Ferrari 458 £30k price premium
November 26th, 2009 by Richard Aucock
PRESTIGE car dealer Clive Sutton says the Ferrari 458 Italia is already commanding a premium of £30k over list!
The London-based trader says he has a bank of clients ready and waiting to pay over the odds for an early 2010 order for the new supercar.
‘The problem is there are a lot of buyers out there that are bored,’ Sutton exclusively told Car Dealer. ‘The F430 is relatively old now, and there are buyers in DB9s and Bentley Continental GTs that want a change.
‘The problem is getting hold of an order. Some buyers might think they’re first on the list at their dealership but in terms of where they are in that list across the country can be very different.’
Sutton says the new 458 is a ‘stunning car’ and that Ferrari is one of the most emotive brands he sells from his St John’s Wood showroom.
But added: ‘A lot of current 430 owners are going to get a shock. The 458 is a lot more expensive than the outgoing car – upwards of £170,000. The 430 was around £130k. Factor in depreciation and a lot of owners will be looking at £100,000 to change. A big difference.
‘Granted there are those buyers that will change no matter what the cost – but there are some that will be shocked by the cost this time round. The 458 has been priced in Scuderia territory this time.’
HIGH ROLLERS
Another car currently attracting serious interest is the Rolls-Royce Ghost – but it’s not just from buyers!
‘There are a lot of people trying to sell their Ghost orders,’ Sutton confirmed. ‘People think, and rightly so, that it will command a premium. There are more people than usual that are willing to lose their place in the queue and cash in.’
Other cars with a lot of interest at the moment include the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG and the four-door Aston Martin Rapide.
Sutton sold a Rapide order at a premium last week, but is having trouble with the SLS as no one knows when they’re getting their cars. ‘We can’t sell cars with no delivery date,’ explained Sutton.
The car dealer – winner of this year’s Autotorq-sponsored Independent Website of the Year Eward – has also seen increased interest in his website’s brokerage function that put buyers in touch with sellers, with his firm taking a cut.
‘The credit crunch certainly made us look at how we do business and we’ve had to adapt,’ added Sutton.
Exclusive by James Baggott
Independent Dealer Website of the Year Eward Winner: Clive Sutton
Tags: clive sutton, ferrari, ferrari 458
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