Why are Ferrari employees not allowed to order their own cars from the factory?
Unless they’re F1 drivers, Ferrari employees are forbidden from buying a brand new Ferrari from the factory! You can’t simply walk into Maranello and order the car you want; money is not the key to owning a Ferrari. Ferrari’s limited-edition cars are only offered to the best customers of the company on invitation as a reward based on their history of Ferrari ownership. Many of their models have been very limited to a certain number (799 for the F12 TDF, for example). It is part of the brand’s strategy to create exclusivity in the cars they produce and to give more value to their loyal customers.
Ferrari is a company that has always had a higher demand than availability for its cars, and that is what makes it the most exclusive automotive brand in the world. Under the reign of long-serving Chairman Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari used to limit its annual production numbers to 7,000 units. Later on, his successor, Sergio Marchionne, and now current Chairman, John Elkann, managed to raise that number to a record 10,000 cars in 2019 while keeping the brand’s exclusivity intact.
So, what does this have to do with forbidding their employees from buying a brand new car? Can’t they buy one of the "not very limited" models like the 488 GTB?
Due to the higher demand than availability, Ferrari reserves the build slots for the customers, not the employees, so the former can spec it the way he wants to and to keep the delivery date as short as possible for the excited customers. Offering cars to employees will create a delay in this delivery, which will probably make the cars less exclusive. Therefore, customers have always come first since the company was founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1947.
Wait, the employee can be a customer; isn’t that what you’re thinking? That is true in some way; the employee can buy a used Ferrari from a dealership, but he cannot order one or reserve a build slot for him to spec it the way he would like to. You’re probably thinking that employees aren’t worthy of the brand, but you’re totally wrong! Brilliant employees are always rewarded with valuable Ferrari gifts!
According to Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Enrico Galliera, the only exception Ferrari makes is for Ferrari’s F1 drivers; they’re the only employees allowed to buy a Ferrari from the factory, but at full price without any discounts. Yes, Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc are not offered any special discounts!
The fact that Ferrari employees are not allowed to own new Ferraris tells you how strict the rules are at the company. It is all part of a marketing strategy to keep attracting new, young customers as well as those who have already invested in a car from the company. This is what makes Ferrari one of the most successful supercar brands in the world. The experience of waiting for your exclusive car to enter production and collecting it from the dealership or from the Ferrari factory in Maranello is such a special and unforgettable one.