Automotive News speculates on the future of Ferrari

Is Ferrari recession proof? It sure looks that way for now as Automotive News takes a look at what the Italian supercar brand has in store for the next few years. To date, the order books seem to be holding steady in spite of the turmoil in the financial markets, but whether that situation remains six months from now remains to be seen. In the meantime, the prancing horse brand is pressing ahead with a new generation of cars over the next five years. In spite of the high prices paid for Ferraris and the huge performance they deliver, even they are not totally immune to the realities of the world around them.New models will incorporate some fuel saving and performance enhancing technology beginning with the California. The replacement for the F430 will pick up the direct injection system and dual clutch gearbox while also losing some weight. Lighter weight construction will also spread to the rest of the lineup including the next limited production model that succeeds the Enzo. The new California will start appearing in European customer hands in the next couple of months with Americans can get their turn next June. The V12 599 Fiorano will get a retractable hard-top in 2012 while the 612 Scaglietti gets a full redesign a year earlier.[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]