Ferrari Celebrates 20th Anniversary in China by creating most stereotypical trim package in automotive history

If there are two things we know about the Chinese, it's that they love dragons and gold plating. This is clearly about as far as Ferrari's genius marketing people got in their thought process when planning the new Lucky Best Top Edition Ferrari, which sports gold wheels, red paint, and a custom stripe down the hood with a golden dragon motif!  The interior sports red carbon fiber trim and a gold and black number plaque with Chinese characters on it. Following on the heels of Rolls Royce's now sold-out Year of the Dragon edition, I guess Ferrari wanted a piece of the action.  I am sure all 20 cars they are making in this edition will sell out, but who cares?? This is not only one of the most uncool cars ever built by Maranello, but it flies in the face of everything the marque used to stand for. It's true they once made a just-for-export America range back when the USA was a booming export market in the 1950s and 60s. But they didn't emblazon the hood with an eagle and stars and stripes, and mount a hand tooled leather pistol holster in the center console. No, they made a car that was a subtle nod to the export market, offered bespoke bodies, and was larger and more luxuriously appointed to cater to American tastes that actually existed at the time. This Golden Dragon 458 is the exact same car as is sold anywhere. It's just tarted up with superfluous trim details using the most worn out steretypical motifs that any idiot could associate with China. I wonder if it comes with a silk embroidered dragon robe in which to drive the car... Does a gong sound when you open the door?? Regardless of how much money Ferrari will make off this farce, it's hugely embarassing for the brand. I predict that people will still be using this car as the butt of jokes for years to come. I know I will.I am really looking forward to the planned Russian edition, which will reportedly have a hand-done oil painting of a double-headed eagle gracing the headliner, a chilled vodka dispenser (with solid gold spigot!), and fitted luggage for your assault rifle.

via Autoblog

Comments

[syed]

I love how Ferrari roll!

[NSK]

"It's just tarted up with superfluous trim details..."

That's what the buyers want in what's supposedly Ferrari's fastest-growing market, and it's what Ferrari's marketing people - who, by the way, are clearly doing a lot of things right since demand for the cars has never been higher - will give those buyers.

Before you bemoan the fall of Ferrari, remember that it was Enzo who answered the question, "What is your favorite Ferrari," with "The next one." He sold road cars to finance racing.

And as long as Ferraris drive, look, and cost what we expect, the driving enthusiasts (as opposed to the posing enthusiasts) will continue to laud the cars.

[Raphael Orlove]

TAKIN MAH JURB!!

[Automobiliac]

Demand for Ferraris has more to do with the state of the global financial market and increase of wealth in the top echelon of certain nations such as China than anything Ferrari has done. I don't consider selling 20 ugly cars to be such a huge accomplishment in a country of 1.3 billion people.

[Daniel]

Great observations about the cliche sino edition Ferrari. One may cringe but it isn't the first time an Italian manufacture (or any manufacturer) has stuck some pinstripes and a plaque on the glove box in order to create a limited edition model. Alfa Romoeo GTV6 Balocco is what comes to mind for me. Still, some people do buy into the notion that because it has that plaque and the limited edition pin stripping it somehow has more value than the vanilla edition.

[Automobiliac]

The Balocco was indeed a lame trim package, but it didn't trade on shopworn ethnic stereotypes and tired traditional motifs. That is what is so dumb here.

[Daniel]

Dan Neil just wrote another brilliant article on this car and his take on the forces behind it.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702304050304577378032548853036-lMyQjAxMTAyMDAwNzEwNDcyWj.html?mod=wsj_share_email