Ferrari denies job losses

After a story surfaced this week claiming 300 job losses are imminent at Ferrari's production plant - a significant ten percent of the workforce - the maker has moved quickly to paint a rosy red picture of life at Maranello.

Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocar now reports that Ferrari 'categorically' denies these lay-offs, and that 'the global financial crisis has left Ferrari unscathed.'

What's more, Ferrari is predicting that official records regarding its 2008 performance will show a significant improvement over 2007. Ferrari Communications Director Stefano Lai said: "Our forecasts for 2009 are positive because our business model is based on exclusivity and the renewal of the range."

The redundancy rumours came as news broke of an extended shutdown of the Maranello factory over Christmas, although Ferrari claims this is because the maker wants workers based outside Maranello to spend more time with their families, as well as weekends falling on either side of the break - which starts on 19th December and ends 7th January.

Only time will tell, of course, whether the layoff rumours were just that, although Ferrari's end of year meeting between its management and the unions takes place on the 17th December - on which date Ferrari's plans for 2009 will become clearer.

Mark Nichol