Carfest South

[BennyD]

We all agree that they make good cars but they couldn't organise a sleepover in a brothel. Nobody seems to know what's going on and the 100th year is nearly over. Nothing but confusion and misunderstandings, I hope they aren't paying somebody to create this running goat f*ck.

 

[StuartW]

What a missed opportunity, a great shame. Maybe this is why the brand is somewhat exclusive, totally inaccessible!

 

[BennyD]

Personally, I think it smacks of incompetence. They started well with the 'ambush' advert at the Super Bowl but then they dropped the ball, tripped over it and face-planted a rock. Even by Italian standards it is pretty chaotic and heaven only knows what awaits us in Modena. Fortunately, for me at any rate, it's the drive down and back with a bunch of mates that is the big attraction not the event itself. So, if anything good comes of it, it's a bonus.

 

[StuartW]

That's a very positive way of looking at it and it sounds like a great trip. My mother lives a few miles off the M20 in Ashford so I'll warn her to don her ear defenders when you're all going past en route to the tunnel

 

[safrane]

Well said Benny...the centenary has been a industrial shambles and, with the exception of items like Silverstone and the club events, such a lost opportunity. ..and what has been arranged seems to be new market support for Russia and China.

Lets hope this is not a insight into the future of the brand.

 

[alfatwo]

Personally, I think it smacks of incompetence. They started well with the 'ambush' advert at the Super Bowl but then they dropped the ball, tripped over it and face-planted a rock. Even by Italian standards it is pretty chaotic and heaven only knows what awaits us in Modena. Fortunately, for me at any rate, it's the drive down and back with a bunch of mates that is the big attraction not the event itself. So, if anything good comes of it, it's a bonus.

If It's anything like Alfa centenary celebrations in Milano back in 2010 It'll be totally chaotic..
That event was organised by Mak.It the Fiat PR lot...Like you say Ben driving there and back was the best bit!

Some of the trip was great though

Dave

 

[Phil H]

From a lay perspective it would seem that organisers of Wilton and Carfest placed their faith in the hands of a small coterie of Maseristis including the Maserati Club, without realising (or caring?) that they did not represent total Maserati ownership in the UK, hence the low Maserati turnouts at those events.

I'm not surprised at the response from Maserati UK either; they took my details at Goodwood last year with the promise of a call when the Ghibli was coming to my local dealer (DL), though I never heard from them when it did arrive, and the response at FoS this year was also lukewarm. Pretty girls with clipboards are no substitute for knowledgeable sales folk who have a passion for the marque, but then, does Maserati UK have that passion? I think not. Marque history and race provenance appears to be seen as a convenient marketing tool, so whilst it's good PR to have Sir Stirling whizzing around in a 250F, it is just that - PR, and imho even that will only get attention if a pivot chart says it's worthwhile; these days it's all about moving metal with an acceptable margin, and who cares who buys. Now, if there was a gee-gee on the bonnet....

PH

 

[Maserati185]

Hi Phil H & Ian3200
It was good to meet you both at Carfest at the weekend.
As I said I live in Overton (where Carfest South is held) and a parade of Maserati's was always planned for the event as Aston Martin did a similar thing at the 2013 event.
I have no idea as to what went wrong and see it as a real missed opportunity everyone in the village was expecting to see 100 Maserati's

Tony

 

[Phil H]

Hi Tony

It was nice to meet you too. What say we organise our own parade to a hostelry sometime. Ian and Phil (Contigo) are relatively close and there's still the prospect of dry weekends before we're all snowed in.

PH

 

[hawkeye651]

Without wishing to prolong this lost opportunity debate I did get in touch with the Maserati Club some time back (initially with no response) to enquire if they were looking for cars to make up the '100' - I eventually received the response that Carfest was not on their radar & that there was heavy demand in this centenary year!

So I just took the Disco needed the space for the tent etc. Still all said a fabulous event for the whole family & great to see the Sporting Bears raise so much for charity #respect!

 

[Contigo]

Hi Tony

It was nice to meet you too. What say we organise our own parade to a hostelry sometime. Ian and Phil (Contigo) are relatively close and there's still the prospect of dry weekends before we're all snowed in.

PH

Sounds good to me Phil

 

[Ian3200]

Hi Tony, welcome... so, Phil, Tony and Phil, plus me... central to Overton, Newbury, Basingstoke... and I'm sorry I can't remember where you come from Phil? Oxford direction isn't it?

So dates people can do? and any more Maseratis? Sat 13th or Sun 21st Sept?? and suggestions for venue?

 

[safrane]

May be able to do the later sept date.

 

[Contigo]

Anyone going this year? We are there on the Saturday.

 

[JDB]

Yep, will be there on Sat in the Ghibli II.

 

[greeny12]

We're there all three days with camping. Praying for better weather than we've got right now!!!

Last went two years ago and me and the lad had a ride in a Ferrari California for Sporting Bears. Ace.

 

[Morebeans]

Will be at Dunsfold on Saturday for Wings and Wheels - enjoy Laverstoke

 

[rs48635]

Working all weekend with the sporting bears, offering dream rides. Come and say hello, maybe have a ride in something unusual?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[greeny12]

Well, it was great fun despite somewhat "challenging" weather!

Super-friendly crowd, best I've known at a festival, and a decent range of family entertainment. Highlight for me was Seasick Steve on Sat night, but there were lots of other great moments. We bailed on Sunday evening, not fancying either another night under canvas or the **** of getting out of the muddy car park in the pitch dark. But we'd seen all we wanted to see by then...

Even got to see a bit of the classic car auction, and there was a 3200 going through. A fairly tidy (but by no means immaculate) 2000 manual in silver with black leather interior, over 70K on the clock. However, it was incorrectly described as a V6 and compared to the hype for some of the old nails going through the auctioneers could hardly have been less enthusiastic, mentioning only the pricy parts and running costs!!

Needless to say it didn't make reserve, topping out at just over ten grand. It's funny, my dad goes to a lot of car auctions and he always reckons there are a few that get undersold because the auctioneers want them for a mate. Maybe this was one, or maybe they knew the vendor had set too high a reserve and so didn't bother. Ho hum.