Following the news that its Maranello factory will temporarily halt production until March 27, Ferrari and parent company FIAT Chrysler are apparently now in discussions with Italy’s biggest ventilator manufacturer to help boost production.
Italy has been at the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, with deaths reported to have risen to 3,405, putting the nation above even China. Now, as confirmed by chief executive Gianluca Preziosa, Siare Engineering is in discussions with Ferrari, FIAT Chrysler, and Italian parts maker Marelli to produce parts, source others, and assist with assembly.
“We’re talking to Fiat Chrysler, Ferrari and Marelli to try to understand if they can lend us a hand in this process for the electronics part,” Preziosa explained to Reuters.
If successful, these discussions could lead to Ferrari and FIAT Chrysler being temporarily relocated to Siare Engineering’s facilities, or ventilator production being outsourced to Maranello. Though notbyet confirmed either way, the latter would make sense, given that development and production at Scuderia Ferrari, the Italian marque’s Formula 1 arm, is also on hiatus until April 8, following the cancellation of the Australian, Bahrain, Chinese and Monaco Grand Prix so far.
These discussions are just some of the plans put in place by the Agnelli family thus far. In an official statement, Ferrari confirmed that the dynasty behind FIAT has has made a €10 million (around $10.7m USD) donation to the Italian Civil Protection Department and Specchio dei Tempi /La Stampa, the latter of which prioritises the health and safety of residents in and around Turin and the Region of Piedmont. EXOR, a holding company also controlled by the Agnelli family, has also bought 150 ventilators and other medical equipment from overseas, which will be transported directly to Italy, and has also supplied the Italian Red Cross and ANPAS (the Italian National Association for Public Assistance) with a fleet of vehicles.
*Lead image courtesy of Ferrari.
