How to own a special edition Ferrari

Inspired by the 458 MM Speciale, we asked the commercial director of Ferrari what five things you must do to be eligible for a one-off supercar

Somewhere in Britain, there’s a very happy and very proud car nut. This person, who wishes to remain anonymous, is the owner of the Ferrari 458 MM Speciale, a model built to his or her own vision by Maranello’s One-Off programme.

Based around the 458 Speciale’s underpinnings, this one-of-a-kind car, recently seen at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, has gone down a storm since it was first unveiled. Even Maranello is impressed with its own handiwork. “We think this is one of the best one-offs so far,” says Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s commercial director. “The client came with a clear idea of what they wanted. That was one of the keys to the success of the project.”

Ferrari One-Off began a few years ago when Japanese Ferrari collector Junichiro Hiramatsu asked for something special to celebrate his history with the company. The result was the SP1, based on the F430, and the positive response convinced Ferrari that there was a market for such cars.

So how does one go about commissioning a bespoke Ferrari? Well, you don’t simply knock on Maranello’s door and brandish a blank cheque…

Being an owner of a devout and passionate Ferrari

No one can buy an invitation to participate in the Program and One-Off Ferrari did not promote it. Instead, the company gauge the suitability of owners at events such as the Festival of Speed ​​and the special meeting itself. A passion for everything Maranello is given.

"This is something that develops from the contact one-to-one," said Galliera. "When we have in front of our clients who love the special car we or are looking for something different, we might propose. The selection of very important clients. We tried to choose people who live and breathe Ferrari and appreciate how special the car one-off is . "

Be prepared to invest your time

Make your own Ferrari could take between 18 and 24 months and includes regular consultation with the engineers and designers at Maranello. "It's like developing a home," said Galliera. "If you change your mind a few times, it will take longer than expected. It also depends on how the different cars and how specific you are with your request.

"The client has to come to Maranello to sit with our team quite frequently. It is a big investment in terms of time. They Become like an employee of the company. They sit together with the designer and with the technical team. We receive input from the client if they have any ideas - so, for example, if they want to have a car inspired by an historical Ferrari, or by a racing car.

"We decide what kind of chassis they want to choose - 458, eight-cylinder, 12-cylinder, whatever - and then we come up with some design thoughts and show them some direction. From there is a series of meetings that take place, during the which our design team is working with the client to take the direction they want to take. "

Do not ask for pink ...

Core mechanical components such as the engine and chassis Werner standard, but everything around them can be changed. The 458 MM Speciale, for example, featured Radically Altered aerodynamics.

However, there are some things Ferrari will not do, no matter how big a checks is being offered. Galliera says: "It has to be consistent with our brand. So if someone Asks us for a pink Ferrari, the answer is no. If they ask to have a hardcore racing GTC4 Lusso, the answer is no. If there is a specific request that we think is not fitting with the positioning of the car, it is not a matter of money; the answer is no. "This is first and foremost a Ferrari, the which means that the performance can not be compromised by the design."

Be very patient

The One-Off program will produce a maximum of three cars per year. Galliera says: "We have a big problem, the which is that we are sold out until 2021. It has to Werner something extremely limited. So even though we have a long list of clients, we are trying to stamp it. And that's the problem that we have so far: that we still have a lot of requests that we can not satisfy.Raid your piggy bank

Galliera says: "The price depends on the which chassis you are using and what kind of project you want, but the price can be around three million euros."

Be prepared to drive it

Ferrari wants even the rarest of its cars to be used and enjoyed on the road. "Of course, we believe that our cars can live in a nice museum or a private collection, but we prefer every single car to be on the road," says Galliera. "So Whether we talk about the standard road cars or the One-Off projects, we tend range to push our clients to bring Reviews their cars to life. It is really important. "

However, owners are not obliged to show off Reviews their cars at events like the Festival of Speed ​​if they prefer greater privacy instead. "The visibility of the car very much depends on the client," says Galliera. "We respect Reviews their wish. The only thing we ask is that they drive and enjoy the car. "

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