Exclusive “Inclusion”

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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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49 COMMENTS

  1. Sour grapes on my part I known, but anyone that wants to spend that much on a car is a Doucette bag. Ferrari makes beautiful cars but they’re no more beautiful than sports cars that cost a tenth the price, are affordable to own, and are fun to drive at reasonable speeds on shared roadways. Most of my most enjoyable driving is at 30 to 45 mph with the window down on narrow back roads where to go any faster is reckless and not anymore enjoyable. What good is a car (Bugatti) that goes 250mph, has tires that cost 60K to replace, and is probably boring on a backroad at 45 or 50. I can understand wanting to have something nice, but these ultra expensive sports cars are too pricey to buy and maintain by anyone who isn’t a hedge fund billionaire, which for me makes them kind of gross alone with their over paid owners.

  2. Here is what you must do, Herr Peters: find yourself a nineteen-fifties Pegaso sports car, designed and manufactured in Spain by Señor Wilfredo Rickart, a former driver for the Scuderia Ferrari whom Enzo Ferrari disliked intensely. Remove the v-8 motor and install a v-12 Merlin aircraft engine; then look for Ferraris, the doors off of which to suck. E.F. will turn over in his grave!

    —A.S.

  3. The anti-discrimination laws are not, (if I understand them), universal. In other words, they do not say you cannot discriminate against anyone at all, but only that you cannot discriminate against people for certain specific reasons. For example, you cannot refuse service because of:
    1) Skin color, a.k.a. “race” i.e. A) European “Whites” or B) Anyone Darker
    2) Location at moment of birth, a.k.a. country of origin
    3) Religion, i.e., A) Christian or B) Anything else
    4) Shape and location (presumed) of genitals, i.e., A) Men or B) Women
    5) Preferred way of rubbing mucous membranes with others, i.e., A) Standard heterosexual or B) Anything else
    6) Men disguised as women, or vice versa
    7) Inability to use arms, legs, eyes, ears, etc.

    I don’t think there are laws preventing a company from refusing service to someone they just don’t like — but there’s a catch! Even if you, the company, simply don’t like someone, if they just accidently happen to belong to any of the seven categories (with the exceptions of 1A, 3A, 4A, or 5A) then the courts will just ASSUME that that was the REAL reason. For example, if you refuse service to an African Voodoo Lesbian because she killed your dog and raped your daughter, you will still be charged and convicted.

  4. Good article Eric and thanks for the humor, you made my day and it’s just starting.
    I wonder if Ferrari’s reasoning to pick its buyers is not wanting the car to end up in negative media reports where the owner of an affordable high powered Ferrari lost control at high speed causing a deadly crash. Go back a little, the young rookie in Las Vegas crashed his C8 Corvette killing a young woman and her dog. Burning them to death in the crash, as reported in media accounts. I have a C8 Corvette (museum delivery) and had many comment on that crash to me with most wanting to know how fast I drove my C8 up to, what speed. It was kind of a black mark against the car and its owners. Frankly, it’s not the high speed that I own the car for but the handling and the feel of the ride, seeing no hood but the road in front of me, nothing but road. Maybe, just maybe Ferrari is doing a CYA to selectively screen out possible dangerous idiots from an affordable high powered Ferrari. Which would likely be legal in the name of, here comes Eric, Public Safety.

  5. I’ve been told that the second iteration of the Hyundai Tiburon was designed by someone who’s last name is Ferrari. It’s not a bad looking car, but after test driving it, I had to pass as there was no headroom.

    Years ago there was a Ferrari kit car that used the older Datsun z cars and looked very much like a Ferrari 250 GTO. So much so that when a friend of mine drove up in an actual Ferrari 250 GTO, I was sure it was a Datsun kit car.

    Personally, I don’t like someone else’s name on my car so I always remove the badges, logos etc.

  6. Oh, the silliness of branding. Once you become attached to a brand, you have lost the ability to think for yourself (if you ever had it). Branding is excellent Marxism as you are thought controlled paying homage to the “brand” and I don’t mean a big old “Y” on your Yellowstoned chest. Chastise the brand or think beyond it and you are thrown out of the club.

