Ferrari have brought a comprehensive display to Melbourne’s Exhibition Centre as plans for the expansion of the brand’s presence in Australia proceed apace.  With the exception of the soon-to-be-replaced 575M Maranello, the entire range is present in Melbourne, stretching from the F430 and F430 Spider, hailed by some journalists as ‘the best car in the world’, to the 612 Scaglietti and Superamerica V12s.

Following the launch of the Superamerica in Sydney last year (only six examples of the model will be officially imported into Australia), and the official unveiling of the 575M Maranello replacement (rumoured to be dubbed ‘Fiorano’) in Geneva still a few weeks away, Ferrari have nothing of especial significance to announce here in Melbourne. This should not, however, be associated with any significant drop-off in demand – for example, the Australian waiting list for the F430 still stands at three years.

The layout and content of the stand here in Melbourne is essentially quite similar to that displayed in Sydney last year; that said, the Ferrari stand is always a centre of attention and there is plenty on display to draw the crowds. The F430 Coupé and its Spider variant, in Rosso Corsa and Giallo Fly respectively, are located on the right-hand side of the stand.
 

Prominently displayed, the coupe is worthy of particular note, as it features the optional and eminently desirable ‘Daytona’ seats, harking back to an old style of interior trim much favoured by Ferrari in the 1960s and 1970s. As for the V12 Grand Tourers in the lineup, a black 612 Scaglietti sits alongside a Rosso Corsa-painted Superamerica, both with traditional tan leather interiors. Indeed, this setup exactly mirrors the one found in Sydney last year, giving Melbourne audiences a chance to sample the acclaimed style of the Ferrari range for themselves.

As also noted last October in Sydney, Ateco Automotive, having taken over the distribution of both Ferrari and Maserati in Australia just a couple of weeks before last year’s Australian International Motor Show, are keen to expand the marque’s presence in this country. Ferrari aim to sell over 100 units in Australia this year, and the marque’s growth in this country may be accelerated further if plans to bring in a 599 GTB for the Sydney Motor Show in October come to fruition.

by Shant Fabricatorian in Melbourne