A Story About Two Car-Loving Brothers

My husband proudly admits he’s a car enthusiast, and his younger brother shares the same passion. In a world where interest in cars seems to be fading, it’s rare to find siblings both so into cars. Just recently, I got a message from my brother-in-law saying he had purchased a Ferrari 488 Spider. Wow, both brothers are really living large these days (；ﾟДﾟ).

However, even though both love cars, my husband and his brother are completely different types. My husband is a Porsche-obsessed car geek, while his brother has owned “BMW,” “Maserati,” “Lamborghini,” and “Porsche” before now buying a Ferrari. Somehow, he seems to prefer Italian cars over German ones.

They also look so different that you’d hardly guess they’re brothers when they’re together.

The more I observe them, the more I think they’re a perfect example of the difference between Porsche lovers and Ferrari lovers. So, I decided to analyze these two close family members to explore what sets Porsche fans apart from Ferrari fans (laughs).

① Fashion Preferences

Husband = Practicality First

The biggest difference between the two is their attitude toward fashion. My husband has zero interest in fashion and wears Uniqlo head to toe all year round (but Uniqlo is cheap and durable, so it’s super practical). When he shops for clothes, he usually says things like “Alright, I’ll get three shirts in different colors then.”

Even if I suggest, “Why not look for something with a different design?”, he replies,

“As long as it’s durable and comfortable, that’s all I need. Plus, looking for something else is a hassle, so different colors are fine.”

He wears his denim until holes appear in the pockets or seat, and often he doesn’t even notice the holes and keeps wearing them.

Brother-in-Law = Appearance Matters

On the other hand, my brother-in-law is the complete opposite—he’s very particular about fashion and quite stylish. I only see him occasionally at family gatherings, but I’ve never seen him wear the same outfit twice, and he knows a lot about brands. His wife once told me,

“Every morning before work, he pulls clothes out of his closet and goes ‘this won’t work, maybe that?’—it’s like watching a fashion show every day (laughs).”

He also works hard to maintain his physique, regularly going to the gym and paying close attention to his diet. Apparently, he often gets compliments for being “stylish and cool,” and his wife says he’s “still handsome and a proud dad even after 10 years of marriage.”

Seeing him, my husband once joked, “What’s up with him? Is he trying to be a model or something?” (LOL)

② Attitude Toward Standing Out

Husband = Dislikes Standing Out

My husband doesn’t like to stand out. His job often requires him to speak or present in front of people, and he’s good at it, but he’s always said,

“I wish someone else would do this. I prefer to work quietly by myself.”

True to his word, lately he’s been handing over presentations and public speaking to others and keeping to the background.

When it comes to his favorite brand watches and bags, he avoids designs that are obviously branded and says “It’s better if people don’t realize it’s a brand.” So he deliberately buys more understated designs (which seems a bit of a waste… lol).

Brother-in-Law = Likes Standing Out

By contrast, my brother-in-law seems to enjoy standing out quite a bit. (I haven’t asked him directly if he likes attention, but that’s just my impression.) According to family stories, he was the type to stand out at school, and even now he often finds himself in the spotlight.

Even I, who’m not familiar with brands, can recognize many of the watches and bags he wears and think, “Wow! That’s a ○○!” He’s good at styling himself, so those luxury items suit him well.

③ Sociability

Husband = Enjoys His Own World

A personality test once ranked my husband’s “sociability” score as 34th out of 34 items… but he can hold normal conversations (lol), so people don’t think he’s unsociable. However, he says,

“I can talk endlessly about things I’m interested in, like ‘Porsche’ or ‘cars.’ But I’m not good at ordinary social gatherings or networking events where there’s no common topic. I can’t remember people’s faces or names. I’d rather go straight home and watch car videos on YouTube or play car racing games on my PlayStation—it’s way more fun.”

Seeing this, his brother once joked, “What’s up with you? Are you aiming to be a Porsche driver or something? lol”

Brother-in-Law = Enjoys Expanding Social Circles

My brother-in-law is the exact opposite—very sociable. His wife says they eat out every night, and on days off he’s rarely at home, always out with someone. He also invites friends over for barbecues and goes on trips with multiple families. He seems to love socializing and is good at expanding his network.

…Thinking about it, my husband and his brother really are polar opposites. Maybe that’s why they get along so well—they’re not alike, but different.

“Porsche” and “Ferrari”

After analyzing my husband and his brother, let’s finally talk about the cars. Both Porsche and Ferrari are luxury car makers, but their directions seem completely different. What follows is just my personal speculation, so it might be wrong—please take it as one individual’s viewpoint.

① Product vs. Work of Art

I once heard the saying, “Porsche is an ‘industrial product,’ Ferrari is a ‘work of art.’” Porsche is praised for its outstanding performance as a car, while Ferrari is admired for its beautiful design and engine sound, which is said to be like a musical instrument. So Porsche fans tend to fall in love with Porsche’s superb performance as a car, while Ferrari fans often love its design and the beauty of its sound.

Conversely, Porsche fans who buy Ferraris often say, “What’s this unreliable car?!” and Ferrari fans who buy Porsches often say, “It’s a good car, but the design and sound are totally lacking!”

② Craftsman vs. Businessman

Porsche and Ferrari were founded by very different types of people. Porsche began when Ferdinand Porsche, the engineer who designed the Volkswagen Type 1, established a design office. Ferdinand Porsche famously said,

A small, lightweight, and energy-efficient sports car. I searched everywhere for such a car that met my ideal, but couldn’t find one. So I decided to build it myself.

In other words, Porsche’s founder was a “great craftsman.”

On the other hand, Ferrari was started by Enzo Ferrari, a race driver who founded Scuderia Ferrari with his colleagues and operated as a semi-works team for Alfa Romeo. After retiring from racing, Enzo managed Alfa Romeo’s works team with great success and expanded the sales network of his Alfa Romeo dealership in Modena. Later, he established Ferrari under his own name and produced the first racing model in the founding year.

So, Ferrari’s founder was an “excellent businessman.”

The difference between the craftsman Porsche, who relentlessly pursued his ideal sports car, and the businessman Ferrari, who excelled at growing a company, seems to reflect the differences between the two companies today.

③ Level of Status Symbol

Porsche is a luxury car and can be seen as a “status symbol,” but not to the extent of Ferrari. In some areas (city centers and upscale neighborhoods), many Porsches are on the road, but Ferraris are rarely seen even there. (In 2017, Porsche sold 246,375 units, while Ferrari sold 8,398 units.) Ferrari’s lower production volume makes it rarer and gives it a more exclusive image.

This is just speculation, but while Porsche puts effort into building and maintaining brand power, it seems they focus more on “making great cars.” Ferrari, on the other hand, appears to put a lot of effort into brand building and maintenance, with strategies extending from production volume to sales tactics.

Conclusion.

With that in mind, my husband, who is a practical, functional, low-key car geek who enjoys his own world, is well matched with Porsche, a craftsman brand that keeps making great sports cars without sacrificing practicality or function.

And my brother-in-law, who cares about appearance, likes to stand out, and is sociable, fits well with Ferrari, a brand known for beautiful design, form, and high status symbol value.

In other words,

Husband = geeky = doesn’t want to stand out = doesn’t care much about looks ≒ Porsche
Brother-in-law = sociable = wants to stand out = cares about appearance ≒ Ferrari

Something like that (laughs).

…That said, I’ve never really had a proper conversation like this with my brother-in-law, so if it turns out he’s a huge geek, this theory might be completely overturned… Maybe next time the family gets together, I’ll try to ask him about it (laughs).