Vertu rides the Prancing Horse
by Noah Joseph on Mar 29th 2007 at 11:01AM 
Vertu has long been cultivating an image of association with the pinnacle of automotive excellence through their branding, use of materials and special editions. The latest effort is a collaboration with Ferrari, that Italian stallion that seemingly manages to get its name on everything these days.
Following on the heels of the exclusive Racetrack Legends series, the Ferrari Challenge edition is likewise based on the sporty Ascent handset that features proprietary "liquid alloy" construction, jewel bearings, a sapphire crystal screen and distinctive leather trim. The Ferrari version is differentiated by a Prancing Horse emblem near the mouthpiece, black and red leather with embossed Ferrari insignia, and a drilled accelerator pedal on the back.
[Source: Sybarites]
While some of Ferrari's branding endeavors bear no association beyond a one-way commercial arrangement, the collaboration with Vertu grew out of the ultra-premium mobile phone brand's sponsorship of a car in the one-make Ferrari Challenge race series, like Acer, which sponsors the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team.
The Racetrack Legends came in a series of six phones limited to 1000 units each, while the new Ferrari Challenge edition is limited to 1947 units, commemorating the year the legendary company was founded. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of almost two thousand Ferrari owners and enthusiasts dropping their Motorola Ferrari phones as they run to trade up. Hold your horsepower, fellas... the Vertu Ferrari Challenge doesn't go on sale until July.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sir R 12:54PM (3/29/2007)
So a re-badged nokia with ferrari logos, dated software and 10 times the price?
Rubbish, but I'd buy it If I had the dough :)
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stirlo 8:41PM (3/29/2007)
i hope they've moved on from the ancient 8910i...
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