Well, what do you know! Ferrari's gone full fantasy, bro. On one hand, they're pushing an electric model, the Luce, for 550,000 euros, which everyone hates because it supposedly looks like a Honda or a Tesla. And on the other hand, they're releasing the 12Cilindri Manuale, a beast with a V12 and manual gearbox, limited to 1,499 units, at 590,000 euros. And guess what, cuz? To even have a shot at the limited edition, you gotta buy that electric piece of junk first. Yeah, yeah, you heard that right!
Listen up, here's what I found out from a buddy of mine who runs in those circles. Bloomberg wrote that Ferrari uses the Luce as a loyalty ticket. Meaning, they sell a car nobody wants, but make it a condition to buy something truly special. One collector said the reps made it crystal clear: if you want access to future rare models, you better drop the cash on the Luce. Another said that access to a one-off model could depend on buying a Luce or more 'affordable' models like the Amalfi (240,000 euros) or the 296 GTB (290,000 euros). Man, oh man, here I am with my 2008 BMW laughing my ass off at them. And Mioara says a 25-lei shawarma is too expensive, but these guys drop half a million on an ugly car just to get into the club. 'We don't encourage customers to buy just for perks,' says Ferrari. Yeah, sure, and I'm an F1 driver.
The Luce, Ferrari's first fully electric car, was launched last month and got hammered for its design. Their boss, Benedetto Vigna, says they've got orders from new customers too. Paul Welch, founder of MillionPlus, explained: 'Most people seem to hate the car and say it's ugly. But some are thinking of buying it just to get access to future cars.' And that's the truth! Back in our country, if you wanna get into a fancy club, you gotta bribe the bouncer. Same thing here, except the bouncer is Ferrari and the bribe is 550,000 euros.
Just over a month after the Luce launch, Ferrari announced the 12Cilindri Manuale, with a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 and 830 horsepower. The 'Manuale by-wire' system simulates a classic manual gearbox but is modern tech. First deliveries in the first quarter of next year. That's how they show electrification is just part of the plan; they're still making combustion engine cars. And why wouldn't they, when they've got the cash to do whatever they want?
Now, let's not forget Formula 1. Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur confirmed at Silverstone that Lewis Hamilton will stay with the Scuderia through 2027. The Brit's contract expires at the end of 2026 but has an extension clause. Vasseur says: 'We're building the Ferrari team so we can win the world title.' Hamilton already won his first race for Ferrari in Barcelona, cutting the gap to the leaders to 41 points. Well, what do you know? Toto Wolff, Mercedes boss, complained that Ferrari put too many new parts on the SF-25 and might exceed the cost cap. Vasseur shot back: 'When Mercedes or Red Bull develop, they're geniuses. When we develop, we're cheating.' That's how it is, bro! Whoever has the money makes the rules.
And to wrap up on a collector's note: the last Ferrari F1 car driven by Michael Schumacher, the 2006 248 F1 model, will be auctioned Thursday by Sotheby's in New York. With it, he won five races in his final season at the Scuderia. Recently, eight of the driver's watches sold for 4 million euros at an auction in Switzerland. So, if you've got the cash, you can buy a piece of history. I'm off to tell Mioara I saw something more expensive than a vacation in Antalya.
