Are you still coming to grips with Subaru’s Japanese curry? Well, don’t spend too much time on it because there’s a new product making the rounds that makes the thought of Subie selling you packets of curry seem like a sound idea. This, dear friends, is a limited edition calendar from Ferrari. It’s limited because there are only 5,000 copies made. But its biggest selling point isn’t the fact that it’s limited, but because it’s scent-enhanced to reflect the smell of a Ferrari. Wait, what?

I wish there was a way to tell all of you that this is a joke. Really, nothing would give me greater joy than to live in a world where a product like this doesn’t exist. Unfortunately, that world that I want to live is the one that doesn’t exist.Would you pay $100 for a calendar that features cars that you may or may not be able to afford? More importantly, do you actually need a physical calendar? Don’t all of our phones have those already?

For some reason, though, Ferrari not only offered these calendars — limited to 5,000 pieces, mind you — but these calendars actually sold out, at least according to Ferrari’s official online store. The madness behind this story is, well, maddening.

Having said that, you have to give credit where it’s due. Ferrari is arguably the most famous automaker in the world. Everything it gets involved in moves the consumer needle. It sells t-shirts ranging from $80 to $150 and bags that cost almost $1,000 and everyone scoops them up like they’re bargain bin discounts. That’s the power of the Ferrari name and, subsequently, the Prancing Horse badge.

The calendar, which is officially called Ferrari Myth 2019, is no exception. Perhaps the appeal of a “stimulating sensory experience” is a big reason this calendar sold out as quickly as it did. If you were one of the people who bought the calendar, you’ll need to rub your finger on a tachometer image on the calendar pages to smell what Ferrari’s figuratively cooking with this product. As for the sound part? You’ll need an app for that. “Sounds” simple, right?

Unfortunately, it’s also weird. It’s weird that one of the calendar’s biggest selling points is that you can smell, well, something. The big question is: what is that you’re actually going to smell? Are you going to smell a field of daffodils? A big basket of strawberries? The sweat of 1,000 Italian workers? It probably would be ok if that smell Ferrari is peddling in this calendar is actually pleasant, but still, why even include it in a product and require people to rub their fingers or, worse, press their faces against a calendar? All of it sounds completely hokey. I’d rather buy Subaru’s packets of Japanese curry. At least I’d get my fill with that thing at a fraction of the price I’d have to pay for an item that I already have on my phone.

The whole idea is preposterous enough on its own. Then again, this is Ferrari we’re talking about here. It can find a random pebble outside its office in Maranello, slap its logo on it, sell it for $200 with a “limited quantities available” label and people would go crazy over it. That’s the power of perception that the automaker has on the public.

If you don’t believe me, try buying this calendar for $100 and…oh wait, you can’t. They’re sold out!

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2015 Ferrari FXX K.