I've seen plenty of Italian fakes in the form of Gucci and Prada knock-offs sold on the streets but this is the first I've heard of a faux Ferrari. Italian police have busted a ring of mechanics who have been building fake Ferraris. Like some of the people who buy fake purses, most of the purchasers of these cars knew they weren't purchasing real Ferraris. The flashy fakes were made from a combination of body parts from other types of automobiles along with a few genuine Ferrari parts strung together to form sham versions of Ferrari classics. Some of them sold for around $30,000 which is about a tenth of what you'd spend for the real deal.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-01-2008 @ 9:35AM
Henry said...
Replica Ferraris are pretty common actually, as are fake Lambo's. Anyone with an eye for detail can spot a fake from a mile away. I'd assume they're bought by douchebags who want women to think they're successful. Apart from vaguely resembling a Ferrari/Lambo they're usually powered by a GM V6 from a Pontiac Fiero. To recap: looks sort of like a Ferrari/Lambo but handles and drives like a Pontiac Fiero.
Reply
3-01-2008 @ 11:03AM
zoe said...
That is just so funny to me. A fake bag or watch is one thing but a fake car??? I had no idea that they even existed.
I guess people are desperate to appear wealthy...
www.discussionpub.com
Reply
3-03-2008 @ 5:18PM
Michelle said...
None of the versions of this story I have seen looks at the issue critically.
The automotive replica industry is worldwide and very diverse. There are replica clubs, magazines and large shows. Fans of various cars have made replicas of a huge variety of cars. They come in all levels of quality, and a wide range of prices. I have seen terrible VW based replicas that didn't even get close to the look, feel, and performance of the car they were imitating, and I've seen replicas that looked as good as what they were imitating but with more modern drivetrains that would dramatically outperform an original. Cobra replicas are all over the planet and range in price from $20,000 to one I know of that has cost a friend about $250,000
Incredible numbers of fake Gucci (as well as other premium brands) bags come out of italy. Italy has laws against any replicas, of any type. This was not a "Ring" of criminals making fakes to sell to unsuspecting buyers. The buyers of replica cars are often the builders as well. Everyone involved knew what these were, but for Italian tax police this was an opportunity to attract a lot of attention with the headline "counterfeit Ferrari's" written about all over the globe by papers that ditifully printed whatever the police press release stated.
The AP, Reuters, WSJ and all the other services that carried this story did their readers a disservice by being lazy. Rather than do some reporting and some research, maybe discover that there is a huge community of replica owners, clubs, magazines, and manufacturers of all kinds of cars, they did a press release for the Italian tax police. To me that is just collecting a paycheck and not informing the public. The tax police are working hard to sell enthusiasts building replicas as a "counterfeit ring" because it gets them good press. The "reporters" SHOULD have gotten both sides of the story.. that's reporting... this is posting a press release for the prosecutors who gave their side only.
Reply