Update: As it turns out, Ferrari did not send a cease and desist letter to the owner of the car, Reuben Bemrose. We attempted to contact Bemrose before and after posting our article to confirm the reports on the letter that had surfaced through several different channels, but he never replied to us.
Although Ferrari did contact Bemrose, it turns out that the story about the “cease and desist” letter was false, as reported by The Drive which noted, “It turns out Autoevolution picked up the story on Wednesday and added that crucial detail themselves”. After contacting Bemrose, The Drive was told that the part about the letter that had been widely reported was “bullshit.” Bemrose did confirm that Ferrari had been in contact with him, but it was not a “cease and desist” letter, although the nature of their communication remains unknown. While it would be intriguing to find out what Ferrari and Bemrose discussed, the details of their conversation have not been disclosed.
A 1995 Ferrari 456 GT outfitted with a rotary engine in New Zealand shows just what can be done when a car enthusiast thinks outside the box and creates something most could only dream of.
This 456 GT is owned by a man named Reuben Bemrose and was recently showcased at one of New Zealand’s largest rotary festivals. It has even caught the eye of Ferrari who has reportedly sent the owner a cease and desist letter over the wild creation.
Bemrose found the 456 GT abandoned in a field and before long, was the proud owner of it. Unfortunately, it had suffered a significant amount of frontal damage, including to the engine, and was in desperate need of some repairs. Rather than trying to find a replacement engine and restoring the Ferrari to its original condition, Bemrose thought installing a rotary engine would be a better idea.
Read: New Mazda RX-9 Sports Car Could Feature Inline-Six Turbo, Not A Rotary
Remarkably, Bemrose was able to totally transform the Ferrari for roughly $13,000 and speaking with local news outlet Seven Sharp, said it was a fun project.
“We thought it would be funny, we could put whatever motor we wanted in it and we picked the classic Kiwi rotary,” he said. “Obviously they are quite protective of their image, and their brand which I completely understand. I’ve just taken their iconic V-12 out of it and put an iconic New Zealand motor in it.”
As for Ferrari contacting him, well, the loveable rev-head has issued a tongue-in-cheek apology to the Italian car manufacturer.
“Dear Ferrari, I’m so very sorry, I didn’t mean to belittle your brand,” he said to Seven Sharp while decked out in Ferrari merchandise. “Can’t you see I just want to be friends?”