NOVEMBER 9, 2016

Sergio Marchionne. Editor-In-Chief's Note: From the "Greed Is Good" File comes word that The Great Sergio has alighted on a scam that will allow him to jack up sales volume for Ferrari, according to a report by Reuters. The self-proclaimed "G.O.A.T" figures that expanding hybrid technology throughout the Ferrari product lineup will allow him to crank sales over 10,000 a year, something he's wanted to do ever since he got his hands on the brand. The brand's volume limit is allegedly constrained by CO2 regulations, but there are many within the company who were dead set against Marchionne's plan to jack sales up, deeming it anathema to everything Ferrari stands for. But voila! The hybrid angle gives him license to do whatever he wants, according to him. Marchionne also told Reuters that the automaker would expand the Ferrari range to vehicles that appeal to "a larger demographic" by focusing on characteristics other than the technological prowess typical of its recent V8 and V12 models. Let's see, Ferrari "world" theme parks, a never-ending supply of tchotchkes and branded wearables, and now the coup de grâce - a more "approachable" Ferrari. Oh, and by the way, he was going to lead the Ferrari F1 team to the promised land too. How has that worked out so far? As Joe Pesci's character Nicky Santoro once said in Casino, "this guy could fuck-up a cup of coffee." No wonder Ferrari is being pressed by more aggressive - and focused - competitors in the luxury -high-performance market. -PMD

Editor-In-Chief's Note: Audi pays tribute to its illustrious winning history at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - the German automaker is retiring its LMP1 effort at the end of this season - with a new spot by BBH London that shows Audi sport models departing from all over Europe and converging at the famous Circuit de la Sarthe. The accompanying soundtrack is a new rendition of the Simon & Garfunkel classic song "Homeward Bound" by Gina Kushka. It's worth a look. -PMD

(BMW Group)
The world’s most exclusive and traditional heritage event for historic automobiles and motorcycles - the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este - will be held once again on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, May 26-28, 2017. The motto “Around the World in 80 Days – Voyage through an Era of Records” will take the story of automobile production from the early years to the present day, and will even extend the trajectory into the future. The Selecting Committee has already defined five of the planned nine vehicle classes: 1. Speed Demons: Endurance Pioneers of the Golden Age; 2. Faster, Quieter, Smoother: Heroes of the Jet Age; 3. Travelling in Style: Around the World in 40 Years; 4. The Grand Tour Continues: The Next 40 Years and the most interesting to us, 5. Racers on the Road: Playboys’ Toys. This class will be about the road-converted racing machines that are "loud, unsuitable for the public highway and wholly impractical. In short, the perfect match for their exuberant first owners, the playboys of their era." The show will also present a class of Concept Cars and Prototypes that showcase the automobiles of tomorrow, cars penned by the most prestigious designers of our time.
(BMW Group)
(BMW Group)

The AE Movie Quote of the Week: "And you know, Steve, you get the feeling that Billy Chapel isn't pitching against left handers, he isn't pitching against pinch hitters, he isn't pitching against the Yankees. He's pitching against time. He's pitching against the future, against age, and even when you think about his career... against ending. And tonight I think he might be able to use that aching old arm one more time to push the sun back up in the sky and give us one more day of summer." (Vin Scully playing himself talking about Kevin Costner as pitcher "Billy Chapel" in "For Love of the Game.")

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