Ferrari is displaying both sides of its character to harmonious and complementary effect at this year's Geneva Auto Show. Its thoroughbred sporty side is represented by the F430 and the F430 Spider, developed using the F1 technology, while two 612 Scagliettis represent its technologically advanced GT side. The two Scagliettis, in fact, are in Geneva to showcase 10 colours selected from the Prancing Horse's "historic" catalogue as well as interior trims that raise Ferrari's reputation for luxurious driver enviroments to new levels. In the middle of the stand, sits on a special raised podium the 599 GTB Fiorano, the latest arrival from the Prancing Horse and a stunning link between its Sport and GT sides. The version on display at Geneva boasts an understated Grigio Silverstone livery.

All of the models showing at the Ferrari stand include personalisation features that have become a Prancing Horse trademark integrated with new content designed to enhance both their natural elegance and driving-pleasure. The 10 historic colours unveiled at the Show were originally used on models which have become famous amongst collectors for their particularly sophisticated liveries. After meticulous research in the company archive, Ferrari has now relaunched the following stunning and absolutely exclusive colours as part of a unique catalogue: Avorio, Vinaccia, Celeste, Avio, Azzurro, Blu Scozia, Verde Abetone, Grigio Ferro, Grigio Medio, Grigio Scuro. This new colour range is being officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and will be available for the 612 Scaglietti.

The Show also provides the backdrop to the launch by the Prancing Horse of Ferrari Financial Services in response to growing demand from its Italian and international clients for a range of integrated bespoke fi nancial solutions designed to make Ferrari purchases as cost-effective and simple as possible. Ferrari Financial Services also offers exclusive fi nancing for historic models, competition cars and even Formula 1 single-seaters.

The Grand Tourer

The cabin of the 612 Scaglietti is even more sumptuous and elegant than ever with meticulous detailing combined with significantly enhanced GT content. A new natural leather by Poltrona Frau available in the 12 colours in the current range has been used to trim the interiors. The process used to produce this particular leather makes it buttery soft and wonderfully elastic - as seductive to the touch as it is to the eye. The handcrafted leather interiors also feature new stitching and a new way of finishing the four seats and door panels. The range of cabin personalisation options has also been further extended. Clients can enhance the atmosphere of luxury and exclusivity in their cars further by selecting from a choice of two different interior configurations, each one can be combined with light aluminium, burnished aluminium and leather inserts as well as carbon-fibre trim.

Also making its world debut on the 612 Scaglietti is the Bose® 2 DIN radio-navigator: an innovative system combining radio, audio and video DVD, Bluetooth® and satellite radio (on US and Canadian markets) systems. A TV tuner and rear parking camera complete the picture. The system also includes a digital eight-channel surround sound stereo system and was developed specifically for the 612 Scaglietti cabin to guarantee absolutely excellent sound quality at all times and under all conditions. In fact, the in-car audio quality is breathtakingly good and on the same level as the best home theatre units. The system also boasts other innovative features including U-Music® which organises and stores hours of music according to the user's specific tastes. Visitors can test out the Bose® 2 DIN system for themselves at the listening stations created especially by Poltrona Frau in the lounge at the Ferrari stand.

Every Ferrari built in 2006 was unique

Every single Ferrari delivered to end clients in 2006 featured some personalisation features selected either from the "Carrozzeria Scaglietti" Personalisation Programme or as once-off non-catalogue requests. The latest option to be added to the Personalisation Programme is a new satellite antitheft system integrated with the car alarm supplied as standard and approved by all of the leading international insurance companies. Available for the main European markets, the new system consists of a CPU located in a well-hidden and well-protected area of the car, a GPS antenna and a transponder key.

To facilitate the personalisation process for each individual car, Ferrari has developed a very innovative car confi gurator to allow customers make their own simulation using their preferred options from the Carrozzeria Scaglietti Personalisation Programme. The confi gurator is the most complete and comprehensive of its kind, covering every aspect of the Programme right down to the smallest detail. It will be available to clients on-line through the Ferrari Owners' Site.
 

The sheer scope of the Personalisation Programme means there is an almost infinite number of configurations possible for all the models in the range. Particular attention has therefore been paid to creating a user-friendly interface and to ensuring rapid and simple navigation through the many options areas available both for the exterior and interior of the cars. Ferrari is also introducing a number of innovations for this kind of on-line configurator. These include a full-frame zoom function which allows the user to view the cars in high resolution, and another function that enables clients to compare and contrast two different configurations simultaneously.

2006 - An excellent year

2006 was an exceptionally successful year for Ferrari. With Luca di Montezemolo as its President, Jean Todt as CEO and Amedeo Felisa as General Manager, the new Prancing Horse facility delivered a total of 5,671 cars, an increase of 4.8% on 2005. Revenues for the 2006 financial year equalled 1,447 million euro while Ferrari's trading profit of euro 183 million showed a significant leap of 16.4% over the previous financial year. These results underscore the importance of the Ferrari brand to the Fiat Group which, in the course of the year, also bought back the Prancing Horse shares sold to banks, thereby increasing its stake in the company to 85% (the remaining 15% is divided up as follows: 10% the Ferrari family, 5% Mubadala).

The 12.2% increase in Ferrari's revenues was due in great part to excellent performance in North America and Switzerland (with deliveries up 6% in both), Germany (+8%), and new and developing markets (the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America) which generated a significant increase in sales volumes. The Chinese market also performed exceptionally well indeed with the number of cars delivered there doubling in just 12 months. Ferrari continued to expand its brand development activities too, resulting in a increase of 23% in revenues in 2006, thanks both to new licensing contracts and the extension of our retail plan (there are now 13 Ferrari Stores and Shops worldwide).

1947-2007 - Worldwide 60th Anniversary celebrations underway

On May 25th 1947, the very first Ferrari, the 125 S, won the Rome Grand Prix, an amazing feat given that this was only the car's second foray into competition. Today, with fourteen World Drivers' titles, fourteen World Manufacturers' titles, eight F1 Constructors' World Championships, six International F1 Constructors' Cups, nine Le Mans 24 Hour Race wins, eight Mille Miglia victories, seven Targa Florio triumphs, and clients across over fifty markets worldwide to its credit, Ferrari is celebrating its 60th birthday. To mark this major milestone in Ferrari's history, we have embarked upon the Ferrari 60 Relay which started on January 29th last from Abu Dhabi, the home of the soon-to-open Ferrari theme park. This tour will take a specially designed relay baton depicting 60 of the most significant events in the Prancing Horse's extraordinary history, on a massive journey across five continents. The baton will be borne from destination to destination by over 10,000 clients at the wheel of cars of every model and era before the Ferrari 60 Relay draws to a fitting close in Maranello on June 23rd next. The relay baton will soon arrive in the US, having already made its way across the Middle and Far East, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Needless to say, it received a spectacularly warm welcome in all of the above countries.

Ferrari in Switzerland: a historic and important market

With 287 cars delivered to clients there in 2006 (+ 6% on 2005), Switzerland is Ferrari's sixth largest market after the United, States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and France. Importantly, however, it also the largest in terms of cars sold per head of population. The Ferrari regional headquarters, Ferrari Suisse, is situated in Nyon, near Geneva and has been controlled directly by the Prancing Horse since 1993. Headed by Giulio Zauner, Ferrari Suisse operates via a network of 10 dealerships which also offer technical assistance. Many of our Swiss clients compete in the GT, Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli and Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge Championships. We also have a large group of Swiss historic and Formula 1 car collectors and Ferrari Classiche has received many authentication requests from Swiss clients too.