Today we sat in on a roundtable discussion with Fiat Chairman and Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo. Here are a few of the super-suave chairman's most informative and/or entertaining comments:
In response to the inevitable question about whether Ferrari might be interested in producing a four-door model. (The four-door Lamborghini Estoque concept was unveiled earlier at the show):
"I say, 'Good luck, to them.' We will never do a four-door. If I am chairman for 20 more years and I hope I will be, we will never."
To a journalist who'd fallen asleep in the front row during Montezemolo's talk:
"[to his Ferrari handlers] Could we get our friend here a strong coffee -- an espresso. With sugar. No milk."
To a question regarding potential Ferrari measures to increase fuel economy:
"Seven-thousand people in the world. It won't make much of a difference."
Other items of interest: The dual-clutch transmission that will be used first in the new California model will be used throughout the Ferrari range, first with the 612 and then, later in the 430 and 599.
Ferrari is also expanding its personalization program which it recently launched for the 612 to the 599 and, eventually, to other models. According to Montezemolo, the program will allow buyers to change virtually everything on the car except the body and the engine. -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
hondacura4 says:
01:49 PM, 10/ 2/08
Good to hear Ferarri will stay true to its roots.
ctpax says:
12:28 AM, 10/ 3/08
baller.
sabastian says:
05:26 AM, 10/ 3/08
Haha. I like this guy.
firstwagon says:
08:10 AM, 10/ 3/08
I wonder how the fake tail pipes got past him.
ateixeira says:
10:33 AM, 10/ 7/08
They have Alfa Romeo for their sedans. Makes sense.