[dark.knight]

Ferrari is building an SUV, yes they are but they aren't building an SUV because they don't want to call it one.. rather they seem to have arrived at the name FUV which stands for Ferrari Utility Vehicle.

Ferrari will build an SUV, apparently codenamed the F16X and said to be based on the GTC4Lusso, but it’s going to call it an ‘FUV’ instead of an SUV, according to industry analyst Max Warburton via Autocar. That’s ‘Ferrari Utility Vehicle’. You kidding me?

So let me get it straight, they are building a car with 4 doors (to put the utility into U), but so ashamed are they of having to be known as a manufacturer that builds 4 door cars that they want to hide the rear 2 doors and pretend that it doesn't exist.

And it gets surprisingly funnier. Ferrari is so worried about avoiding confronting the idea that it’s making an SUV, it’s going all extra and engineering its ‘FUV’ to somehow hide the fact that it will have four doors, according to Autocar

Ferrari wants to build an SUV which would be a FUV and also have 4 doors while it would appear to not have 4 doors.. riiight, much clearer. It seems Ferrari needs to do the unthinkable to keep up with the sports-SUV theme that has caught on with Porsche, Lamborghini and Bentley.

To me its ridiculous that in today's times :
- Sports supercar makers are making hippo sized SUVs.
- BMW is making extremely disproportionate (read grotesque) crossovers.
- Audi is coming up with badge engineered Jetta/sub-Jetta variants to boost sales, what next a Vento badge engineered Audi?
- Lexus is making sports cars (which are being panned)
- Rolls-Royce and Bentley are making drophead coupes.

I guess the only niche left is a low-slung 2-door RR supercar with scissor hinges. Whatever happened to do what you do best and be proud that you're different from others?

http://jalopnik.com/ferrari-is-being...-an-1797041377

[GTO]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

FUV which stands for Ferrari Utility Vehicle

That is hideous. They might just as well call it an SUV.

I see nothing wrong with Ferrari building a fast SUV as that's where the market is going (or already there??). I didn't have a problem when Porsche announced the Cayenne either. SUVs = fat profits = wider customer base = healthier company = better sports cars.

Porsche might build an SUV & 4-door sedan, but they also build one heck of a 911 .

Whatever happened to do what you do best and be proud that you're different from others?

Changing market dynamics.

Porsche only did what they did best and almost went bankrupt in the 90s. What saved Porsche were the cheaper cars (i.e. Boxster) & SUV (Cayenne). Also consider the diversification of a brand like Mercedes. It's hard to believe that, just 25 years back, they primarily sold 3 cars = the C-Class, E-Class & S-Class. Today, their entry-level A-Class platform alone has 3 derivatives (hatchback, sedan, SUV).

[Fullrevs]

Well it is slightly out of the norm for Ferrari to make a butch SUV. This is what happens when you go up on the stock market and become a corporate car manufacturer I guess. Its all about the numbers increasing. This should almost certainly do it?!

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by GTO

That is hideous. They might just as well call it an SUV.

Because they are Ferrari and they can do that being the most revered automobile brand in the world. Its the same as Apple talking up video calling and calling it facetime. Its all about branding and a bit of differentiation compared to the current market.
Remember the Ferrari FF which was the first all wheel drive Ferrari and its implementation of the four wheel drive system which is unlike any other and they did not call it all wheel drive either. It was called the 4RM.

I am excited to see what Ferrari have in store for its first SUV or FUV whatever they want to call it.

[blackwasp]

Ferrari likely to build an SUV

Ferrari is reported to be considering building an SUV. The company's CEO - Sergio Marchionne has revealed that the SUV is likely to happen.

According to media reports, the new "Ferrari Utility Vehicle", which has been codenamed F16X, could be a part of the new plan to increase sales of the company beyond the current self-imposed 10,000-unit restriction.

In the past, Ferrari has strongly denied that it will venture into the SUV segment. Now, the company claims that the lucrative SUV segment is too big and attractive to be ignored. It has also claimed that the vehicle will be styled unlike other SUVs in the market. Media reports claim that it will be based on an all-aluminium platform and come with an all-wheel drive system. The car's rear doors are expected to be rear-hinged (suicide doors) and B-pillars are likely to be absent.

This Ferrari SUV is expected to appeal primarily to customers from Asian markets indicating that the company will aim the new vehicle at Chinese customers.



Source - Auto Express, Car Magazine

Link to Team-BHP News Article

[octane_100]

Ferrari have gone through several round of flip-flops on making anything other than a sportscar. Just 2 days back I had read that they will not make anything other than sportscar but they may have a model which will also consider "utilitarian" aspects in the vehicle.

From a purists' perspective, it may be like committing blashphemy but when all the other manufacturers have jumped on to the SUV bandwagon and raking in $$, can't blame Ferrari. Only thing can't understand is why are they so apologetic about the whole thing!

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by octane_100

From a purists' perspective, it may be like committing blashphemy but when all the other manufacturers have jumped on to the SUV bandwagon and raking in $$, can't blame Ferrari. Only thing can't understand is why are they so apologetic about the whole thing!

That's exactly what I said in the first post, why be apologetic and why be embarrassed for making an SUV? Why call it a 2-door car with additional 2 hidden doors rather than simply call it a 4-door? Perception is created by companies and I've seen them get away with a lot worse simply by creating a positive perception. Ferrari should've simply said "we're gonna launch a sporty, practical SUV and you're gonna (have to) love it, we promise". End of story.