What's a LAFORZA?
Jim Fuller
The lot is one that specializes in bank repos. The vehicle is a LAFORZA.
It's a 4WD truck along the lines of a Range Rover. Here's what the salesman
told me...
The drivetrain is Ford (5.0liter V8) the body is assembled in Italy
by Ferrari. The price when new is about $60,000. This one is a 1989
with 18000 miles. The (wholesale?) book price is $35000. He said the
bank will take between $20-25000.
What I could see about it is the full leather interior (including dash),
the highly polished (real) wood and the double carpeting. Anyone know
anything about this vehicle?
Thanks,
Jim F.
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Richard Boylan
What you are looking at is a genuine orphan. If I were you, I'd avoid it.
The LaForza came to the U.S. in 1988, about a year after Range Rover got
here. It is indeed an American V8 in an Italian body. It was not, Not
NOT assembled by Ferrari! (Reason number 1 to mistrust the salesman.)
They were a giant flop on the market, and did not return. The one demo
the local dealer had here sat on his lot for a long time. They're not
even made any more, I don't think.
There were so few of them, it's simply not possible for there to be an
established book price for them. Anybody who tells you 'the book
price for a LaForza is {fill in amount}' is making it up. (Reason number
2 to mistrust salesman.)
Those prices sound extremely high. If you really want this vehicle
(and are you sure you do?), you shouldn't spend more than $10000 for it.
It's an orphan. You won't be able to get parts for it. It's not a
collectable.
If I wanted a luxury 4WD, I'd look at a top-of-the-line Ford Explorer
first, then maybe a used Range Rover.
good luck,
Richard Boylan
Stratus Computer
Marlboro, Mass
boy...@sw.stratus.com
chuck smith
boy...@sw.stratus.com (Richard Boylan) writes:
>In article <1211...@hpnmis1.HP.COM>, j...@hpmwtd.HP.COM (Jim Fuller) writes:
>> I need some information on an interesting vehicle I saw at a used car lot.
>> The lot is one that specializes in bank repos. The vehicle is a LAFORZA.
>> It's a 4WD truck along the lines of a Range Rover. Here's what the salesman
>> told me...
>>
>> The drivetrain is Ford (5.0liter V8) the body is assembled in Italy
>> by Ferrari. The price when new is about $60,000. This one is a 1989
>> with 18000 miles. The (wholesale?) book price is $35000. He said the
>> bank will take between $20-25000.
>>
>> What I could see about it is the full leather interior (including dash),
>> the highly polished (real) wood and the double carpeting. Anyone know
>> anything about this vehicle?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jim F.
>> ----------
>What you are looking at is a genuine orphan. If I were you, I'd avoid it.
>The LaForza came to the U.S. in 1988, about a year after Range Rover got
>here. It is indeed an American V8 in an Italian body. It was not, Not
>NOT assembled by Ferrari! (Reason number 1 to mistrust the salesman.)
Its body was built by Pininfarina, who also did the design for the Ferrari 348.
Not built by Ferrari, but not a total lie.
>They were a giant flop on the market, and did not return. The one demo
>the local dealer had here sat on his lot for a long time. They're not
>even made any more, I don't think.
>There were so few of them, it's simply not possible for there to be an
>established book price for them. Anybody who tells you 'the book
>price for a LaForza is {fill in amount}' is making it up. (Reason number
>2 to mistrust salesman.)
>Those prices sound extremely high. If you really want this vehicle
>(and are you sure you do?), you shouldn't spend more than $10000 for it.
>It's an orphan. You won't be able to get parts for it. It's not a
>collectable.
The list price for the Laforza (in 1989) was $43,850. Parts for the
drivetrain won't be a problem (just visit the local Ford dealer.) Ford
also adiminstered the warranty on the powertrain.
>If I wanted a luxury 4WD, I'd look at a top-of-the-line Ford Explorer
>first, then maybe a used Range Rover.
The Laforza is considerable more luxurious than the Explorer, and handled
quite well. Magazine testers were impressed with the workmanship, things that
can't be said about the Ford. Over all, the Range Rover is better, but the
Laforzaq handle betters on road (1991 Range Rovers have a revsied suspension).
If you can get it for significantly less than the going rate for a used Rover,
get it.
>good luck,
>Richard Boylan
>Stratus Computer
>Marlboro, Mass
>boy...@sw.stratus.com
--
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chuck smith U. of Illinois The purpose of diplomacy is
cws...@uiuc.edu at Urbana-Champaign is to prolong a crisis - Spock
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