You’re probably aware that Ferrari has a big problem with owners modifying their cars, so you can imagine its frustration when a faux Prancing Horse pops on the radar. As the saying goes, it’s suffering from success. Just last year, three fake cars were crushed as part of a wider campaign against counterfeits. Newly released data from Maranello shows the extent of the company’s efforts to eliminate products that are not authentic.
This crushed 360 is only part of the story as the Italian company destroyed a shockingly high amount of Ferrari-branded merchandise last year. Over 100,000 items of clothing and more than 91,000 eyeglasses were shattered, along with nearly 61,000 wristwatches. Wallets were also a hot commodity, with a little over 57,000 that had to be wiped out.
But wait, there’s more. Other notable mentions include over 30,000 bottles of perfume, 17,000+ bags, another 17,000 pairs of shoes, and over 13,000 belts. Miscellaneous items varied from nearly 1,100 balls to almost 900 scale models. Oh, no fewer than 800 fake scooters were crushed as well. Oddly enough, a fridge was one of the most recent products discovered to carry the Ferrari logo falsely.
Should you want to aid Ferrari’s cause and earn a little prize for your effort, the anti-counterfeiting reward project launched last year allows you to help the company track down fakes. You’ll be receiving an “official thank you” along with a “complementary Ferrari gadget.” This campaign is already a big success since reports arrive daily. The people in charge of verifying suspected fakes apparently have a “major job” at hand.
A couple of years ago, Ferrari did give its blessing for seven replica cars built for the namesake movie about Enzo’s incredible life. Although the vehicles imitating 1957 racers were meticulously built with help from 20 expert restorers, even those cars were ultimately torn apart. The company quotes a “methodic destruction of the glass-fiber bodywork.” The sad fate of these realistic copies was established even before filming had started. Soon after they wrapped up the movie, all replicas were dismantled.