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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
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