Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer says that the act of offering its best customers the opportunity to purchase its limited edition vehicles is considered “a gift”.
Talking to Drive, Enrico Galliera said that part of his job was to ensure that the Italian marque’s top customers were “rewarded”.
“We have much higher demand than the availability. So what we do is identify criteria that reward good customers. The limited edition cars we consider a gift to our best customers,” he told the Australian publication.
Galliera added that he often received enquiries from “people who do not deserve” to own a Ferrari.
“At the very beginning, you receive applications from people who do not deserve [to buy a Ferrari] … they simply have the money. ‘I am the king of something, so I deserve the car’. I say ‘Yes, but you are not a Ferrari client’.”
He also explained that often a “very good customer” would have to be turned away, as was the case with many parties interested in the LaFerrari Aperta, which was limited to 200 units – all of which were sold sight unseen.
“That’s the easy part. Then you have someone who is still a very good customer, but is not in the top 200, and I cannot offer him the car. Normally most of them understand. Some of them that are not used to hearing ‘no’ keep asking.
“The most difficult part of my job is when I join an event and the person is there, and he becomes hard-headed, and he locks onto me and keeps asking and asking,” Galliera said.
