{"id":54395,"date":"2026-09-23T11:54:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T09:54:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.italpassion.fr\/?p=54395"},"modified":"2026-09-18T15:43:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T13:43:03","slug":"this-collector-who-has-a-garage-worth-200-million-wonders-if-its-okay-to-tell-ferrari-that-we-dont-like-one-of-their-cars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.italpassion.fr\/en\/ferrari\/ce-collectionneur-avec-un-garage-a-200-millions-de-revele-si-on-peut-dire-a-ferrari-que-lon-naime-pas-une-de-leurs-voitures\/","title":{"rendered":"This collector, whose garage is worth 200 million $, reveals\u2014if you can call it that\u2014whether you can tell Ferrari that you don't like one of their cars"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Illustration by Italpassion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When you're one of the most important customers of Ferrari<\/a>, can we still tell Maranello that we don\u2019t like a car? The question seems almost trivial. Yet the answer from David Lee, one of the world\u2019s most famous Ferrari collectors, says a lot about the very special relationship the brand has with its best customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Lee isn't exactly your average Ferrari customer. A collector for decades, he says he has purchased more than 50 Ferraris directly from the manufacturer. His garage now houses some of Maranello's most sought-after models, from the 288 GTO<\/a> to the LaFerrari<\/a>, not to mention a 250 GTO<\/a> acquired for nearly $40 million. He is also expecting a F80<\/a> with exposed carbon fiber\u2014a configuration that Ferrari reserves for only a handful of customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In a recent interview with the podcast Road to Success<\/em>, yet the conversation eventually turned to a more sensitive topic: the Ferrari Luce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abMany Ferrari customers are afraid to say it\u00bb<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

David Lee makes no secret of the fact that the Ferrari Luce<\/a> divides traditional Ferrari enthusiasts. According to discussions he says he\u2019s had with the brand\u2019s executives, Ferrari was well aware that this car wasn\u2019t necessarily intended for its traditional customer base. The goal was reportedly to attract a different audience\u2014one more closely aligned with the world of technology. David Lee is understanding of the industrial risk-taking involved, but that doesn\u2019t mean he becomes a systematic defender of Maranello. In particular, he believes that Ferrari might have consulted its customers more extensively during the development process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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That\u2019s when the interviewer asked him point-blank: When you\u2019re one of the most prominent Ferrari collectors, do you really have the right to tell the company that you don\u2019t like one of its cars? The answer is particularly interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00abMany Ferrari customers are afraid to say it,\u00bb David Lee essentially acknowledges. He assures us that he wouldn\u2019t hesitate to point out that a product is \u00abnot good\u00bb if he truly believes it. But this freedom of speech seems to have been earned over time: he points out that he\u2019s had a relationship with Ferrari for about 30 years and mentions the rapport and trust he\u2019s built with the brand. Above all, he emphasizes the intention behind the criticism. According to him, it\u2019s not about criticizing Ferrari for the sake of it, but about offering honest feedback because he wants to see the brand succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Ferrari, relationships matter almost as much as your bank account<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This little tidbit takes on a whole new meaning once you understand the process described by this collector. Because at Ferrari, having tens of millions of dollars isn\u2019t necessarily enough to secure the most exclusive models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The collector explains that in 2017, despite already having an impressive collection, his profile wasn\u2019t yet established enough to be offered a brand-new LaFerrari. To move up the ranks, he had to buy cars, engage with the Ferrari community, and also support less sought-after models. After three decades and more than 50 purchases, the situation is obviously different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Ferrari, saying \u00abI don\u2019t like this car\u00bb seems perfectly acceptable. But perhaps not all \u00abI don\u2019t like\u00bb statements carry exactly the same weight. David Lee, for his part, believes he has earned the right to be frank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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