4:52 am, July 9, 2011
FELIPE Massa has officially opened Ferrari’s Atelier at the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge.
Managed by luxury car retailer HR Owen Sports Cars, the Ferrari Atelier at the five-star hotel is the only one of its kind outside of Italy.
HR Owen, who already represent Ferrari in the capital, announced its new partnership with Ferrari in March, and the new Atelier will work alongside HR Owen’s other Ferrari showroom in South Kensington in providing London customers with the definitive Ferrari experience.
The Atelier, complete with and 458 Italia, California and the Mario Andretti and Chris Amon-driven 1970 512S racer, showcases not only Ferrari’s new corporate identity, but that of Ferrari in general.
‘The Atelier at The Berkeley is the best place to represent the brand,’ said Matteo Torre, regional manager for Ferrari North Europe. ‘Everything here is related to the brand providing the best experience for our customers.’
Alongside the cars, the Atelier boasts televisions screens playing archive footage of Ferraris in competition, photos of famous owners and drivers adorn the walls, and the same furniture which can be found in Maranello form the customer lounge area.
Keen to provide customers with the ultimate expression of a tailored Ferrari, the Atelier’s main function, however, is to serve as a personalisation suite. With the guidance of specialist staff, a customer can turn a ‘normal’ Ferrari into one that is custom built to their tastes with the help of a wall of colour charts and leather upholstery options.
‘We are extremely pleased to be offer this to our customers,’ said HR Owen’s chief executive, ‘and I am delighted to be working with the Maybourne Hotel Group and Ferrari.’
UK – Ferrari’s key market
It’s little wonder Ferrari has decided to open an Atelier in London, as the UK is a key market for Ferrari.
Speaking exclusively to Car Dealer, Matteo Torre said: ‘We’re doing extremely well in the UK. In fact one of the strongest waiting lists for the 458 in Europe is in the UK. The waiting list is between 12 and 18 months – but our business model is to have a waiting list.
‘The big opportunity for us to show off the brand in London. Customers will buy their cars from the HR Owen dealership on the Old Brompton Road, and come here to have them personalised. That showroom is about to go under refurbishment, so it is no coincidence we have opened up the Atelier while that is going on.’
