HR Owen chief Andy Duncan unveils Ferrari retail service

The project, led by HR Owen chief executive and former Channel 4 boss Andy Duncan, will feature the launch of a Ferrari Atelier at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge.

The service will allow customers to buy a bespoke Ferrari, including tailored colouring, seat type, material, and in-car information and entertainment technology. The aim is to provide a more "contemporary" service expected with luxury purchases, with a greater emphasis on digital technologies.

Customers will be able to spend the day at the Maybourne Hotel Group-owned Berkeley, using its spa and restaurants. The Atelier area will also feature a number of Ferrari displays, including classic models and Formula 1 vehicles.

Duncan, speaking exclusively to Marketing, said: "It’s a good example of the industry beginning to adapt to customers' wants and needs. In Maybourne Hotel Group and Ferrari, there is a good brand fit,"

The move comes after HR Owen, which also operates UK dealerships for Rolls Royce, Bentley and Bugatti, reported preliminary results with revenues up 26% year on year, to £158m.

Former Unilever marketer Duncan, who joined HR Owen in September last year, said the luxury car market was showing positive signs.

He said: "We had a strong 2010 and we’re looking to build on that in 2011. We have to be cautious, with all the tax rises and public sector cuts. We’ve closed our Alfa Romeo business, but there is still potential to grow the business."

Duncan added that he expects the market to "move forward" more significantly in 2012, partly as a result of the Olympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk