Mr_Bo11ox Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 hey, you know those MR2/Fiero - based F355 reps beloved of sad case Ferrari nuts? Well the italian authorities are well unimpressd with em. check this out:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/29/internationalcrime.italyPolice on Sicily have broken up a counterfeiting business with a difference. It was selling copies of the world's most dashing car - outwardly perfect, down to the prancing horse emblem on the bonnet - for as little as €20,000 (£15,300). In raids as far afield as Asti in the north-west of Italy, revenue guards impounded seven finished "Ferraris" and another seven at various stages of construction. Fifteen people were charged with offences including criminal conspiracy, fraud, counterfeiting and handling stolen goods.TBH it seems a bit far fetched to me to call them counterfeits, you only have to count the number of wheel studs to be able to spot one, (also if the owner has ferrari logos on his hat/t-shirt/over-tight jeans/loafers/socks/shades thats also a good giveaway). But, they make up the law as they go along in Italy, so there we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.welfare Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Yeah, I saw that. OK it may affect people who don't know cars very well, but you can spot the dodgy proportions of these Fiero/MR2 kits a mile off. If these people had enough money to be duped without checking out the basics, more fool them I say! Would they have spotted one of those horrific TR7-based "F40s" I wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reallyloud Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Interesting read. Ferrari have always been highly litigious of the use of the badge on cars, but seem to allow it to be used on all sorts of crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompei Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I really can't see what all the fuss is about.The kit car scene thrives on providing replicas of all sorts of desirable and not so desirable motors - I was reading this week that yet another company has set up recreating 246 Dinos, for about 12,000 notes.So is the carabinieri going to patrol beaches pulling in sun tanned dudes flogging 20 euro Rolexes and Luis Vuitton handbags?I suspect that someone is on the payroll, cos no-one is so stoopid to believe that you can get anything from Modena, except balsamic vinegar, for £15k ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillock Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 The newspapers are reporting it as a major counterfeiting ring... but then go on to say they were using cars such as Pontiacs for the base and fitting them with Ferrari replica bodies! To me, that just screams 'kit car' and anyone who bought such a thing, believing it to be a real ferrari for £15k, needs to go to Specsavers and then be beaten to death."hmmm, i'll go and look at this ferrari on Autotrader, not actually open the engine cover or check out any chassis numbers, and hand over a wedge of cash for it". right-oh!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betaphile Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I wonder if there's been a change of ownership recently, because I saw a feature on one of the manufacturers of the Fiero-based examples about 10 years ago and the one thing they emphasised is that they didn't want anyone calling them Ferraris. Ferrari replicas, fine, or Fierarris, but not the real thing (for obvious reasons). Wonder if someone has been taking liberties with that distinction - in which case, one would surmise, a not altogether smart thing to do.The proportions of the 308 replica featured in that particular article were pretty good, actually, but I agree that the replicas aren't exactly tough to spot. Particularly when you lift up the engine cover and you're greeted by an air intake stamped 'Holley'. And then you start it up and realise that the Iron Duke doesn't make quite the same noise as a Modenese V8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lobster Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I wonder if there's been a change of ownership recently, because I saw a feature on one of the manufacturers of the Fiero-based examples about 10 years ago and the one thing they emphasised is that they didn't want anyone calling them Ferraris. Ferrari replicas, fine, or Fierarris, but not the real thing (for obvious reasons). Wonder if someone has been taking liberties with that distinction - in which case, one would surmise, a not altogether smart thing to do.The proportions of the 308 replica featured in that particular article were pretty good, actually, but I agree that the replicas aren't exactly tough to spot. Particularly when you lift up the engine cover and you're greeted by an air intake stamped 'Holley'. And then you start it up and realise that the Iron Duke doesn't make quite the same noise as a Modenese V8.I remember that, it was in Car magazine when it was good....The one in the article did look quite good and reasonably authentic certainly passable enough to fool anyone who had barely seen the real thing.Theres someone around here driving one of the MR2 based F355s and it just looks ridiculous, completely all wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STUNO Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Counterfeit Lambo.AND Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lobster Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 ^ WTF!That thing, the Ferrari / Cayenne thing is fuggin hideous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted March 3, 2008 Author Share Posted March 3, 2008 I think the wooden countach is a De Tomaso pantera! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greenvanman Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Pah! That's nothing... No way you'd ever know that was really a Bedford Rascal. Honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STUNO Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 The old saying comes to mind,You can fool some of the public some of the timeYou can fool some of the public all of the timeBut you can't fool all of the public all of the time.Usually applied to PolititiansAnd Mr_Bo11ox wins a wooden Lamborghini Pantera for his front yardMust be collected by the winner and displayed for 12 months Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55bloke Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 This thread reminded me that, several years ago, I went to the Great Northern Kit Car Show, at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. There was an exhibition there by the Italian Replica Owners Club, and I remember being mightily impressed by how convincing many of the cars were to the non-officionado, and also at the amount of work put into the cars- they must end up costing almost as much as the real thing!! Anyway, I had a trawl through the photo archive, and came up with these:- Not sufficiently clued-up to know what these are replicas of:- Lambo, anyone? I wouldn't be able to tell, at a glance, that this isn't a real Daytona:- This is actually a Jag V 12! I wouldn't know this wasn't a real Lambo, either: Not so exotic, but this little corker looks like it would be fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompei Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 That's a Barchetta, designed by Peter Stephens of Lotus fame.It's essentially a GRP tub mounted onto a Fiat 126 "chassis". The 126 engine (all 650 cc of it) is very tuneable, and combined with the featherweight body, modified suspension and disc brakes must make for an enthralling drive. Although probably not in the rain.They are much sought after now, and the original manufacturer went bust (in the long tradition of kit car makers) I think the moulds were bought by a Dutch consortium but no more cars have been sold since Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.welfare Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Bloody hell, are those Diablos really reps? Look good to me. As does the Daytona, of course - lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karmann Ghiaman Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 http://www.motorcities.com/contents/08/2006-Ferrari-F430-Spider-Wreck-No-Sale-at-$151,100_08C5M512113938.html This one is genuine, just one (careless) owner. Note that the fakes sometimes call themselves Farraris. What's happened to See Red, the Ferrari Owners' Club do at Donington? It doesn't seem to be on this year, but they can usually get about half an acre of those fast scarlet doorstops assembled (might dig out some photos of previous years if anyone's interested). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordpoplier Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 They're after that guy that did the 360 limo nowhttp://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/li ... 485338.ece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 It's odd - they didn't seem to have much problem with this. It is stunning though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milford Cubicle Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Good on them for taking legal action against the owner of a dreadful stretch limo bearing their name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55bloke Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 It's odd - they didn't seem to have much problem with this. It is stunning though. Not seen that before, it's stunning indeed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Case Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 I'm not too struck on that Ferrari either. I prefer something a little more tasteful: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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