Mr Triple Black

Oh I have no reading comprehension problem. But you’ve said countless times that Genesis was coming for Luxury Marques. It’s not. It doing the opposite. As for Luxury brands in Europe, VW gained 2.3%, MB gained 3.3%, BMW gained 0.9%, Audi gained 3.9%, while Hyundai gained 2.6% and Kia (Hyundai brand) lost 0.1%.

As for companies not named VW/Audi, MB, or BMW, the brands actually making exponential growth are brands like Volvo with 5.9%, Porsche With 13.4%, and Lexus with 20.9%.

All this data says is that with so much more market share than Hyundai but having similar to better levels of growth, Hyundai is not disrupting any of these marques. If anyone is being a disrupter it’s Porsche and Lexus. Volvo a little. But based on the other data I saw it looks like these companies are more eating into Inifiniti sales as they fell about 50%. If you want to be intuitive about it, people are likely cross shopping Lexus and Infiniti than Porsche against these Japanese brands. That says Lexus isn’t even really disrupting the European companies, it’s disrupting other Japanese companies like Infiniti, Nissan (-18.9%), and Honda (-9.5%). When you’re continuing to be intuitive and looking at data you can also say “well BMWs models for the most part were at or near the end of their life cycles in 2019 and BMW has the new body styles on the way. Their sales will likely increase as that happens.

And while we’re at it, albeit the numbers are far smaller Ferrari sales were up 9.1% in Europe, and Lamborghini was up 29%.

So all in all Hyundai’s growth in Europe is nothing special and their luxury brand is in the trash can. Even their more economical brand Kia isn’t doing well. Bu this Korean company isn’t stealing German market share, it’s steal market share from Japanese auto manufacturers, but not nearly as well as Lexus is.

Here’s the data by the way:

• https://carsalesbase.com/european-ca...s-2019-brands/

CorvetteBrent

I have the stock polished 5-spoke wheels on my 2000 silver (pewter) supercharged C5. I love how the stock look of the car makes it a "sleeper". People at car meets are shocked when I open the hood and they see the supercharger. The look on their face is priceless! On the other hand, with my 2000 magnetic red supercharged C5, I have gone for an aggressive, more sinister look, with very dark window tint, black wrap on the roof and side pillar, and black wheels (and aggressive Borla ATAK exhaust). I think it is difficult to achieve an aggressive, and especially a sinister, look with chrome or polished wheels. This way, I was able to achieve my goal of having the "best of both worlds" with the two different looks.

Shaka

Ferrari has been designing and building tractors since 87. Produces much more revenue than the cars.

punky

Sounds like quite a pair you have there and my two favorite colors silver and possibly the best Corvette color of all time Magnetic Red.
Seems like there are lots Corvette guys and general car enthusiasts up there where you live.

Phil1098

Except they aren't related to the car company at all, BCS owns the tractor company that just happen to have the same name.

NFARVW

Ferrari doesn't build Tractors. Lamborghini does.

JerryU

^^^^
There are Ferrari Tractors BUT Enzo wasn't involved! Enzo Ferrari sold 50% of business to Fiat in 1969 since all he cared about was racing and he needed more money to accomplish his race car and team objectives. Fiat acquired 90% control about when Enzo died in 1989. They expanded the name to Tractors. You don't hear about it as it has nothing to do with sports cars. Born in 1898 Enzo's first competitive race as a driver was in 1919. Designing race cars and running his race team was his sole passion.

For a unique book about Ferrari the man, a 2018 detailed Bio by Luca Dal Monte entitled Enzo Ferrari: Power Politics and the Making of an Automobile Empire is great. It is over 900 pages and every charter has 40+ refences, from newspapers in Enzo early years, and many interviews. I have a number of Ferrari books but this is by far the best. Great read if you have the time while being partly house bound! You'll learn how he managed the politics of Alfa as well as the Italian government, including during WWII! Some say he "used Ford" to get a better price from Fiat. He was an Italian patriot and doubt he would have sold the company to Ford!

