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Enzo-economics

Here's a lesson in the law of supply and demand-Ferrari style. Faced with overwhelming pressure to build a few more copies of the $670,000 Enzo Ferrari, chairman Luca di Montezemolo relented and ordered his minions to assemble 50 more cars.

``Many collectors expressed dismay that they could not have the car, so that I was forced to say we would build 50 more, but that is all,'' the chairman asserted. ``It will not be like F40; every car will be numbered and have my signature, and 399 is all we will make.'' And all are spoken for, thank you.

Production starts next month for the 660-hp V12-engined tribute to Ferrari namesake Enzo and to F1 racing technology. And despite early comments to the contrary, di Montezemolo says 5 percent of them will come in black.

Mini mia

Mini designer Frank Stephenson is Ferrari's first-ever in-house design chief. Stephenson, general manager Amedeo Felisa said, will act as the company's representative in cooperation with the designers at Pininfarina and Italdesign Giugiaro, the firms responsible for Ferrari and Maserati shapes, respectively. ``We needed someone respected in the industry to converse with these design firms,'' Felisa explained.

These communications had to be centralized as Ferrari/Maserati expands its range of products. Upcoming new cars include the four-door Maserati due next year (not yet officially the Quattroporte by name) and a replacement for the Ferrari 456 due by the end of 2003. Beyond that, the company divulges only that it envisions an ``expanded range'' of Maseratis beyond the spider, coupe and sedan.