South Africans with the funds necessary to take home a model from world-famous Ferrari have clear favourites, as seven out of the eight units sold by the brand in October were all of the same type.
This would be the 296 GTB, which commands a respectable starting price tag of R6,804,200 in South Africa, making it one of the most expensive vehicles in the country.
Even in this high-profile side of the market the 296’s comparatively affordable price tag may have something to do with its popularity, at least when looking at other names under the Ferrari banner that are currently available, such as the 812 and SF90 that go for a cool R8.3 million and R15 million, respectively.
A big hit
What also makes the 296 GTB a bargain (in relative terms) is that it is one of the Italian automaker’s newer vehicles and comes with electrical assistance in the form of a hybrid motor.
Given the brand’s illustrious history over the decades with its many V8-powered machines and its track record at motorsport events like Le Mans, one would think that Ferrari enthusiasts would shirk the idea of any amount of electrical input, but this is evidently not the case as the manufacturer’s four hybrid options have outsold its nine petrol-only cars this year by a significant margin.
Case in point is the 296’s sales in South Africa this year as recorded by Naamsa, which you can see below
- January – 4 units
- February – 0 units
- March – 0 units
- April – 1 unit
- May – 1 unit
- June – 1 unit
- July – 2 units
- August – 2 units
- September – 2 units
- October – 7 units
February and March are the clear outliers here, but these were slow months for the carmaker in general, as only a single SF90 was sold in February, while one 812 was purchased in March.
Beyond these two rarities, the GTB has been a consistent top performer either selling the same or more units than the other vehicles in its showrooms every month this year, with January and October being particularly successful.
These may seem like small sales compared to a mass-market brand like Ford or Toyota, but when the cheapest car in your stable goes for R5 million, you don’t need to be overly worried about volume to bring in the numbers.
In fact, the hybrid 296’s sales alone have generated the company a minimum of R136 million in South Africa so far this year, all on the back of just 20 units.
This is also a low-end estimate, as the supercar-maker incentivises its customers to purchase all manner of extras in order to ensure that every Ferrari out on the roads is strictly unique which, given the brand in question, can add hundreds of thousands to the final tab.
Keyword: South Africans are loving this R6.8-million Ferrari