Ferrari's model naming is stupid

"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12) 10/18/2016 at 20:32 • Filed to: FERRARI

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The 360, 430, 458 are all evolutions of the same idea - the small V8 Ferrari. They all have a similarly lightened, sportier cousin. So why is the 360's called the Challenge when the 430's is the Scuderia? Why is the 458's called the Speciale? Why can’t they be consistent? Why is the 355 actually called the F 355? Why is the 360's coupe called the Modena while the 458 is called the Italia? They’re all built in Modena, Italia .

Why did the F12 Berlinetta break tradition from the 550, 575 and 599? Why are only the 599 and F12 given the Berlinetta name? They’re all Berlinettas - it means 2-seat coupe! Why is are the 550 and 575 given the Maranello name? Why is the 575 actually called the 575M?
Why?

The less said about LaFerrari the better.

What’s an SA Aperta? Why not Barchetta? They’re the same damn idea. And why was the Barchetta called Pininfarina? They were all by Pininfarina back then.

I forgive the FF, for breaking tradition of its; 456 and 612 forefathers. It’s a very different car. But why not 630FF or something? FF in itself is a dumb name.

I’m all for different things having different names. But Ferrari keep building the same thing and giving it different names. That, and slapping on random titles to make a car more Italian or to give it more heritage . It’s marketing bullshit. It’s deliberately confusing.

Probenja > Nauraushaun 10/18/2016 at 20:39

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I think the same, If you look at their current lineup it’s a mashup between numbers, italian names and acronyms.

Lamborghini is the “crazy” brand but their names and codes at least make some sense.

Saracen > Nauraushaun 10/18/2016 at 20:46

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They’re not all dumb. and to be fair the FF has been renamed the GTC4 Lusso, which is much better.

F12berlinetta is the most retarded one. I don’t get it.

SA Aperta is in homage to Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina, that’s pretty cool.

I don’t see a problem in giving the special versions of the midengined variants unique names. Every successive model has a new name, so why not give their special variants unique names too? This goes for “nick names” too, like Fiorano, Italia, Modena, etc.

LaFerrari is...stupid.

F355...well, the F430 has the same naming convention. I suspect it has something to do with fact that both cars are heavily updated versions of their predecessors (348 and 360 respectively) rather than clean-sheet redesigns.

wafflesnfalafel > Nauraushaun 10/18/2016 at 20:50

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because... Italy.

And Ferrari can do whatever it wants to at this point.

Alex Zapata > Nauraushaun 10/18/2016 at 20:54

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Special editions, limited runs and convertible and extra sporty models never repeat names in consecutive generations of cars, going back to the absolute start of the company.

The F12 is called Berlinetta, the 599 was the Fiorano, the 575 was the M and the 550 was the Maranello.

The 430 Scuderia convertible was the Spider and the 458 Speciale convertible is called the Aperta.

The sporty 575 was the HGTE, the 599 was the GTO and the F12 is called the tdf, all have heritage in Ferrari history, but ultimately are all different, I think to prevent a conversation like:

“You have a Scuderia? Which one?”

If someone says Stradale, Scuderia or Speciale, you know which gen car they’re talking about. People don’t consider the GTO and the tdf as 2 generations of the same model and version, but two completely different cars.

Also even though the 355, 360 and 430 are pretty much the same car/chasis, they’re named different as to separate them from each other, most people don’t even realise how similar these cars are from each other and how much 430 is in the 458 and 488.

Nauraushaun > wafflesnfalafel 10/18/2016 at 21:44

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They’re worth too much to care :(

Nauraushaun > Probenja 10/18/2016 at 21:49

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Lamborghini makes so much sense. Just awesome names. Taken from bulls. It’s badass and awesome and easy to get.

Nauraushaun > Alex Zapata 10/18/2016 at 22:30

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To me, it stinks of marketing. You can tell me that a 599 GTO is steeped in heritage, but I’d call it a faster 599 that’s been given the GTO name. Technically it’s not a GTO, since GTO stands for gran turismo omologato and it’s not a homologation model.

You’ve shed some reasoning on it, but I still think it’s madness. I don’t mind the idea of models being named differently (like Lamborghini does), but all the “M” and “HGTE” and “tdf” stuff is silliness.

Ultimately they’re trying desperately to remind people of their history to increase value. Much like Porsche does.

Nauraushaun > Saracen 10/18/2016 at 22:36

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They named it so badly they had to have another crack.

Oh it is like that isn’t it? F12berlinetta - one word, lower case.

Every successive model is a different car. But the go-faster version of each has had a similar treatment. It’s like if, instead of the Mustang GT, the V8 Mustang was given another random title. The Mustang HF (for Henry Ford of course!), the Mustang Detroit, the Mustang RWD Coupe Luxury (ie. Lusso in English), the Mustang Special, the Mustang Stable (ie. Scuderia in English).

Ferrari’s situation isn’t different to this. They just randomize their names more.

Maybe you’re right about the F. But it seems more like two random things the car have in common, rather than something that would contribute to the name. How does “F” translate to “relatively minor update”?