  7. I can not, nor will I ever, be able to own a Ferrari. I used to be a fan but, now they’re all automatics w/paddle shifters.

    That’s not a Ferrari.

    A Ferrari has a chrome gated shifter. Anything less is a poser. In 1981 I stood looking at a ’67 330GTC for $11k. It had a crappy black paint job but, everything else was used and still presentable.

    If you want and can afford one I’d much rather get something from Bring-A-Trailer or elsewhere. That way you can get some truly fine motoring.

  8. I know a guy here in Italy who is “on the list.” Rich kid, inherited dad’s factory and makes millions in manufacturing. Also inherited the Cars, and continues to buy new and add to the collection.

    In a nutshell, Ferrari basically put a knife to his throat and if he didn’t buy a Purosangue, he was off the list forever. So he did.

    That’s the truth.
    As a bonus, here’s a story to give some insight into the people who actually own many multiple Ferraris.

    I said, “Damn dude, you’re buying a car (Purosangue) that is a collection car before it even touches pavement… every mile on the motor is a loss of money on your investment… a car that shouldn’t ever leave the garage? Really?”

    And he looked at me, confused. “Well, I’d honesty only have about three or four weekends a year for that car, less than 600 miles a year for as long as I keep it.” After a pause, “Maybe with this one my girlfriend will want to go out in Ferrari. She hates them, all she wants to do is stop and go shopping, and there’s no room for the bags.”

  9. How to peculate the elite, while *pretending* to serve the poor and middle class:

    ‘[Biden] proposed changes that would classify drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro as medications to treat obesity, with the reasoning that it can cause ailments like diabetes and heart disease, which are covered under the rules.

    “Changing the classification would make the popular drugs available to millions of new patients across the U.S. starting in 2026, and raise costs for government healthcare programs. Over a ten-year period, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) estimates that the change would cost $24.8 billion for Medicare and $14.8 billion for Medicaid.’

    https://tinyurl.com/3j933jx8

    Hey, what’s another trifling $40 billion, when we’re running $2 trillion annual deficits forevermore?

    The US is just not a serious country anymore. Green paper ‘dollars’ are play money for presidents and Congress Clowns. Nothing bad can happen, right? :-0

  10. Ford did the same thing with their Ford GT….only a select few were allowed to buy one….

    Porsche is doing the same thing with their limited production high end models…

    like the 911 GT3 RS…you can’t walk into a showroom and buy a new one….only a small number are made….all the allocations go to preferred customers….people with a long history of owning Porsche’s

    Porsche limited production high end models…..there was a problem with investors flipping them….so the first year is a lease now …after one year you can buy it out….

  11. Operation Erase Everything

    Destroying ALL classic brands, history and human heritage to set the conditions for the complete rewrite of history that will be needed for reduced world populations to accept the great reset and the fiat banking cartels communist ‘new world order.

    Its quite brilliant really, using all this gay woke BS in order to compel us all to cheer the demise of our once great society.

  12. “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.

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

      • I don’t care how much money you have – – – anybody who pays exorbitant prices for certain brand names – whether it’s a watch, a dress or a car – – – is a sucker! And spiritually bankrupt !! And very, very insecure.

    • Don’t forget Rolex. Another brand who has decided too many of the hoi polloi were sporting their watches. Now you can’t buy a new one unless you have connections. Maybe.

  16. 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!

      • Perhaps if Ferrari spent less time on DEI and more time on, oh, their F1 program they could, y’know, win F1 Driving and Constructor Championships again. They haven’t been a Constructor Champion since 2008, and haven’t gotten an F1 Driving Championship since 2007.

        You boys might want to step up your game. It was cool to see them win the 24 Hours of Le Mans the last two years but that’s not what people know Ferrari from.

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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!

    • These days, Lamborghini is merely a subsidiary of Audi, and has devolved into yet another crossover brand. Their crossover, the Urus, is now their best-selling vehicle, and apparently it is based on the VW MLB Evo platform and uses an Audi V8 engine.

  20. 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.

  21. 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.

    • “Aah, if I was only a card carrying member of….. Gun Owners of America member… The Second Amendment is a Bill of Rights right for the people and not a hoi peloi privilege. You reek of NYC.

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