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Ferrari has denied it has fallen victim to the global economic crisis, even though it plans to shed up to 10 per cent of its workforce this week.

Global sales at the Italian supercar maker have dived from almost 600 a month to just 92 cars in November and Ferrari is now negotiating with Italy’s trade unions to trim unwanted road-car production staff.

The company has admitted it could shed up to 300 employees as early as this Friday.

Ferrari will also shut its Maranello prod...Read the full article

I'm sure Fiat will bankroll them for a few years.  The California will take whatever sales there are in that mad market.   It's no surprise really - Ferrari suffering in this kind of climate.

Hardly surprising really, considering their customer base.

What never ceases to amaze me is the BS (sorry, spin) that these companies come out with.  Yes I can see it is down to them not wanting worry their existing customers, but lets face it we all know its rubbish out there at the moment.

I would love it for once for a company to come out and say....

"It's crap out there, so we are having to lay people off.  You want us to ride this out, that's what we have to do!" 

Well if they are really struggling I guess I can go out of my way to lend them a hand and take one of their 599s off their hands for five grand. Just to help to them out you understand.

TegTypeR:

What never ceases to amaze me is the BS (sorry, spin) that these companies come out with. 

Totally agree. Its the same for everyone out there yet certain companies refuse to admit that they are suffering, like some sort of macho pride. Audi reckon their sales have actually increased so far this year compared with 2007. Really? Lots of pre-registering i suspect. BMW and Merc have suffered massively.

I wonder how Lambo is getting on. They only produce around a third of Ferrari's output.

TegTypeR:

..I would love it for once for a company to come out and say....

"It's crap out there, so we are having to lay people off.  You want us to ride this out, that's what we have to do!" 

To be fair, BMW have said pretty much exactly that when they said they current economic crisis is the worst they have experienced.

I think we will see even more "limited edition" 612 Scagliettis and 599GTB's (a 599GT targa?) in the next few months. Ferrari has made about half a dozen special edition 612 Scagliettis so far (not including country-specific editions). The idea of limited edition Ferrari has long been forgotten.

I think Ferrari needs to freshen up the V12 models as soon as possible with goodies such as the double-clutch gearbox.

This could actually be a good wake-up call for Ferrari.

It also makes me wonder how Aston Martin and Lamborghini are doing these days.

Chunkster:

It also makes me wonder how Aston Martin and Lamborghini are doing these days.

Well Aston's sales were down 72.54% YoY in November. They only sold 39 cars in November compared to 142 the year before.

 

It doesn't look good.  Fiat must be doing ok with the well thought out, economical range they have.  In a way Ferrari/Maserati are in the strongest position of the supercar makers what with the mayhem at VAG/Porsche/Lamborghini (Compounded by the insane white elephant of the Panamera).  Maybe Bez's strategy at Aston of one off, madly expensive, cars is the only way he thinks the company can make it through this. Like Bentley the normal cars are mostly bought on tick - ain't much of that about these days.

Clearly, there is a significant sea change the Ferrari world now.   In the past, my company (Ricambi America, http://www.ricambiamerica.com) sold the majority of our genuine, original Ferrari parts to customers with 328, 348, 355, and 360's.    From the perspective of parts, those are certainly not the most contemporary cars.

Since the beginning of this meltdown, we see a huge number of 430, 575, 599, and 612 customers -- in addition to a larger number of 360 customers who are choosing to service their cars outside the main service centre, and perhaps even in their own garage.  We can only assume this is a pure cost-cutting measure because generally the 'new' cars (even those just outside their 2-year warranty) would have been sent to the selling dealership for service.  Now, they're coming to us for parts. 

The extended factory shutdown in December certainly does not make things easy, as we're trying to stock up now, before the closure.  Maybe it will cause Ferrari to rethink the California concept and 'mass production'.

 

 

 

Hey....I like your cookie warning page!.....very good!!

If they bring out lots of specials I think that is a good thing, to have lots of different variations on Ferrari models; it may bring in different innovations?

I must admit I really like the California and like the overall concept; maybe it will inspire them more i.e. some further higher volumes units?.....maybe something like a Lotus Elise type (maybe not quite as cost effective) but something that could head up a higher volume all electric unit perhaps.......knows whos??!!!.....they could twin it with a track day (world wide) series?........that could be really cool!

 

Why don't Ferrari just cut prices?  I agree that manufacturers should just say what they mean.  It's tough times for everyone.  Look at what's happening in America.  Ferrari will no doubt ride this one out like they rode out the recession of the early 1990s and look what they were selling then compared to today's offerings.  More special editions should be enticing for those who want something more than a production Ferrari, which is all the company produced for many a year.