Naza Italia: California will rev up sales

The sole distributor of Ferrari marques in Malaysia expects to sell 25 cars this year, of which 10 will be the California

NAZA Italia Sdn Bhd, the luxury car arm of Naza group, is confident the newly-launched Ferrari California will be a best-seller, based on the initial response.

The sole distributor of Ferrari marques in Malaysia expects to sell 25 cars this year, of which 10 will be the California.

Chief executive officer SM Faisal Nasimuddin said Naza Italia has so far confirmed bookings for seven units of California, and the first delivery will be this month.

"We expect California to make up 50 per cent of the product mix," he told reporters after the launch of Ferrari California in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Faisal said Naza Italia has been allocated 10 units of California this year, but it has asked for more.

"We can sell more but it depends on the capacity of the factory to supply," he said.

The California is for those who want an everyday car, yet with the characteristics of a performance car.

"This is a new target market for Ferrari. They (the buyers) would be quite distinct from most of the current owners who would go for a performance-based machine, driven occasionally for leisure, especially during weekends and holidays," he said.

The new eight-cylinder, seven-speed gearbox and retractable hard-top California comes with a price tag of RM1.7 million onwards. There are about 460 Ferrari cars in Malaysia now.

Faisal said customer confidence is returning, compared to the second half of last year.

"In terms of sales, we are optimistic, the signs are there. Many customers are coming in, asking the right questions (and) they are considering purchasing the cars," he said.

Meanwhile, Ferrari Asia Pacific communications director Matteo Boncianni said although Malaysia is not Ferrari's main market in Asia Pacific, sales from Malaysia are prominent.

Japan, China, Hong Kong and Australia are currently its main markets in the region. Last year, nearly 1,100 Ferraris were sold in Asia Pacific.

Naza Italia, which has exclusive rights to import and represent the luxury brand since March last year, is bringing a comprehensive product line including the F430, 599 GTB Fiorano, the flagship 612 Scaglietti and Scuderia Spider.