Wednesday 13th April 2005

Ferrari to build Aston-killer

New baby Ferrari goes head-to-head with AMV8 Vantage

---

Ferrari Dino

Ferrari plans to launch a new entry-level car -- the 21st century Dino, if you like -- according to this week's Autocar. The car will be powered by a Maserati-sourced 400bhp 4.2-litre engine, mid-front mounted and driving the rear wheels through a rear axle-mounted transmission.

The engine position is similar to that in Aston Martin's 911-killer, the V8 Vantage. And given the price, the new baby Ferrari looks like being an intriguing competitor.

It'll cost some £85,000 as a coupé, and sources say that it could lift Ferrari sales by some 3,000 to around 8,000. This suggests that Ferrari is the last of the big premium car marques to indulge in brand extension -- something its rivals have been happy to indulge in but which Ferrari has so far eschewed.

The car is dubbed Project California and will be based on the now-canned replacements for Maserati's Spider and Coupé models. Maserati stopped developing the cars just before the company found itself under Alfa Romeo's wing in February.

There's more in the magazine but not the Web site -- yet.

[errek72]

Whew, it's going to get crowdy in that market segment.
Looking forward to a stradale on that one. Bring it on, now all we need is a response from Lotus, TVR, Lambo..


Not sure what to think of the 'italian' strategy 'though.
Maybe Maserati going high-end luxery and Alfa going for the middle class BMW's and Audi's? Disappointing, I would loved to have seen the 8C Sportiva take on 911 and Aston.

[4wd]

A small and light ferrari with adequate grunt like this sounds great. A 968 clubsport spec would be ideal. Don't bother with gadgets like paddle shift, sat nav, electric mirrors etc to save lots of weight and money. Thought the new aston was only 75k though?

[gofasterrosssco]

Not that im a big rarri fan in the slightest, but will this not be detrimental to the companys image? Ok, £85k is far from cheap, but is a Ferarri not supposed to be "ultra-aspirational"?

Sounds like they have been told by Big Brother Fiat thay they need to sell more cars full stop which can only slightly down grade their image.....

Ofcourse it will likely be a great drive, but too good and it might hurt F430 sales??

Just my 2p.....

[Bill Carr]

gofasterrosssco said:

Sounds like they have been told by Big Brother Fiat thay they need to sell more cars full stop which can only slightly down grade their image.....

It can't do a worse job than all their merchandise!

[gofasterrosssco]

Bill Carr said:

gofasterrosssco said: Sounds like they have been told by Big Brother Fiat thay they need to sell more cars full stop which can only slightly down grade their image..... It can't do a worse job than all their merchandise!

You've read this months Evo aswell then...

[dinkel]

http://mclellansautomotive.com/photos/B32794.jpg

www.automotiverhythms.com/images/2004byob_14sm.jpg

400 horse Masser v8 . . . thats 360 territory.

it would be nice if Rari threw in a 2.5 V6 270 horse Boxter killer thingy . . . For those who think a B is a bit ordinary . . . Red only. This will be big and I just dunno.

But hey, I thought a 2.4 Tamoraish TVR 4pot was a nice idea . . . Would fit in the same league though.

[Bill Carr]

gofasterrosssco said:

Bill Carr said: gofasterrosssco said: Sounds like they have been told by Big Brother Fiat thay they need to sell more cars full stop which can only slightly down grade their image..... It can't do a worse job than all their merchandise! You've read this months Evo aswell then...

Mais natrellement

[shadowninja]

"This suggests that Ferrari is the last of the big premium car marques to indulge in brand extension"

Hardly. Or is the final product to look like an oversized hatchback with a 4wd system and a ground clearance that a granny can limbo under?

[granville]

Story's in the latest Autocar. What they've got there is a trouser removal device.

[Smokeylizard]

I've always thought as a Ferrari as aspirational, expensive and unatainable to all but the fewest of the few. All i can personally say is noooooooooooooo
what are they doing to the marque!

[Plotloss]

derestrictor said:

Story's in the latest Autocar. What they've got there is a trouser removal device.

Step away from the car porn...

Dont do it, you know you'll miss her...

[richb]

So this is why they pulled the Alfa Romeo 8C Competitzione. Shame...

[Marki]

Err hold on a sec

"The car will be powered by a Maserati-sourced 400bhp 4.2-litre engine"

i thought the Maserati engine was Ferrari sourced

I think its a brilliant idea the original Dino did not devalue F cars in fact its regarded as one of the all time great F cars

[danmangt40]

^nope, other way around. the 4.2L v8 was maser's engine, developed with Ferrari. The motor wasn't ever a "ferrari motor" until they futzed with it for the f430. The reason why it was weird for it to be in the 8c competizione was because it was a maser engine and would have been in similar price to the maser coupe

[Marki]

danmangt40 said:

^nope, other way around.

are you sure about that

[t1grm]

I thought the 308/328/348/355/360/430 family was originally launched as a competitor to the original 911 Turbo in the 70’s? By the time you’ve speced this up isn’t it going to have a bit of an overlap with the 430?

[Marki]

t1grm said:

I thought the 308/328/348/355/360/430 family was originally launched as a competitor to the original 911 Turbo in the 70’s? By the time you’ve speced this up isn’t it going to have a bit of an overlap with the 430?

yeah a boggo one i guess

[Gentelman]

Marki said:

I think its a brilliant idea the original Dino did not devalue F cars in fact its regarded as one of the all time great F cars

Especially considering the Dino was technically a Fiat (in badging if nothing else), not Ferrari, because at the time they were afraid it would devalue the rest of the marque. Ahh irony.

>> Edited by Gentelman on Wednesday 13th April 20:20

[agent006]

Smokeylizard said:

I've always thought as a Ferrari as aspirational, expensive and unatainable

85k might be atainable for you, but very definitely unatainable for most.

[Twin Turbo]

Autocar's picture show this to be a stunning car, but it's such a shame it's coming at the cost of a "proper" Maserati 4200 replacement.

Autocar claim the new Masser coupe will use a GM "Northstar" V8 mounted transversly in the new 156/Brera chassis.

Now, use that chassis for a cheaper Maserati with a V6....no problem. But I want to see a proper V8 (mounted North/South) in a proper RWD chassis as well.

Surely the Fiat group could spin the new Ferrari, replacement 4200 and Alfa 8c of the same platform. Aston Martin have done something very similar.