Ferrari sports cars seem to have bucked the trend of the recession with record sales in 2010, with VW also reaching new heights.
The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano China Limited Edition Image: Ferrari North America, Inc. |
Perhaps unsuprisingly, China proved a fertile market for the inconic sportscar maker, with 300 cars sold in the 12 month period, the best result since the Italian company first began exporting to the country.
Ferrari has willingly fed China's hunger for new cars, along with its rapidly growing wealth, with a number of historic events including the company's first Chinese world premier with the launch of the new 599 GTO at the Beijing Auto Show and a special celebration for the 999th Ferrari to be sold in the country - 9 being an auspicious number. The company also released a 599 GTB Fiorano China Limited Edition model, with paintwork designed to look like the cracked glaze of Song Dynasty porcelain.
However, China wasn't alone in its demand for the Prancing Horse marque. Sales in the US and Canada also reached record levels in 2010 with a 20% increase year on year. With the high-earners having taken only a short break from spending their money, they were clearly back in the mood for shopping with 1750 Ferraris being sold in North America last year.
Meanwhile the owners of luxury car brand Bentley, Germany's Volkswagen Group, also announced group-wide record sales, delivering more than seven million units across the globe in 2010. The number represented a 13.5% increase on the previous year, although the passenger car sector was up only 11.3%.
As with Ferrari, VW found China a record-breaking market with 1.92m units - a 34% increase in sales - although this was eclipsed by the 181% improvement in Indian deliveries with 53,300 vehicles.