Ferrari sees Asian growth potential as F80 supercar debuts in Bangkok
In its first appearance outside of Italy, the 1,200-horsepower hybrid coupe signals the region’s growing importance
[BANGKOK] In a sign that it sees dollar signs hovering over our part of the world, Ferrari chose Bangkok for the first appearance of its most powerful road car in history outside of Italy, as well as the first stop in South-east Asia for its Universo Ferrari exhibition.
The iconic Italian brand unveiled its 1,200-horsepower F80 supercar at the event, whose doors opened on Nov 21 for invited guests and from Nov 23 to 25 for the general public. The display of more than 20 classic and current models in Thailand signalled Ferrari’s intention to win more fans in a region that still powers sales growth, after seeing year-on-year revenue from China decline 19 per cent in the first three quarters of 2024.
“The potential of this area is probably much higher than what we see everywhere else,” Francesco Bianchi, president of Ferrari’s Apac and Middle East operations, told The Business Times in Bangkok. “The connection between the clients and the brand is still evolving.”
“The reason why we are here is because we wanted to bring Maranello, our house, to Bangkok,” Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer, told the press at the F80’s unveiling. “You have to know that we have thousands of clients and fans coming to Maranello to visit the factory, but it’s not so close. It’s far away.”
If nothing else, Universo Ferrari will have given the brand’s fans a glimpse at what is destined to become a rare sighting. Limited to just 799 units, the F80 sold out even before Ferrari first showed it to the public in October, at a pre-tax price of 2.9 million euros (S$4.1 million) apiece.
Ferrari has a tradition of releasing what it calls a new “supercar” every decade, packing it with the latest technologies from racing. The F80 continues in that vein by pairing a turbocharged V6 engine (the format used in Formula One racing) with three electric motors that kick out 300 horsepower. The hybrid setup rockets it to 200 km/h in a neck-snapping 5.75 seconds.
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To give drivers a fighting chance of exploiting its performance, it has fixed and moving aerodynamic parts that generate 1,050 kilogrammes of downforce at 250 km/h, keeping it stable by pushing it down to the road.
Galliera said engineers wanted to make the F80 a single-seater so it would be as narrow as possible, in order to slip through the air more efficiently. Instead, they decided on a compromise: the car’s two seats are staggered slightly, with the driver sitting ahead of the passenger, to slim the cockpit down.
Galliera added that while such extreme measures are typical of Ferrari’s supercars, the brand is prouder of the fact that the F80’s electric components are made in-house, which will ensure that parts remain available indefinitely. “We’re not just buying existing technology,” he said. “We’re developing every single component inside the factory to deliver unachievable performance, and ensure that this car can live forever.”
Bianchi, who moved to Singapore in August with his family to oversee Ferrari’s Asia-Pacific business, said that building up its electric vehicle competency is also a way for the company to appeal to younger buyers. Unlike Europe and North America, where Ferrari owners tend to be older, Asian customers are typically younger and more tech-savvy, making them ideal candidates for the company’s upcoming electric vehicle, which it will launch next year.
At the same time, the company also has to execute a delicate strategy of maintaining exclusivity while gradually expanding its presence in growth markets. As part of that, Bianchi sees Ferrari as a luxury brand that happens to build cars, and wants customers to buy into the idea that owning one is about having access to exclusive events, such as racetrack outings or driving tours.
“The biggest challenge is finding a way to basically tell our clients or potential clients how owning a Ferrari can improve their life,” he said. “When somebody is part of the Ferrari community, it’s about having a big smile, it’s about enjoying incredible experiences that money can’t buy.”
With the F80’s limited production run generating far more purchase requests than available units, the brand’s cars are sometimes on the list of things that money can’t buy, too.
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