Could there be anything less “inclusive” than joining the extremely small group of people in a position to own a new Ferrari? The least expensive of the Italian supercar’s offerings such as the Portofino roadster start around $100,000. The brand makes Porsche seem bargain basement (you can buy a new Boxster for about $75k).
So it’s quite something to discover Ferrari’s “commitment to equality, equity and inclusion” – as announced the other day by the company’s official endorsement of the Diversity and Inclusion Charter promulgated by – of all things – Formula 1 Racing and FiA, the non-profit governing body for world motorsport.
Because – of all things – open wheel racing is perhaps the most exclusive form of motorsports there is. The hue of your skin – and what’s between your legs – do not qualify you to drive one of these things. Elite-level skill behind the wheel does. There is no place for diversity hires in open wheel racing or any other form of racing, where life and death (not just winning or losing) depends on being damned good at what you do – whether you’re behind the wheel or waiting in the pits to quick-swap wheels.
Winning is the least equitable thing there is, too – as there must by definition be losers.
And Ferrari is just about as exclusive as it gets. The only less inclusive brands being Bugatti and Maybach.
As it turns out, they are actually more inclusive – in that they will take anyone’s money. Ferrari won’t. You cannot be just anybody.
You must be the right sort.
“Potential Ferrari owners must first undergo an extensive background check to ensure they fit the mold of the brand and its desired image.”
You cannot be just any Guido.
“Other factors” that Ferrari wants to know all about “include family background, social status and additional affiliations.”
Italics added.
Your “family background”? Apparently, if your father was a Guido then you’re not the right kind of person for Ferrari. “Social status”? So you must also have the right position, the right friends, presumably – and live at the right address. Can’t have Ferraris seen parked outside of a townhouse somewhere, can we? 
“Additional affiliations”? No explanation is given as to what “affiliations” might disqualify a potential Ferrari owner. Mark those exclusionary italics. The company is so effete, so snobby – so exclusionary – that you are only a “potential” Ferrari owner, irrespective of your desire for and ability to afford one. It is almost as if Ferrari copied those real estate contracts people used to use to keep the spics and niggers out of the neighborhood. The only difference then vs.now being the “spics” and “niggers” are anyone who isn’t quite politically correct enough.
“The company’s selection criteria may change depending on the make and model you’re interested in. In some cases, you may get put on a waitlist, so be patient and do your research.”
How Ferrari gets away with this – to borrow the lingo of the Leftists who always express great concern when they encounter anything that isn’t “inclusive” – is astounding on legal grounds alone. If a coffee shop refused to take the money tendered by a person wanting to buy a cup because that person didn’t “fit the mold of the brand and its desired image”- they’d be hounded by the Equity Police – so to speak. There are laws against that sort of thing. Whether there should be is another matter. But the fact is, there are – and Ferrari appears to be getting away with flouting them. In the most gaudily effronterous, hypocritical manner imaginable.
Kind of like John Kerry jetting to Davos in a private jet to lecture us about our “carbon footprint.” Or Barack Obama warning us of the rising seas from his Martha’s Vineyard compound, which is mere inches above sea level.
“Through encouraging education, breaking biases, and ensuring transparency, we’re creating a more inclusive industry,” preens Ferrari.
What any of that has to do with designing fine automobiles – or winning races – is difficult to divine. But “breaking biases”? Isn’t the whole point of Ferrari’s nit-picking vetting of its “potential” customers precisely to “bias” who is allowed to buy a Ferrari? And could anything be less “transparent” than Ferrari’s opaqe vetting process? Buyers are not allowed to know why they got Guido’d – so to speak.
Only that they got Guido’d.
It is very much of a piece with getting Googled – as when you get one of those opaque notices that you have somehow (it is never specified) offended Google’s “community guidelines.”
Whatever they are.
It is worth a mention, in closing, that Ferrari is among the manufacturers working to produce what is styled “carbon neutral” fuel. Which is basically gasoline made via an extremely elaborate, extremely expensive process that results in a gallon that costs as much as a decent bottle of champagne, or about $20 per.
This way, the right sort will be able to continue driving engined Ferraris rather than devices with Ferrari badges. But only if you’re a member of the exclusive fraternity that can afford to fill up the tank of your Ferrari with “carbon neutral” gas that costs as much per gallon as a bottle of decent champagne.
. . .
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Maybe, finally… Ford can now buy Ferrari. It’s a DEI Christmas (as long as you qualify).
“Other factors” that Ferrari wants to know all about “include family background, social status and additional affiliations.” — quoted by eric
Strange, that. My mental stereotype of the typical Ferrari owner is an unshaven, 30-year-old, nouveau riche Dubai playboy, whose camel jockey father got filthy rich smuggling gold and arms to Iran.
Can’t be arsed to do it, but online you can find multiple examples of such irresponsible, idle rich gadabouts wrecking their Ferraris in fiery 100 mph crashes, often with a fashion model on board in the passenger seat. Kinda like Ted Kennedy’s crash with Mary Jo Kopechne, but a lot more spectacular.
If Ferrari though they were going to keep ownership of their cars in the hands of the ‘better class’ of people, they miserably failed. Ferrari isn’t even subtle about it. Compare Vladimir Nabokov, whose wife Véra was Jewish, in Lolita. The scene is in New England, circa 1949:
“Of course, too many of the tradespeople here are Italians,” said John, “but on the other hand we are still spared–”
“I wish,” interrupted Jean with a laugh, “Dolly and Rosaline were spending the summer together.”
