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What is the one car you would like to see in your garage? A Porsche? A Bentley? A Bugatti Veyron? A Ferrari? I know of many who would give an arm and a leg to see a Ferrari sitting in their garage. Come to think of it, do you know how you can own a Ferrari hypercar? Well, a big fat cheque and a famous family name to boot is not the answer this time.
Nor will walking into a Ferrari showroom get you one. There are certain requirements that must be met and certain expectations fulfilled before Ferrari takes your request into consideration.
The LaFerrari Supercar from the the Paisans in Maranello has now become the supercar to beat for the aforementioned companies. Just 499 LaFerrari supercars are being built. In fact, three days after its debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, more than 1,000 people had put in requests to purchase the car. It also seems that in this car’s case, it is the company which chooses whether you get this beauty home or not. Maranello demands more than a swollen bank account or even fame to be among the selected.
Reason is you have to be among a limited elite group of people who own more than five Ferraris (not toy models mind you) to even be eligible for this. So individual Ferrari dealers submit names of their most loyal customers who they think should get one. That list is sent to Maranello, where corporate bigwigs make the final decisions.
One among Maranello’s customers and the envy of thousands of Ferrari enthusiasts is Robert Herjavec, a Croatian-born businessman who made a fortune in Internet security. Earlier this month, he was so excited about the car’s arrival, he live-tweeted the unboxing—even though he couldn’t be at the dealership to watch it live (they sent him photos as they went). “People assume that it’s a financial decision, whoever has more money gets one,” says Herjavec. “The reality is… they use it as a reward for people who are loyal to the brand.”
His claim to the car you ask? In a collection of fewer than 20 cars, Herjavec has a pile of Ferraris , including a 1986 Testarossa, 2012 GTO, 2013 599 Aperta, 2011 and 2013 458 Italia. He has also placed orders for the just-announced Ferrari F60 and a Ferrari 458 Speciale. Now this man is hard to beat when it comes to Ferraris.
Herjavec sums it up quite aptly when he says the Ferrari world is much like the Vatican. “It’s very mysterious. There are a lot of trinkets you have to wear, and a lot of rings you have to kiss.”
So those of you who plan on owning a Ferrari supercar, get your cheque books out and get in five Ferraris into your garage soon. But here’s the disclaimer: It does not assure a sure shot at the LaFerrari but there is no harm in trying. And those of you who own a Ferrari and were coveting this model, tough luck you are missing out on four more Ferraris.
And before we end - Well, the 499 models have been spoken for. But let this be a lesson for the future, earn brownie points with the supercar company of your dreams by buying a few from their whole fleet, who knows when they might do a Ferrari on you.
Source:Wired.com
Images courtesy Ferrari
