“Ferrari has a new formula: showcasing its sports cars and array of lifestyle merchandise under one roof.” – from WWD
Meanwhile, the world’s largest Ferrari Store opened in Dubai:
Ferrari will be again protagonist in the Emirates in the run-up to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix week-end, and the last race of the F1 season. The world’s largest Ferrari Store was officially inaugurated today in Dubai, with more than 1,000 square metres of single-storey floor space entirely devoted to the Prancing Horse. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted by Ferrari drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Giancarlo Fisichella, together with Shafqat Malik, CFO Aldar Properties and Chairman of Fadar Retail, and Edwin Fenech, General Manager Ferrari Middle East & Africa. The Ferrari drivers also performed the now-traditional signing of the store counter. A Ferrari California showcased in the front windows, and right outside the new Ferrari Store, a selection of both new and classic cars was displayed.
On Friday there will be an impressive parade of Ferrari cars that will start from Dubai, go to Abu Dhabi through Corniche and end at the Yas Marina F1 circuit. The parade will include nearly 100 historic Prancing Horse models and will be opened by a number of new Ferrari Californias.
This event has been organised in collaboration with Al Tayer, the official Ferrari dealer in UAE and the local Ferrari Owners’ Club.
Located in the prestigious Dubai Festival City Centre, the new Ferrari Store was developed entirely by the Studio Iosa Ghini and is as much a homage to the history and spirit of Ferrari’s twin souls of racing and luxury as a straightforward retail outlet. Each area of the Store has thus been carefully designed as a special, once-off space in which shoppers can truly embrace the Ferrari experience.
The Dubai Store will stock a wide selection from the entire range of Prancing Horse products for enthusiasts and fans of the GT cars and Formula 1 tifosi alike. In addition to the display areas, there will also be a lounge, meeting rooms, video projection room and a Photo Gallery with a specially designed lighting system that can host photographic exhibitions. There will also be a fan interaction area, in which tifosi can test their skills on virtual versions of several different F1 circuits. A replica of the F1 car and a Ferrari California will also be showcased. Photographs of the new Store are available at www.ferrari.com.
Dubai is the 29th Ferrari Store and joins others in prestigious locations such as Rome and Milan (Italy), London (UK), Barcelona (Spain), San Francisco and Miami (USA), and Macao (China), as well, of course, as Abu Dhabi, where we opened in 2007. The Ferrari Store development programme includes plans for the next openings in Jeddah and Bahrain, and bringing the number of retail locations to 50 over the next two years in Europe, America, and the Middle and Far East. The official opening of the world’s largest Ferrari Store also marks the start of a rich calendar of events planned for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, closing the F1 season.