Last night, Maserati officially opened its first UK concept store, which was attended by more than 100 guests, including David Beckham, the sports car manufacturer’s Global Brand Ambassador.
The official launch comes as the Italian luxury marque’s sales in the UK continue to grow, and the brand gears up for the highly anticipated launch of its fully electric Folgore (‘lightning’ in Italian) range.
The new concept store is located in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, 20 miles north of central London, and features a welcoming and contemporary ambience, which epitomises the brand’s commitment to innovation, luxury and exceptional customer experiences.
David Beckham arrived at the event in suitably elegant style in a striking black GranTurismo, similar to the car in his latest campaign for the brand. Maserati’s Chief Commercial Officer, Bernard Loire, Head of EMEA, Luca Delfino and General Manager of North Europe, Peter Charters, were also in attendance, together with Ken Choo, CEO of H.R. Owen.
As well as marking the official opening of the new retailer, the evening also served as a celebration of the GranTurismo coupé. Sharing the limelight were an array of other current Maserati models, showcasing the brand’s breadth and elegance.
Among them were a Trofeo model of the classy and sporty new GranTurismo, the flagship MC20 Cielo super sports car and the mid-size luxury SUV, Grecale, in range-topping Trofeo form, with its V6 engine and 523 bhp.
Speaking at the glittering opening, attended by over 100 guests, David Beckham said, “I’m delighted to be here to support the opening of Maserati’s first new store concept in the UK. These are exciting times for the brand, and this store reflects Maserati’s commitment to great design and innovation.”
Bernard Loire, Chief Commercial Officer of Maserati, added, “From the early stages of developing a new car to the complete luxury retail experience, everything at Maserati is designed with the client in mind. Our first new concept store in the UK embodies our values of passion, innovation and beauty through the lens of Italian luxury, and it represents another significant milestone in our exciting growth plans, including the launches of GranTurismo and our electric Folgore range.”
The chic showroom on the outskirts of the English capital features Maserati’s ‘new store concept’, which has been designed to express the brand’s power and prowess in Italian fine craftsmanship. Combining the refinement of a sartoria – a tailor’s atelier – with the rawness of an officina – a workshop, it allows customers to unleash their creative passion for bringing to life their own bespoke vision of the ultimate luxury car.
The pioneering new architectural concept marks a departure from the traditional aesthetics of the bright and sterile car showroom. The inviting new environment, designed in the style of a contemporary living space, is imbued with Italian beauty, featuring a palette of earthy colours evoking old towns in the Italian countryside. As part of the scheme, the cars are highlighted dramatically, spot-lit like dynamic sculptures in a darkened art gallery.
Housing an ever-evolving display of cars, the new store, officially named H.R. Owen Maserati Hatfield, showcases five cars at any one time, with visitors’ attention captured by a show-stopping window installation with a single “hero” car.
It also offers an informal café lounge area, merchandise installation and a ‘Fuoriserie’ space where customers can express their personality and creativity through Maserati’s customisation programme, bringing their bespoke designs to life on a large cutting-edge 3D digital configurator screen.
With the opening, the Maserati UK retail network now comprises 12 sites.
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