Fiat to Spin off Ferrari

Anti-trust law applies to luxury goods?

 

Why wouldn't they?

Ferrari and Lamborghini may dominate a market sector but is that sector big enough to matter?

Not that bureaucrats need a reason.

 

VW with 10% will have an impact on decision-making?

 

I don't see Ferrari going to an established automaker. If it's taken over it will be by a hedge fund or some other group looking to repackage the brand and sell it on.

 

It's possible that Piero Ferrari would also sell his 10%?

 

You'd hope not but if the company stopped being "Ferrari" it might be the hard, best choice.

Of course there is the possibility the he, Luca, some of the Arab investors and possibly a Fiat family member might pool their monies and make a bid.

 

No it wouldn't.

 

Ahhh. "Maximizing value." That's what BMW, MB, and porsche are going through right now. I wouldn't be surprised if SM borrowed a copy of the Porsche Playbook from VW. Within the next few years, sports cars will only represent 10-15% of porsche's sales thanks to SUVs and sedans.

 

Now it's all about the money.

 

Maserati already decide what will be their future:
in first ten months of 2013 Maserati sold 7548 cars
in first ten months of 2014 Maserati sold 26428 cars

 

Wow! Those are big numbers. What a way to dilute a brand.

 

Could they increase production through the Dino brand and offer the market a cheaper alternative as a stepping stone to the limited production Ferrari brand?

Seems any future owner could satisfy the need to increase production to find new revenue whilst not damaging the Ferrari brand and its exclusivity by reintroducing Dino platforms.

 

I doubt any regulator would buy into the hair-splitting taxonomy of "sectors" imagined by internet car geeks, nor should they. There are lots of other companies that make sports cars.

 

I like this idea personally - just because I'd like to see more people enjoy a great, mid-engined Italian car. Also, they could potentially spin another factory/line/platform and not disturb the culture at Ferrari.

Realistically though, they will probably just need a modest bump in production with all the cash they will sell from the Ferrari IPO. Better to focus on other areas of the FCA business than to upset the one firing on all cylinders.

 

Would depend on how the votes are counted. %owned does not always have an equal impact on voting rights ; )

They could sell 10% and only 1% vote, or they could sell 10% and 20% of the vote. Get's complicated.

 

Final goal for Maserati is 70.000 units per year but it will happen at least when SUV will be available in sale, they are also have plans for smaller brother of Granturismo with V6.

 

A 911 priced, Pininfarina styled new Dino seems a pretty good idea to me. I live in hope

 

You may see it as a rebadged 4C but I doubt Pininfarina will be involved. Strange times....

 

I think a big key is who winds up owning this 10% and any future sales by existing shareholders :

Institutional investors = Higher road car production, and smaller racing budgets.

Enthusiast investors = Lower production numbers and more racing.

With the Ferrari community mostly well funded, and with a high degree of acumen, if enough enthusiasts bid up the stocks at the IPO, grab future offerings from existing, and then vote for board members who favour racing, this could be quite interesting.

 

Non-voting shares wouldn't sell in the market.

But here's a new twist, reported by Autocar India, sent me by a friend. Ferrari has recently filed a patent application for a V-twin engined motorcycle. And they've also applied for a trademark on their "Cavallino" mark. When I read that I was quite surprised that it wasn't already protected.

Is Sergio thinking of a "Cavallino" motorcycle? It gets interestinger and interestinger.

 

Maserati should be chasing the volume and the SUVs of the world. This is a good idea for Maserati.

The problem for Maserati is the cars are not well made at all. To generate these sales they have had pretty aggressive lease deals in the USA. Also these sales are not to end users, but to dealers..... fun with numbers....

Ferrari should not follow the volume path.

IMHO the 10% sold to the world right now isn't the real worry.

The real worry is the fact that they will saddle Ferrari with all this debt. They can play with the proceeds now, and the bill really won't come due for several years. When does SM say he wants to leave? 2018? The bill from this won't hit until a year or two later.

This is just the same way politicians operate- they give you the goodies now- the nasty bill comes later...

 

Ferrari develops a plug-in electric car, car is not great but under their umbrella as a manufacturer. Obviously brand it as something else. It would be cheap, very cheap. Maybe made in China or Vietnam. Perhaps the easiest way is to just buy a current Chinese manufacturer.

Buyer of a new Ferrari actually buys two cars: their desired Ferrari and this glorified golf cart. Presto, one 18 mpg Ferrari and one 100 mpg car equals out to 59 mpg.

That the other car ends up donated or on Ebay the next day is immaterial, Ferrari has satisfied CAFE standards.

 

From where do you get that rubbish? I have a 2003 Spyder that is exceptionally well-made with a Ferrari-designed Ferrari-manufactured 4-cam dry-sump V-8 engine. It's similar untrue, unsupported and absurd statements that get out and are repeated and then taken as gospel. What nonsense.

 

Yep, I knew the brand was in trouble when I was at the 60th anniversary. Surrounded by an entourage and hired photographers...here comes the SUV, tv commercials, and JD Power & Ass. awards. Now I'm certain lawyers ruin everything. ***k

 

I fully agree with this. Ferrari will suffer with massive debt. This also means that there will only be little money left for future development and proper new technologies.
So sad.

Marcel Massini