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Now You Can Own A Ferrari For A Few Hundred Dollars

The latest Ferrari won't go from 0-60 in under 4 seconds, nor top out at more than 200 mph. But it will make pretty good phone calls, let you watch video, and browse the Web. Did you think I was talking about a real Ferrari? Nope. I'm talking about the Motorola Z8 Ferrari Edition mobile phone (which isn't going to really compensate for anything).

Yes, you read correctly. Motorola and Ferrari have teamed up to co-brand a version of the Motorola "media monster" Z8 handset. It will have black and red styling, and the back of the phone will have a large red patch with Ferrari's logo next to the stylized Motorola M logo.

According to Unwired View:

In addition to Ferrari colors and logos, Moto Z8 Ferrari Limited Edition comes bundled with 2 Ferrari videos, preregistration to the official Ferrari site, custom Ferrari wallpapers and ringtones, direct links to online magazines such as Top Gear, Auto Express, GQ, Esquire, and Autosport, and a bundled "The Bourne Identity" movie.

The movie is a nice touch, but I think it would be nicer if Motorola bundled the newest Bourne movie and not the first one, which is several years old at this point.

(Start tangent: Just as an aside, Jason Bourne is not the type to drive a Ferrari. Mini Coopers? Yes. A BMW? Maybe an old one. A Ferrari? Nah. That's more James Bond's style. Perhaps Motorola should co-brand with Aston Martin and bundle in "Casino Royale" instead. End tangent.)

The trend of car manufacturers co-branding with electronics manufacturers isn't new. Ferrari has previously co-branded laptops with Acer. Picture a Ferrari-red laptop and you get the idea of just how over the top and garish that really is. Hummer also has co-branded laptops and at least one mobile phone.

The Motorola Z8 Ferrari Edition will be available from the Ferrari Store and through Motorola's European retail outlets beginning sometime in the first quarter of 2008.

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