Ferrari is world’s most powerful brand

Forget Apple. Forget Google. Forget piffling Coca-Cola. A tiny-volume supercar maker from a small town in northern Italy is the most powerful brand in the world, according to new research.

Yes, Ferrari has been declared World's Most Powerful Brand for the second year running by London-based experts Brand Finance. Maranello's finest was the only car company to achieve an ‘AAA+' in the study, which takes into account customer loyalty, investment, and a whole bunch of other factors Top Gear doesn't fully understand.

BMW and Porsche achieved an ‘AAA' rating, with Toyota, VW and Mercedes also ranked highly.

Ferrari also announced today it sold fewer cars in 2013 than 2012, but made more money. Neat trick.

Limiting supply was a deliberate strategy, said Ferrari, to ‘maintain a high level of exclusivity and increase their [cars'] value over time'. Maranello delivered just under seven thousand cars in 2013, down five per cent on 2012, but the company recorded a net profit of just over £200m, up five per cent.

In total, Ferrari's total revenues rose to £1.89bn last year, boosted by an increase in profits from ‘brand related activities'. Yep, that's the theme parks and the dressing gowns and the teddy bears.

Ferrari's biggest market in 2013 was the USA, where the company sold 2,035 cars. We in the UK are the biggest Ferrari fans in Europe, buying 677 cars last year. But just 205 Ferraris were sold in Italy.

Even so, Ferrari's looking in rude shape. Which is good news for all those of us who like our supercars red, shiny and very, very fast.

So tell us: if you were in charge of Ferrari's newly-plumped coffers, what would you spend the money developing?

Top Gear drives the Ferrari 458 Speciale

Ferrari reveals the California T