Phil1098

Not sure how Fiat expanded the name to tractors since they were called Ferrari tractor since 1957 and BCS bought the company in 1988. Be pretty tough for Fiat to do anything with a name they never owned.

JerryU

^^^
Ferrari was active in WWII providing machine tools, parts etc. There was no mention of Ferrari helping Fiat make tractor's in Luca Dal Monte's biography as I recall (or other books I have.) But he was politically connected with Alfa and Fiat so could have been a tie.

Of interest, Ferrari was targeted by the partisans who killed other WWII Italian industrialists who they believed were sympathizers to the fascists. He was exonerated when it was reviled he kept a Jewish family in his factory to protect them from the *****!

After selling 1/2 the company in 1969 he and his factory remained focused on race cars.

PS: The more I search, I'm getting the impression Ferrari Tractor may have nothing to do with Enzo Ferrari. Although not like Smith, Ferrari is a somewhat common sir name! I'll keep on looking!

z06801

My favorite line from Ford vs. Ferrari
"Well if it's a Beauty contest we just just lost"
Rings true today and I love corvettes,

JerryU

My vote for best looking ME is the 1967 Ferrari 330 P4. Have several, albeit, a bit small! Although great looking it only holds 1 person, no room for anything else! All 5 of my Vettes have been DD's as will my C8 6th. Thanks GM for providing 12.6 CF of storage. Can't get that with a Ferrari, but few are DD's and many sit in the garage! Form Follows Function so IMO the C8 is beautiful!

Also have an original water color, an impressionist painting on canvas, a sleeved book and a James Allington original cutaway (one of the Shell series.)

cv67

Swap out the C8 tailights for truck headlights, welcome to the new silverado.
What a mess.

JerryU

Said I'd keep looking! Called the Used Ferrari Tractor seller in California.

As suspected, according to the used Ferrari Tractor sales owner, it is the surname of Fernando Ferrari, UNRELATED to Enzo! Lots of folks with a "Ferrari" last name all over the world!

IndyPacer

I would not have a Ferrari unless it was Ferrari RED

dar02081961

That's hilarious. My kind of humor.

Warp Factor

What was the inspiration for the tail lights on that Ferrari? Toilet paper tubes?

dannyldavis

Round Tail Lights are very classic.

NFARVW

Well, I just decided to put my 2019 McLaren 570S Track Pack up for sale at a local dealer (Track and Field Motors, Tampa, FL)

We are on the hunt for a highly optioned 458 Italia. A car that's older and slower than my current car. The trade off is gaining a car that has soul, an engine that screams, and gives you goosebumps every time you hit that start button on the steering wheel. Not to mention VERY stable pricing with little to no loss during ownership now. I've owned a Ferrari in the past and from my personal experiences, the stigma is mostly untrue. Yeah you still get some guys who only care about the valet stand, but for the most part I met hardcore drivers who tracked their cars and my local dealership was less snobby and more hospitable than the local Toyota dealership. I was completely shocked as I prepared for the worst, but alas, my experience went against everything the naysayers spewed all over forums.

My point being, there are other metrics to be measured here, and comparing a Ferrari to anything else other than a Ferrari is for the uniformed. There are better cars out there, but none that stir MY soul more, so that's all that matters. What drives YOU? For me, that beautiful Pininfarina designed body, an engine on display in the most beautiful way one could dream up, and an interior that smells like fine leather. 0-60 times be damned, I'm going back to the brand!

Pics from a recent test drive appointment, I brought some like minded friends along. It had been awhile since I drove a 458, and boy did that 9,000RPM redline FPC 4.5L V8 reel me in! Eargasm! The only thing that sounds better is a F12 Berlinetta and I'm saving that one for later in life!











Cheers fellas! I hope you all find and enjoy your dream car! I know I'm going to enjoy the hunt for the perfect spec!

Mr Triple Black

Good luck on your hunt! The 458 is truly a special car. Even by Ferrari standards that one stands out above most.

TARANTULA

NCD is going to **** a brick because of your decision.