Ferrari is back in the country, and this time, its new stable is called Velocità Motors Inc. (VMI), under the patronage of San Miguel Corporation.
The Prancing Horse brand was officially relaunched on September 1, 2023, by no less than Ferrari Far East and Middle East’s president, Deiter Knechtel, who welcomed Velocità to the Ferrari family as its new exclusive importer and distributor. In his opening remarks, Knechtel mentioned that Ferrari believes that the Philippines is an important market for its future growth in the region and that VMI will be able to deliver the ownership experience associated with the exclusive brand.
“This partnership is a milestone in the history of Ferrari in the Philippines, and we would like to warmly welcome Velocità into our Ferrari family as the new exclusive importer and distributor. The Philippines is a market that we strongly believe in, one that is important to the future growth of Ferrari in the region. We are very happy to have found a strong local partner in VMI,” Knechtel said.
For his part, VMI chairman and president Ramon S. Ang said, “This is a partnership we are extremely proud of, and very excited about – becoming the official distributor of the iconic, highly-revered, globally-recognized, and well-loved brand, Ferrari. This also benefits our Filipino workforce, who will be exposed to the highest levels of engineering, performance, design, and customer service. I have no doubt they will be up to the task of carrying the name of this world-class brand.” Ang also gave a subtle nod to the previous distributor who first brought the brand to the country.
VMI’s flagship building is currently being built to conform with Ferrari’s strict specifications along Connecticut Street in San Juan City. The new facility will be ready for occupancy by early 2024 and will house an expansive showroom, a service area, and executive offices. In the meantime, VMI operates from a temporary showroom that also fulfills maintenance, repair, and genuine Ferrari spare parts requests.
“Velocità Motors is committed to providing its customers a world-class Ferrari experience, from the moment they enter the showroom, as well as the service center. Car enthusiasts, especially Ferrari drivers, value keeping their vehicles in the very best condition possible. That is why we have put together a strong and capable team that is dedicated to providing discerning Ferrari customers the highly personalized and superior service they expect and deserve,” Ang added.
To commemorate the start of the partnership, VMI unveiled to guests one of the most groundbreaking vehicles in the Ferrari lineup today, the Ferrari Purosangue.
The Ferrari Purosangue is the first ever four-door, four-seater, V12-engined car in the company’s history and the culmination of 75 years of leading-edge research.
According to Ferrari, the Purosangue proves that performance, driving pleasure, and comfort can coexist in perfect harmony and that the car is a peerless encapsulation of the Prancing Horse’s iconic DNA.
Also on display at the launch was the 296 GTS, Ferrari’s new mid-rear-engine Berlinetta Spider with an 830 cv Ferrari V6 hybrid powertrain.
The Ferrari temporary showroom is located at 169 EDSA, Brgy. Wack Wack, Greenhills East, Mandaluyong City. The showroom and service are available from Monday to Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.