Naza Ferrari

Naza issues statement on its separation from Ferrari

In Cars, Ferrari, Local News / By Anthony Lim / 9 March 2023 2:16 pm / 24 comments

Following the announcement made by Ferrari yesterday regarding the end of its business partnership with Naza Italia as of April 8 this year, the Naza Automotive Group has issued a statement on the matter.

In it, the group explained that the parting of ways with the Italian automaker was due to a difference in strategy and the inability to agree on an aligned direction for the business. The following is the Naza response statement in full:

“In the past few years, the Naza automotive business had reviewed our brand mix to decide on what fits into our business strategy. We have agreed to conclude our relationship with Ferrari S.p.A (Ferrari) due to the non-alignment of their expectations to our strategy.

The parting ways with Ferrari is timely for us as it will enable us to focus on our other brands and serves well for our other brands as we will be able to reallocate resources to brands that fit into our automotive business strategy.

We will continue to provide support to Ferrari for a smooth transition of business, towards April 2023. We would also like to express our appreciation to Ferrari for the long-standing business relationship and wish the Ferrari brand continued success for the future.”

Ferrari has not yet revealed the identity of its new Malaysian partner, but a number of companies are reportedly vying for the franchise rights, with a number of big names being circulated in the rumour mill.

The end of its business relationship with Ferrari means that Naza Italia is left with Maserati – which it will continue to represent in the country – in its portfolio. Aside from Maserati, the Naza automotive group has Ducati (Next Bikes) and Suzuki (Naza Eastern Motors) as its other automotive brands.

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Naza Italia to end its Ferrari distributorship on April 8 – Berjaya, Sime Darby, Ital Auto head “new” rumour list

In Cars, Ferrari, Local News / By Anthony Lim / 8 March 2023 4:15 pm / 19 comments

A couple of weeks back, the rumour started that Naza Italia was set to lose its import and distribution rights for Ferrari in Malaysia, and now, it has been confirmed that the brand will have a new distributor representing it here in the near future.

Having reached out to Ferrari Far East (FFE) on the matter earlier today, the company issued the following reply. “Ferrari S.p.A has announced the cessation of the business partnership between Ferrari S.p.A. and Naza Italia (Ferrari Malaysia) effective April 8, 2023. Naza Italia will continue to fulfill its responsibilities to customers for sales and aftersales activities until then,” a spokesperson for FFE said in the reply to paultan.org.

“During this handover period, Ferrari S.p.A. will establish a point of contact for sales and aftersales-related issues for our customers until we confirm our new partner,” the statement added.

“Acknowledging the contribution that Naza Italia has made towards the success of the brand in Malaysia, Ferrari explained this decision reflects its desire to renew the brand representation in the market. Ferrari is committed to Malaysia, and will continue to meet strong demand in the local market and closely engage with its customers there,” the statement concluded.

The company did not comment when asked who its new Malaysian partner would be, but a host of names (at last count, six) have been circulating about on the grapevine, many of them familiar to the scene. These include Sunway and two other Malaysian companies having a relationship with Ferrari through dealerships, albeit not in Malaysia – Sime Darby in Australia and Berjaya, through its H.R. Owen automotive retail arm in the UK.

The latter is rumoured to be one of the front runners, but another leading contender that has also been mentioned is Ital Auto, which has been the Ferrari importer in Singapore since 2009. Ital is part of the multi-franchise Komoco group owned by Singapore-based Malaysian billionaire Ong Beng Seng. Besides Ferrari, Komoco handles automotive brands such as Hyundai and Maserati in the republic.

Separately, it has also been revealed that Naza, which has held the Ferrari distribution in Malaysia since 2008, will continue to represent Maserati in the country. Aside from Maserati, the Naza group has Ducati (Next Bikes) and Suzuki (Naza Eastern Motors) as its remaining automotive brands.

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Naza Italia unveils renovated Ferrari PJ showroom

In Cars, Ferrari, Local News / By Anthony Lim / 21 September 2020 12:01 pm / 7 comments

The Malaysian debut of the Ferrari SF90 Stradale last Friday also saw the official unveiling of the renovated Ferrari Petaling Jaya showroom. The double-storey Naza Italia facility has been fully refurbished in accordance with the Italian automaker’s new corporate identity design, at a cost of RM3.5 million.

The showroom covers a total of 11,900 sq ft over two floor, and can accommodate seven cars at any given time. The ground floor features the main display area, which includes a stylish community table. There is also a dedicated customer lounge – complete with a coffee bar – where clients can relax and gather. A heritage wall and library offer a glimpse into Ferrari’s history and evolution.

On the other end of the floor is a configuration room, which is decked out with a broad selection of materials to help customers better visualise their vehicle during the customisation process, similar to that offered at the factory in Maranello, with an array of fabric, paint, leather and livery samples available for perusal. The space features exclusive “atelier” panels, which rotate and allow for the room to be closed off for privacy.

Also located on the ground floor is a brand experience video wall and a private consultation room. A delivery area has been thoughtfully designed for new Ferrari owners to celebrate the occasion of being handed the keys to their Prancing Horse.

The first floor is partially dedicated to Ferrari Approved, the brand’s pre-owned certification programme. It’s here that pre-owned models, all of which have been through a meticulous 190-step check and prepared to ensure that their new owners receive a Ferrari in world-class condition, will be displayed.

The Ferrari Petaling Jaya showroom, which has been the brand’s main hub in Malaysia since 2009, is open from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday and from 10am to 4pm on Saturday.

