Think 'Ferrari' and, immediately, either the image of or the actual term 'supercar(s)' come to mind, but lately the Maranello-based automaker seems to be contemplating its role in a more varied automotive landscape. One for which, they feel, they need to evolve in order to fully express its potential.
By this point, modern-day Ferrari has made some unorthodox moves that wouldn’t have been expected no matter how far back you wind the clock. The FF, now known as the GTC4Lusso, became their first four-wheel drive car offered and was the first production car to integrate a hatchback design.
Elsewhere, the company has embraced turbocharging and hybrid-assist type electrification, relegating its naturally aspirated V12 motors to the upper-echelons of its portfolio. And soon, the company will be unveiling its first-ever, and only slightly contentious, SUV to compete with the likes of the Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne Coupe.
With the dramatic changes occurring at a frequency never before heard of from the Italian company, a unified and congruent strategy is needed for them to properly express their vision as well as quell the concerns from their valuable customers, assuring them that the pillars of the Ferrari brand remain strong while enticing newcomers into the fold.
At the forefront of all this is Enrico Galliera, its chief marketing and commercial officer. It seems like opposing goals, but he’s the man primarily in charge of making sure the wider roadmap to introduce a more diversified line-up somehow squares with its desire to retain its ultra-exclusive status. Hence, Autocar sat down with him for a chat.
Galliera says that Ferrari’s transformation lies in the introduction of new vehicles to fill new segments as opposed to focusing on developing new variants and replacements for existing models. The Purosangue, the surest name we have yet for Ferrari’s incoming SUV, is an example of this new approach and the first to embody it.
The Portofino was also mentioned; Ferrari’s newest V8 convertible picks up the baton from the California T, giving a certain type of buyer access to a car catered for them, one that is more elegant and quick but not necessarily the last word in high performance. As he puts it: “We have a saying: different Ferraris for different Ferraristas.”
Another example he gives is the SF90 Stradale, saying: “[It] is not a car that was in our product range previously. It’s a completely new car, new technology, a new segment. It is what we are calling a ‘range supercar’. It’s not a LaFerrari. But it does supercar performance - and is available to a wider range of customers.”
Ferrari has confirmed that 5 new launches are due for the 2019 stretch. So far, the F90 Tributo and SF90 have accounted for two while the remaining 3 are a mystery as we settle into the latter half of the year.
As a consequence, there’s little doubt the company will sell more vehicles this year than it did in 2018. However, the introduction of Purosangue in 2022 is projected to spike that number up by more than 50 percent on its own.
It’s also possible that the additional cars it has in the pipeline will contribute to even greater volumes, and quickly, possibly exceeding 20,000 units annually if its ambitious line-up diversification plan is as grand as it sounds. Over the next decade, it will be interesting to observe if Ferrari cars can be roughly twice as common as they were in 2018, but that fact having little to no impact on the marque’s exclusivity.
For more on Ferrari cars, check out our Showroom.
