29.10.2009 FERRARI INAUGURATES ITS LARGEST RETAIL STORE IN DUBAI

FERRARI STORE, DUBAI
FERRARI STORE, DUBAI
FERRARI STORE, DUBAI
FERRARI STORE, DUBAI

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.

Ferrari is a protagonist this week 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.

During the short meeting with the local press, Raikkonen and Fisichella showed their enthusiasm for the hospitality in Abu Dhabi and it’s evolution. The Finnish driver said that he wanted to give it his all in his last entry as an official Ferrari driver. "On Sunday my adventure with the team will end; a team I shared a fantastic part of my professional life with and the win of two World Titles. I have to wait with my decisions for the future.”

For Fisichella it was another occasion to talk about his experience at Ferrari. "After I had realised what I had been dreaming of since I was a child, I found the situation a little bit difficult, but it’s improving day by day. I hope to gain points here, helping Ferrari conquer the third place in the Constructors’ Championship.”

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.

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.

ItaliaspeedTV: Ferrari Store Dubai, inauguration
 

© 2009 Interfuture Media/Italiaspeed