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Naza Italia opens its second Ferrari showroom in KL

In Cars, Ferrari, Local News / By Anthony Lim / 30 September 2017 1:29 pm / 21 comments

Naza Italia has opened its second Ferrari showroom in the Klang Valley. The new outlet, located at Platinum Park in Kuala Lumpur, was officially launched on Thursday evening.

Occupying the ground floor area of Tower 1, Platinum Park, the 3,115 sq ft showroom has a car display area able to accommodate three vehicles. In addition to a luxurious customer lounge, the facility – which was developed at a cost of RM2.8 million – also has a configuration and customisation room. Opening hours for the Platinum Park outlet are 9 am-6 pm on Monday to Friday and from 10 am-4 pm on Saturday.

According to Datuk Wira Hj SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, group executive chairman of Naza World Group of Companies, the Ferrari showroom at Platinum Park is aimed at making the brand accessible to a wider audience through its placement at a prime location. He said that the outlet offers a preview of the experience provided at the more comprehensive showroom at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya.

The company also announced that its after-sales service centre, located just behind the PJ showroom, has been renovated according to the latest guidelines from Ferrari. Naza Italia said that the upgrade, completed at a cost of RM5 million, will allow it to accommodate future expansion of the brand in Malaysia.

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Ferrari, Maserati prices unchanged despite GST, falling Ringgit; Naza Italia plans expansion outside Malaysia

In Cars, Ferrari, Local News, Maserati / By Jonathan Lee / 16 June 2015 6:40 pm / 10 comments

We’re pretty sure that those lucky enough to be in a position to purchase a Ferrari or Maserati new won’t be terribly put off by a 6% hike in price, but just in case there were any potential worries, Naza Italia revealed that prices of the supercars, GTs and luxury sedans it sells are all unaffected by the recently-implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST).

“Prices remain unchanged, we’ve taken [GST] into account and at the same time managed to hold prices for Maserati and Ferrari,” Naza World group senior vice president, four wheel division, David Hector Ratnaike told reporters at the launch of Naza Italia’s upgraded showroom yesterday.

Of course, recent Ferrari launches have quoted prices without import or excise duties, let alone GST, and equipment and personalisation options that owners are likely to tick for these vehicles will affect the prices (and the taxes applied on the cars) greatly.

Ratnaike added that the depreciation of the ringgit against the US dollar is not expected to affect sales, either, pointing to the group’s 40 years of experience as being beneficial in riding out the cycle.

“With regards to [the differences in] foreign exchange, that’s not something new. There has been a certain amount of hedging had been done in terms of risk management; nevertheless, it’s all factored into the costing of the vehicles, so that would not directly affect the purchase of the vehicles,” he said.

In addition, Ratnaike said that Naza Italia is intending to expand into new markets, a move which will be made public very soon. “There are plans for Ferrari in particular, that will be announced in the near future,” he said. “We will see Naza Italia expand beyond Malaysia – that is something we already have in the works.”

What’s more, he claims that Malaysia is currently one of the top three markets for Ferrari in the region, a position Naza Italia expects to retain in 2015. “The benchmark was top three in South East Asia, but a few years ago we were even in the running for top four for Ferrari globally.

“There are certain benchmarks and KPIs set out – it’s not just volume alone, but also aftersales, marketing, administration and how you build the brand presence in your respective markets. That’s how we became top three within the region.”

Lastly, Ratnaike remarked that Ferrari’s recent move to turbocharging, as seen on the California T and the 488 GTB launched today, isn’t likely to affect sales traditionally built on high-revving naturally-aspirated mills, adding that the firm has had a history of produced legendary turbocharged cars such as the F40.

“Turbochargers are much more efficient and make more sense in the current environment – they produce a lot more power with a smaller displacement and at the same time are a lot greener than in the past,” he said. “We don’t see [turbocharging] as a threat [to the brand] anymore. In fact it’s something positive because you have a lot more accessible torque in these cars.”

GALLERY: Ferrari 488 GTB in Malaysia

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Naza Italia PJ – Ferrari and Maserati showroom refurbished and reopened on Naza’s 40th anniversary

In Cars, Ferrari, Local News, Maserati / By Jonathan Lee / 15 June 2015 4:10 pm / 9 comments

Naza Italia, official distributor of Ferrari and Maserati in Malaysia, has opened the doors to its refurbished showroom and headquarters in Petaling Jaya in time for the 40th anniversary of the Naza conglomerate.

Located next to the Naza Auto Mall along the Federal Highway as before, the upgraded 4S centre features dedicated sales areas for both brands, a large lounge area, a merchandise store, a specially-built configurator room, as well as delivery bays. There’s also an atelier for personalisation as well as a fully-equipped business centre and boardroom for Ferrari and Maserati owners to meet.

“We are reinvesting in the group and rewarding our customers, starting with the refurbishing go the Naza Italia showroom, a place that allows freedom and expression and the realisation of dreams that echoes all that the exclusive Ferrari and Maserati brands stand for,” said Naza World Group of Companies executive chairman and CEO Datuk Wira SM Faisal.

As the sales portion gets updated, so will the aftersales portion – a refurbishment is currently on the cards. Right now, however, it features high-tech servicing bays, advanced tooling and a complete diagnostic system for troubleshooting and tuning, equipped with the latest engine management software updates.

The staff are trained and experienced in servicing cars from both brands, and all cars that are bought through Naza Italia or serviced at the centre are logged into an authorised global database with full service and maintenance history.

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