Ferrari World: Genius Marketing or Sell-Out Joy Ride?

Aside from the minor tyre and performance tests still continuing, the majority of the Formula One circus will by now have rolled ou of Abu Dhabi and off to its secret labs and garages for the intensive winter break. Yet permanently etched on the skyline of the United Arab Emirates capital is an omnipresent, 213ft long reminder of the lucrative power of F1. It's also the most desirable marque in motoring: the Prancing Black stallion on Canary Yellow background that since 1947 has adorned every famous export of Maranello, Italy. Impressive as this may be, however, the question is why indeed does Ferrari need to enhance its stellar worldwide repuation and brand power with a Middle Eastern based theme park, the largest such covered attraction on the planet? Furthermore, does its existence actually detract from Enzo Ferrari's beloved brainchild?

Certainly, Ferrari cannot argue that their new temple in one of the world's richest countries is deemed neccessary by a need for profit. Even during the deepest fathoms of the economic downturn, Ferrari still managed to rack up a 14 month waiting list for their new £140,000 California model. Simultaneously they were still funding development on the current 599 GTO and 458 Italia cars, of course in conjuncion with F1. After the latter cars recieved overwhelming praise from the motoring press, it's not appparent that Fezza were cutting corners and costs, so Ferrari World is not a vital asset to resuscitate depleted assets. Even if it were, builidng a muti-£million glorified fairground would be a bit of a gamble.

So if Ferrari's Arabian home from home isn't designed to get them back in the black, then maybe it's about providing the most intense high speed thrills possible ouside of a 430 Scuderia on full song out of Turn One at Fiorano. On first inspection, this appears to have hit the proverbial nail on the head. The flagship 5 year-in-the-making rollercoaster, 'Formula Rossa', proudly holds the title of World's Fastest Rollercoaster, reaching a top speed of 149mph, which will have pleased the marketing department. Check out the video link below for a view of it putting a smile of Fernando Alonso's face that wouldn't last long...

Unfortunately though the adrenaline junkie thread starts to unravel from hereon out. The other main rides consist of 'Fiorano GT Challenge', in which two rollercoasters built to look vaguely like the now obselete F430 Spider arer launched simultaneously on nearby but separate tracks, and proceed to follow their tame course with the main novelty being derived from the fact that the cars are 'racing.' The fact that it is an elecronically controlled rollercoaster, not a supercar dogfight, makes the outcome very much a one horse race, predictably. Finally, those wih a head for not much heights can strap themsleves into 'G Force', a vertical spaceshot tower whcih fires riders up at 12 m/s in order to experience the strains of a Formula One driver, apparently. Arriving at the top of the 203 ft tower, riders can enjoy a brief glimpse out of the top of the roof structure to that enormous Ferrari badge and picturesque sand dunes, while hopefully ignoring the fact that they are at the climax of a ride which is both slower and less than half the height of the world's tallest example of a spaceshot tower ride. Under the vast canopy below, the designers, who could well have been responsible for the equally disappointing Millenium Dome in London, were obviously short of ideas to fill the 20 sq km space they had created. Out of the suggestion box, they ended up with delights of V12, a diluted log flume which drifts nauseatingly through the heart (read: innards) of a V12 engine, and a carousel with mini-Ferrari prototypes on board.

Rides that make you sick..

Clearly the wheels fell off the idea to create a Mecca for thrill-seekers, but if a visitor is more enclined towards Italian culture, that's no trouble. Quite apart from the fact that said punter has missed Italy and ended up in the UAE desert, the minature aerial voyage of Italy, 'Viaggio in Italia', and the numerous Italina bistros and eateries will surely satisfy any tourists' lust for some authentic Latin flava.

..in a whole new way

Well, perhaps. Forgive my scepticsm, because Ferrari World is unquestionably a terrific feat of engineering, and efficient construction. But the endless Italian restaurants and coffee shops are a clue to the real point of the place. It is quite possibly the most cynical example of product placement, advertising profiteering, ever. One look at the Ferrari website will show any browser that Ferrari is no stranger to putting its logo on any piece of cheap, carbon fibre adorned crap and selling it at extortionate prices. But now they've only gone and done it to a gazebo. To exit Ferrari World, visitors have to walk through another record breaker, the biggest Ferrari store in the world, where Giovanni and Ahmed will be happy to sell you a full size F1 car replica, a Scuderia embossed scatter cushion, and anything inbetween. The erosion of the Ferrari name has been relentless to the point of demeaning, since allowing almost anyone a slice of the 'Ferrari lifestyle', the legend, removes its exclusivity and  renders its desirability a joke. Ferrari will argue that profits from their new scarlet elephant will be invested in better quality control and technical advancement of their road cars, but if they have no reverence to trade on, so what? Porsche always justifies the Cayenne to enthusiasts by citing the fact it is the most profitable vehicle in the hisory of the marque, and has funded some of its best driving machines, 997 GT3 RS, Boxster Spyder, 918 et al, but Stuttgart's tarted up Touareg is still one of the most unpopular vehicles on the road. Enzo is spinning in his grave faster than the $ in shareholders' eyes.

When he ascended to the role of Ferrari President, akin to the selection of the new Pope in Italy, Luca de Montezemolo was quoted as saying 'We don't sell cars, we sell a dream." Pity then that greed has driven the Godfather of sports car motoring to sell you aftershave and bath towel shaped slices of that same dream, only now you can collect yours in person from a desert of good taste.

At least Massa seemed to enjoy himself...     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV1_edodag0