Ferrari Sues Customer
Court Battle Over Resale Issue?
There Were Understandable Circumstances
The resale market extends beyond luxury goods and concert tickets, permeating high-end industries like luxury vehicles, where brands such as Ferrari and Rolls-Royce compete. Resellers capitalize on high-demand goods, purchasing rare items and selling them at inflated prices. This practice can distort consumer access and damage a company’s brand image, particularly in the exclusive world of supercars and luxury automobiles.
Automakers—especially those producing limited-edition models—have implemented strict anti-resale policies to protect their brand value and ensure fairness to customers. Recently, Ferrari made headlines by filing a lawsuit against a customer for violating these rules.
Popular Model with a Two-Year Backlog
Must Retain for 18 Months After Delivery
Ferrari Purosangue is an SUV model that breaks the brand tradition but is extremely popular. Its annual production volume is around 2,200 to 3,000 units, and the price starts at about $398,522 in the South Korean market. However, it is so scarce that it cannot be sold. Ferrari has announced that the Purosangue contracts are so crowded that they are sold out until the delivery period of 2026.
Even though it is not a limited edition model, the Purosangue purchase contract includes a special clause because of its rarity. It prohibits resale for 18 months after delivery of the vehicle. If customers want to resell it within 18 months, priority will be given to the dealership that first sold the vehicle. If customers sell it to another dealership or individual at a higher price than the regular price, the difference must be paid to Ferrari.
Resold after delivery in June of this year
Ferrari Likely to Win, Experts Say
In a recent case, Ferrari sued a customer for violating the resale ban on a Purosangue. According to CarBuzz, the customer, Todd Carlson, purchased the vehicle on October 1, 2022, and took delivery in June 2023. However, he resold the car shortly after receiving it, violating the contract’s 18-month resale clause.
The case, currently pending in the U.S. court system, appears to favor Ferrari. The contract’s terms were clear, and Carlson agreed to them when purchasing the vehicle. Experts suggest Ferrari will likely win the lawsuit, reinforcing the brand’s stringent policy of maintaining exclusivity and preventing market manipulation through resales.
Other Luxury Brands Implement Similar Resale Policies
Ferrari is not alone in enforcing strict resale rules. Other luxury carmakers have adopted similar policies to safeguard their brands. Rolls-Royce, for instance, has implemented a lifetime ban for customers who resell the Rolls-Royce Spectre, the brand’s first electric vehicle. Tesla has also introduced—and later removed—resale restrictions with its Cybertruck, generating debate among consumers.
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