Alex Zapata > Nauraushaun 10/18/2016 at 22:51

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Thing is Ferrari has a ton of racing history, more than almost any other marque in the World, it’s part of the reason people line up and around the block to buy their cars (their typical car, the 488, has a wait list of 18 months) people buy Ferrari because of what they represent, the fact that they make amazing chasis and sound like God is secondary.

Those unique naming schemes is part of what makes the special edition cars hold their value so well with the years, which is a big part of why people buy them, but the most valuable cars (the XX cars and the Corsa Clienti cars) don’t even have heritage at all, XX was created with the FXX and the race cars follow(ed) a logical and funcional naming scheme (eg. the F2005 is a 2005 F1 car) that dates back decades and they have never stopped making them.

I understand you not liking the naming scheme, but do take into consideration it’s not some sort of random collection of letters and numbers like say Porsche’s naming codes for chasis or McLarens names, which follow no order or provide real information about the car (675LT actually has 666 hp), they actually have some meaning behind and a very important (To Ferrari clients) reason to be. Also do remember Ferrari has no conventional publicty, they rely on the word of mouth attention their new models and special editions give them so it IS marketing, making cars is a business, not a labour of love.

The Porsche comment I don’t understand, they haven’t used a heritage name ever aside from the 718; the 911 has never ceased production so I don’t count that.

Nauraushaun > Alex Zapata 10/19/2016 at 01:59

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It could be worse, and yes it works amongst those who are glued to the Ferrari teat, but I still think it’s silly. I do get what you’re saying.

In general I like the idea of custom names for each model. Just not in the senseless nature Ferrari do it. Lotus do it by just coming up with cool names that begin with E. It channels the heritage, it’s cool, and it makes sense. For 2 decades the faster Elise has been the Exige and that’s the way I likes it! The Evora and Europa are different cars with different names and that’s fine too. There’s no Evora tdf Norfolk crazy special model.

Porsche do things a bit differently, they take it further than just names. Cars like the modern 911 Targa, the Boxster Spyder, the 911 Sport Classic - they’re based on regular production Porsches, but with just enough customization to justify them naming it after a historically significant cars. They’re only building a Targa because they used to build one. Even when they downsize to a smaller 4-cylinder turbo - the same boring-ass legislation driven move everyone else is doing - they name it after a classic car and wax lyrical about how they’re bringing back the spirit of a vintage 4-cylinder Porsche.

Kookanoodles > Nauraushaun 10/19/2016 at 04:36

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Ferrari has no naming system whatsoever, every time a new car comes out they choose whatever name (and font!) they fancy at that time. It’s totally random. Trying to make sense of it is a pointless and potentially dangerous endeavour.

The naming of their F1 cars is even more nonsensical.

Nauraushaun > Kookanoodles 10/19/2016 at 05:06

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Finally! Someone who isn’t suckling at the Ferrari teat like the rest of these SHEEPLE!

Alex Zapata > Nauraushaun 10/19/2016 at 13:01

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I can see where you’re coming from and why you think that, no worries, I just wanted to illustrate that they do actually have a reason to be that way, again, they’re trying to sell as many of their cars as possible, having a very heritage heavy marketing strategy is what has worked for both Porsche and Ferrari for a long time.

The 718 is just a way to cover themselves when inevitably Porsche “purists” that know nothing of the brand pre-2005 are told that they have built 4 cylinder cars in the past and it’s not a bad thing, so much so that the most iconic 4 cylinder race car they made was actually pretty successful, we live in a world where a 4 cylinder roadster from Porsche makes less sense to customers than a huge Turbo V8 SUV.

PS. Lotus does plenty of Heritage naming things for special editions, I don’t know what Hethel Edition is even supposed to mean:

The Stig's former college room mate > Nauraushaun 10/20/2016 at 12:09

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i believe early 360s said F360 on the mirror caps

But other than that I have no useful information. Ferrari model designation makes my head hurt. There are only a handful I can identify correctly at a distance.

And FF is not nearly as stupid of a name as LaFerrari is. I think they pretty much just gave up on that.

Nauraushaun > The Stig's former college room mate 10/20/2016 at 17:00

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Really?! That’s interesting. There’s a lot of talk about the Enzo being the “F60" internally, though I don’t think they ever used that name publicly.

Here here

The Stig's former college room mate > Nauraushaun 10/20/2016 at 17:18

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I believe they used that in preproduction, as I have heard that as well. It makes sense to have a standard format for the hypercars- F40, F50, F60 etc. But there is little that Ferrari does that makes sense.

Nauraushaun > The Stig's former college room mate 10/20/2016 at 17:27

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Maybe that’s why they didn’t use it. It would be too consistent with too many old cars - cars that aren’t old enough to be vintage enough that it’s worth doing.

They’re just contrarians.

The 488 is pretty similar to the 458, in name and shape. Mark my words - the next iteration will be called the X4 and be completely different. Just cause

Nauraushaun > Alex Zapata 10/25/2016 at 19:36

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And you’re very right :)

It’s a sick sad world.

Ooh I didn’t know about those! I think it makes more sense as a special edition, Ferrari does this to every single car they produce. But yes, “Hethel edition” is a particularly perplexing attempt at cashing on heritage. Unless it’s blander than the regular cars, only comes in grey and is usually wet.