track-day updates

Remember to RSVP, don't just show up. We're like Santa Claus: making a list and checking it twice.

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Q1 2008
Our business is up slightly, 2008 over 2007.
The year over year analysis also saw a shift in brand dominance.
Q1 2007 the majority of our sales were new Bentley GTC.
Q1 2008, the majority is new Maserati Quattroporte automatic & 2008 Maserati GranTurismo (sold out into MY2009).
2008 Lotus are once again back-ordered, with the next few months arrivals 100% pre-sold.
With Bentley, we've taken the opportunity to buy available build-positions and available inventory of 2008 Bentley Continentals from fellow Bentley retailers to bolster our inventory. Otherwise, we'd have had no Bentley product for summer, having pre-sold everything inbound for the mid-year timeframe.
Ferrari, no comment needed. New cars arrive pre-sold. Pre-owned Ferrari.... just find us more of those perfect 1-owner cars.
Our captive lenders, Ferrari Financial, Bentley Financial and Maserati Financial have dominated our lease and finance business. While booking about 50% of our sales, these lenders are too new to have ever gotten caught up in the lending crisis. An interesting twist of fate, yes?
Our service department (all makes) is up about 10% year over year.
In the analysis of brand specific service data, Ferrari service is WAY up (Ferraris from all over the country), Bentley Service is level, and Lotus service doesn't occur in the snow-months. Significant restoration work on older Crewe built R-R is also up..
Ferrari Parts and Accessories are up as well, year over year.

We broke ground this month to expand the new car Bentley showroom. That expansion will take the footprint of the building to its maximum, and will grow both the Bentley and Ferrari showroom spaces. Later, expanding the Ferrari boutique as well.

Despite the weather & the news, folks still like great automobiles, and spring is in full bloom in the sports car business.

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medium-old-news

Here's some interesting stats from Automotive News (1/2/08) as well as a couple google searches; total USA sales for 2007:


BMW 293,795 (car & SUV sales; the leader in lease-loyalty, ie: repeat lease customers)
Mercedes Benz 254,453 (car & SUV sales; Consumer Reports surveys illustrate continuing quality issues)
Range Rover 49,550 (will the sale of the company have any effect for 2008?)
Mini 42,045 (look for an increase with new models in '08)
Porsche 34,693 (car & SUV sales)
Corvette 33,864 (source: corvetteblogger.com)
Jaguar 15,683 (down another 24.2% year over year, which makes No sense for this great & historic brand.)
Bentley 4,196 (source: Bentley company-dealer communications; 2008 production numbers will be cut back)
Lotus 2,604 (expect declining US volume due to weak dollar, more profitable to sell into Europe & Japan)
Maserati 2,540 (up 20.5% year over year. New QP automatic & new GT coupe well received)
Aston-Martin 1,752 (big surplus of available inventory, USA dealers quote a 2-year supply available now)
Ferrari 1,584 (100% sold out, NO available new-car inventory, back-ordered years in advance, world-wide)
Lamborghini 984 (high levels of available USA inventory, predicted declining sales volume for 2008)
Rolls Royce 410 (high levels of available sedan inventory; new convertible bringing premium $)
Maybach 156 (most franchised M-B dealerships dropping this unprofitable brand)
Bugatti 0 (total prod. will be: 300 Veyrons; 1/2 are built, immediate availabililty.)
AND since I couldn't find USA numbers for:
Morgan 650-worldwide (manufacturing handbuilt sportscars since 1910 at the same factory + they have a great website)The retailer in Detroit estimates 12-24 Aero-8s in the USA for 2007.
Spyker 7-worldwide (thru 6/31/07. source: EU company financial filings, company basically insolvent, inviting takeover)
Saleen: even researching Wikipedia there are no production numbers published. It would have been interesting.
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not-so-new-news
This newsworthy paragraph from our service page:
Bill Eveden
21 Years at Ferrari of Denver
Arizona Automotive Institute,
Ferrari / Maserati Schools too numerous to list, here's a brief overview:
250/275/330/365/246/308/348/355/360/430/612/599/F40/F50/Enzo/Merak/Bora/Q-porte/Biturbo, plus all current V8 Coupe, Spider and Q-porte/Lotus Elan/Esprit/ etc.
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Bill is the ONLY FERRARI AND MASERATI FACTORY CERTIFIED MASTER TECHICIAN IN THE ENTIRE REGION (one of maybe a dozen in the entire USA). Bill is also ASE certified and has over two decades experience with Ferrari of Denver. In 1986 Bill joined Bill Stewart at “Royal Carriage Works” to service the exotic Ferrari and Maserati brands. Bill’s love and appreciation for these exclusive and old world craftsmen cars has made him an invaluable asset to his loyal clientele and Ferrari of Denver.

And this: transcribed from an intranet memo from Ferrari North America:

From: A Williams
To: All Ferrari Dealers; All FNA Dealer Technical; all FNA Dealer Executives.
Subject: Ferrari Technician Challenge
11/20/07
Dear All,
The results are in for the Ferrari NA Technician Challenge Qualifying Competition.
I am thrilled to tell you...
6 of the 17 technicians that completed the test finished in the top 20 in the world.
11 of 17 finished in the top 30
You should all be very proud of the efforts put forth and the strong representation of your Ferrari Master Technician.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
1st in North America- 4th in the WORLD- Bill Evenden- Ferrari of Denver
Thank You,
Adam Williams,
National Training Manager
Ferrari North America.

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