Nabokov’s former student and annotator, the late Alfred Appel, Jr., offers this footnote:
’79/1 interrupted Jean: John is about to say “Jews,” and Jean, suspecting that Humbert Humbert may be Jewish, tactfully interrupts.
Hmmm….Saban passed his background check, lol.
Eric, came straight to your site this morning. Was going to your forum site, then having to click on the main site thing.
This is completely absurd. I never had any clue. Ferrari should kiss a perspective customer’s ass for what they must pay. And then the top the practice with this “inclusivity” and “equity” tripe. The can go straight to Hell.
I now see why Jay Leno told Ferrari to kiss his ass.
As a business owner I can’t help shake my head at the stupidity of the Ferrari business model. At the same time they are controlling the brand and its exclusivity. They have the right to do that. Ferrari and Hermes are two brands I will never touch with a ten foot pole. I refuse to jump through hoops to buy a bunch of things I don’t want to finally be “allowed” to buy what I do want. Unfortunately, many people are willing to play the game which is why these businesses succeed.
‘Unfortunately, many people are willing to play the game’ — Raider Girl
Precisely the wrong kind of people, as it turns out: social climbers, mountebanks, swindlers.
As a former business owner, I would think twice about hiring anyone who drives a Ferrari. It says: reckless; irresponsible; job hopper; style over substance.
AVOID.
I’d never buy a new Rolex watch for the same reasons. While they don’t vet their potential buyers, they restrict supply, especially of desirable models like the Daytona, to keep the prices up.
However, if someone really wants to flaunt status via their watches, there are other, far more exclusive brands like Patek Philippe, Blancpain, or Vacheron Constantin, to name a few, to do that. Rolex is for the nouveau riche.
So Ferrari has officially joined the “go woke, go broke” brigade. Wonder if anyone will pick up the pieces of their business after the bankruptcy filing in a couple years.
Hi Mike,
Except looking at the pic they don’t look like very “inclusive”. If a business has a DIE/ESG agenda on their website I shop elsewhere. To me it says we don’t hire the best, but are a box checking organization. I figure it saves me time and frustration down the road because the quality of the product/service probably sucks.
Ferrari’s DEI kick might also explain their continuous strategy faux pas during F1 races. If there’s a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Ferrari F1 team WILL find it!
I…had no idea. My vision of Ferarri has gone greatly down. If I ever have enough money for one, I will go for something else like Bugatti or Spyker C8.
Good to know about Ferrari. Not that I would ever buy one or even see any in my neck of the woods but yes I can totally understand why that company wouldn’t want to see one if it’s masterpieces parked in a tract home subdivision, perhaps even “gasp” on the street. I can’t even imagine how irritating it must be to endure their vetting process. Buying a car from a dealership is already one of the most loathsome retail experiences known to man. I am going to guess folks this upper class have “people” to handle this for them. Maybe they are proud to be able to boast sufficient credentials.
Cool, only gay Jews are qualified to buy a Jewrari! Or whatever they are, you make the call.
Life is good!
Fuck!
Over here in “free” America, if a Christian doesn’t want to bake a wedding cake for fags he’s hauled in front of The Supreme Court.
Nice thing about the Ferrari sales process is that it created Lamborghini. As most of us know, Mr Lamborghini wasn’t “allowed” to buy a Ferrari, so he went out and built his own supercar. If only more people would follow in his footsteps, perhaps this world would be a little more civilized.
https://youtu.be/-94qrgxH35M
I for one applaud this practice. 100 years ago the brothers Stanley did the same thing with their steam super cars. And look where they are now!
Now if bars were only free to “bar” nonsmoking militants.
I have to say that I felt a warm fuzzy feeling when I watched Ford Vs. Ferrari and saw descendants of the Tin Lizzy and Deuce Coupe win!
I work for the Lower Case car company in engineering (salaried) This year we’ve been subjugated to super indistinct , stress inducing HR policies put in place by our new HR “leader”. (Look up Arden Hoffman for your own viewing pleasure) Thousands of people let go this year, in many areas that up until a few months ago were pretty important (IE durability, corrosion). Just days after the last surprise cuts (1000 personnel) gm announces their participation in F1. This requires a space exploration sized budget just to be a back marker. Perverse at best but when your “awake” you see it’s not about winning and establishing an American car company on the world stage but trying to get to the front of the Woke Race! Disgusting : | I’m glad I’m at the end of my career.
“Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two – and only two – basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business.” – Peter Drucker – 1973
Building things? Nah, that’s not a “core” requirement.
Fake (kit) ferrari. That’s the way to go.
Aah, if I was only a card carrying member of the John Birch Society, a Gun Owners of America member and most importantly a billionaire I wonder what would happen if I applied to buy a new Ferrari?
Sadly I’m not and that’s why I own a Chevy. Italian styling might be great but Italian engineering? Lord have mercy on my tool set.
Sad that we can’t convince the EV manufactures that it would help improve the exclusivity of their products if they did the same thing. All I can do to stop this injustice is swear to never buy a new Ferrari until they end these heartless practices.
gm is applying a similar “filter” to potential buyers of their $300K + Cadillac ev! lol Hilarious!
Will this standard be applied to the middle eastern oil-soaked brats?
Ferrari: The fat Elvis of cars.