Bitsa Number One

I have been in these inadvertent “convoys” (I even sponsored one in Malibu while introducing a book, before I realized the legal implications). Looking on the wreckage in the Japanese news agency pictures, I have to say that it reminds me of my pal’s five dogs—individually they are well behaved (except for the pit bull) but once they break loose from his property their first order of business is to kill another dog—as if each dog were willing to subjugate his brain to the lower IQ pack mentality.

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/261477/20111205/ferrari-crash-japan-gathering-narcissists-video.htm
Maybe that was what was going on in Japan, each Ferrari driver subliminally began to think he was in a race, and the effect of their high speed convoy on the drivers of “normal” cars was disregarded. Let’s face it, Ferraris and Lamborghinis have superior acceleration and/or braking than regular cars but the ability of Ferrari and Lamborghini drivers to move faster than other cars can spook drivers of “normal cars” on a normal highway and cause pandemonium as they slice and dice through traffic at will (See Jeff Bridges old movie “Against All Odds” for an example).

ABANDONED FERRARIS

Ferraris are generally found where the money is.

And Dubai, once a crowning jewel in International commerce, should have lots of Ferraris.

Couple this with the oft-heard rumor of Ferraris abandoned in the desert.

And now a news story to confirm it—pictures of an Enzo covered with dust out in the desert.

The pictures on the net show it in a police impound yard. It may have been abandoned when one of the ex-pats, who might have been involved in what we would call financial hanky—panky, abandoned it at the airport while he took leave of the country.

http://www.autoedizione.com/2011/10/01/ferrari-enzo-abandoned-in-the-desert/
Reminds me of when I wrote a famous Ferrari expert who had spent time in Saudi and asked him if it was true that exotic cars were sometimes parked by the side of the road and abandoned when the ashtray was full. He said “no” but then ended his message saying something like “I have to go because I heard of a Lamborghini abandoned over in …..”

PININFARINA STOPS PRODUCTION

When Andrea Pininfarina was killed awhile back at the age of 51 in a scooter accident, it had far reaching consequences, the latest of which is the famous coachbuilder shutting down production of car bodies. Pininfarina recently announced they are ceasing production and laying off 127 remaining workers (VeloceToday’s Roberto Motta reports that plans are being made with the Italian government to help those workers) but they plan to continue its design and engineering businesses. One of the problems is when the automaker they are working with has a downturn in sales. When Volvo closed its Swedish plant, run as a joint venture with Pininfarina, it hurt Pininfarina. The C70 convertible was made there.

At its high point, Pininfarina reportedly produced as many as 40,000 cars a year. Production in 2010 was 7000. There were attempts to sell off parts of the company as they downsized, and there was a new focus on environmentally friendly cars, including electric cars, so they wouldn’t be so dependent on luxury cars which as we all know, take a hit whenever there’s a downturn in money markets.

Pinin Farina was founded in 1930, and their name badge can be found on Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Cadillac and Volvo, but the strongest association has been with Ferrari, as they gradually displaced all the carrozzeria competitors Ferrari had used early on, such as Vignale, Ghia, Touring, Bertone et al.

Reuters reports that their financial troubles really began in December of 2008, when they entered a debt restructuring deal with a few banks. There has been talk of saviors and one name mentioned was French businessman Vincent Bollore and another automaker, Tata, who bought Jaguar, but, at this writing it isn’t clear if any quick solution is at hand.

One thing sure—an era has ended. There will still be Pininfarina-designed Ferraris but no longer Pininfarina-built ones.

It hasn’t been announced if Pininfarina will still be building the one-off prototypes or continue the program with which they build one-off cars for wealthy customers like the P3/4 revival, etc.

BITZ-SO-SLEAZY

I once made fun of the name of these Italo-American cars. I even bought and sold three of them in the go-go ’80s. I remember when Ferrari buyers would turn up their collective noses at a car made with an iron block iron heads pushrod American V8.

And a car of suspect quality.

But the Bizzarrini designer was a fellow you might know of, Giorgetto Giugiaro.

And recently a Bizzarrini fetched over $500,000 at a Lake Como auction.

So hence the excitement each time one of the 100-or-so Stradas is found. Two recent articles mentioned one found in NY state, 24K on the clock, one owner since ’73.

Initial estimates at value, maybe $400,000 and change. I believe this site had details:

http://bringatrailer.com/2011/10/13/…strada-5300gt/

So in being a Bizzarrini fan since the ’60s I was a visionary, of sorts, but alas didn’t save the cars I bought, the last one being the unrestored one I sold out of Bill’s body shop for $18,000.
Read it and weep…