think Ferrari is one of those sine qua non brands (“without which not..”) because they don’t pull punches when it comes to concept, design execution and just plain excitement.
And yet other brands of sports cars, like Jaguar, Porsche and even Lamborghini have beat them to market with an SUV.
None of those brands were worried about the fact they had an SUV would hurt the macho image of their sports car.
In fact, it is Porsche’s claim that the fact they sold half a million Cayennes enabled them to stay in business as a sports car maker.
Here’s why Ferrari should follow suit:
1. Lamborghini has one. Why let a smaller automaker steal a march on them?
2. Some Ferrari owners have to stop driving their regular Ferrari for 7-9 months of the year because they live in an area with snow and ice. But this would give them the Ferrari sound and performance to enjoy all winter long.
3. The Ferrari SUV can be sold in countries where the weather is not kind to two wheel drive sports cars.
4. The car can be very profitable in that the same chassis can be offered in four levels: the base car, a non turbo V8, second level up would see twin turbos, the next level up a V12 and finally a twin turbo V12, the latter at the top end of the price range.
The Ferrari SUV should look better than this Lamborghini – photo by Rebecca Fuller
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR: Wallace Wyss has worked on marketing Chevrolets, Olds, Fords, Mazdas and even Lancia. At present, he is a fine artist based on the coast.
Maybe a good place to start would be the Alfa Stelvio Quadrafoglio. Add special tuning to the Ferrari turbo V-6 for more horsepower and torque. Add unique exterior brand styling to include carbon fiber hood, fenders, hatch back to cut weight. Make the carbon buckets in the Quadrafoglio standard with some “Daytona” stitching. More carbon options with Alcantara accents. Ferrari gauges. Ferrari wheels. The best part is with the V-6 they could resurrect the Dino name. For 150K-175K we would all stand in line!
What do you think of re-employing that tactic they used before where they won’t let you buy one unless you already own a Ferrari?That would give the car a “premium” image fright from the start. And make them the official car of some official ski event in Switzerland at Gstaad…
Screw that. Anyone who wants one and can afford one should be able to buy one. Period, stop.
I hope Ferrari does not succumb to the urge to follow the herd. I like the Porsche and even the Lambo SUVs and that being said , does Ferrari need it?
As stated by Robert above they could have Alfa make their SUV. Or make one under a Bertoni or Pinin farina label? Or even name a new brand altogether like a Dino, but Ferrari?
I thought maybe they could produce a Ferrari branded Jeep if customers demand high clearance but then I thought that would just be a Ferrari seat covers and probably a plastic fake head cover to boot.
Ferrari made a business jet didn’t they? Let that be their high altitude product and keep their ground vehicles fast and close to the ground.
I produced a short video of a Ferrari morphing into a four door version and then a SUV type thing and I must say the 4 door looks okay but I can’t get a Ferrari to morph into a van or SUV that doesn’t look like a blimp on it’s first voyage and first crash. The video wouldn’t load here so I’ll post it on my Exotics on Display facebook page. Here are some stills from the video though.
and the 4 door
and blimp #1
blimp #2 with chopped roofline
UPDATE ON MECHANICALS from Automotive News: ?Purosangue, will be powered by the automaker’s naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engine.
CEO Benedetto Vigna said: “We have tested several options, it was clear that the V12, for the performance and driving experience it could provide, was the right option for the market.”
He was speaking on Wednesday after the company presented its first quarter results which showed a 12 percent rise in its core earnings as demand for its sports cars remained strong despite global political turmoil.
The choice to power the Purosangue with its most powerful engine marks a break from Ferrari’s recent strategy which had focused on less polluting V8 and V6-hybrid models, such as in the case of the recently unveiled 296 GTS.”