The ominous future of exotic cars | FerrariChat

The ominous future of exotic cars

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by warrenn, Oct 9, 2005.

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  1. warrenn

    warrenn Formula Junior

    Mar 12, 2004
    388
    LA for now,NJ really
    #1 warrenn, Oct 9, 2005
    1) Gas prices -how are they affecting the exotic car market? According to recent articles, SUV sales are way down. Yes, SUVs do not cater to the money is no object crowd but as we all know not all exotics are owned by the ultra rich. Will we see a drop in exotic car sales due to higher gas prices?

    2) Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the discrepancy between the normal car and the exotic car used to be a lot greater back when I was in my teens. For instance the only way you could get a vehicle with as many horses as a f- or a lambo was, well, to buy a f- or a lambo. Today a honda civic can snap on a turbo or super, add some nitrous and be faster then an exotic. If that's not enough, cars like the vette ZO6, BMW M5, Audi RS6 etc are packed with 500+ hp stock. How can exotics survive in this market? Soon they will only have the look and the name. And a vehicle is not like a watch where the name can carry it's 1000% markup over other vehicles... or am I wrong about that? I'm hoping that there is more hope for the future of exotics and that F- and Lambo will not have to rely on exclusivity alone for its sales.
     
  2. seinfeld

    seinfeld Formula Junior

    Jul 6, 2004
    748
    Diamond Bar/Cali
    Full Name:
    Gary
    #2 seinfeld, Oct 9, 2005
    no need for the gas worries....we have alternative power sources...all we got to do is harness it into 4 wheels (if not two) and make it. We can Adapt to any situation.

    -Windpower
    -Hydrogen
    -Electric (besides venturi)
    -Fuelcell
    -Cornoil

    Can you imagine driving a super car powered by cornoil?...at least your competitors left behind can have a wiff of popcorn...

    Again, this IS out there...it just takes time to R&D it...manufacture, test, retest,
    approval papers, etc...its an all too long process....just like the Bugatti Veyron.

    But it will be worth it :)
     
  3. DGS

    DGS Six Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    May 27, 2003
    60,651
    MidTN
    Full Name:
    DGS
    #3 DGS, Oct 9, 2005
    I can just see it now: The V8 vs V12 debate replaced by cutter vs yawl rigged Ferraris. ;)
    One mast or two? (Well, that's really just one and a half masts ...) :p
    (But then, we've already had a lot of half mast'd debates ... :D)
    (... and I don't want to hear about the mast debating jokes ...)
    See what happens when you stay up late for the Japanese GP?
     
  4. 007

    007 Guest

    Feb 18, 2003
    289
    Scottsdale&LasVegas
    Full Name:
    Brad
    #4 007, Oct 9, 2005
    IMHO, Gas prices will not matter to exotic car sales. But the second point is very interesting. It is true that the price/performance gap between all cars is narrowing each year. I think the big names in exotics will always have a place, due to history and racing. The inefficient dealer networks of the "exotic" brands may be the weak link that drives some exotics off the market. Example, an '06 MB SL65 for $ 180,000, with 600hp/700lb/ft Tq supported by a large service, dealer and marketing system. Versus a waiting list for a F430 and prices soaring above sticker for years, then the new owners find quality control problems, a widely spaced dealer service network that offers wildly varing degrees of customer service. My point being is that after the "exoticness" wears off, and there are other car available with same or better performance for equal $. So what is the marque worth, well I and others here are die hard folks and we'll put up with a lot to be a part of the manufacturers we love, but a guy with alot of cash who has no particular devotion to a brand will want the quality control and customer service or he will go elsewhere. Well, just my .02.
     
  5. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    24,977
    Las Vegas, NV
    Full Name:
    Ryan Alexander
    #5 ryalex, Oct 9, 2005
    I don't know when you were a teen, this premise is incorrect. In the 60's/70's, many American muscle cars either came with or were tuned to have more power than Ferraris or Lambos.

    Now, I suspect you were a teen in the 80's lull of American cars, and the Europeans and Brits were the only ones that seemed to be pursuing super high performance. The nineties rolled around and with the ZR-1 and the Viper, the American companies got serious about being the fastest again.
     

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