It’s been wet, dismal and expensive in London. So to make myself feel better, yesterday I headed over to H.R. Owens on Old Brompton Road to buy a Ferrari. Anyway, on the way there, I started thinking about being in a global marketplace where Australians can go online to buy books from Amazon in Seattle, frocks (if that’s your go) from Bloomingdales in New York and German car parts from Atlanta.
And all cheaper than you can buy them at home.
So why can’t we buy cars online from the northern hemisphere. For instance I can buy a new 458 Italia from Harry Owens (he’s dead now, well he actually died in 1940 but who’s counting?) for under $400,000. In the US the base price for the same car is around $250,000 (base meaning, with all the features of a Lada). In other words you’ll pay over $300,000 to drive one of out the door of Ferrari of Newport Beach. On the other hand, put $580,000 on the dealer’s desk and Jarod Ferrari (no relation) will let you drive an Italia out of Barbagello Sport’s Perth showroom.
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