New Sydney home for Ferrari

NEVILLE Crichton’s sprawling multi-franchise vehicle importership, Ateco Automotive, will move soon from its current headquarters at the former Ford factory in Homebush to a salubrious new $32 million premises in the southern Sydney suburb of Waterloo.

Ateco’s own new five-level building will also house the new retail home of Ferrari and Maserati in Sydney after the imminent closure of Italia Motori, the Sydney Ferrari and Maserati dealership co-owned by Ateco and long-serving Maserati custodian in Australia, Tony Graziani.

Mr Graziani has been the dealer principal of Italia Motori since forming a retail joint-venture with Mr Crichton when he gained control of Ferarri and Maserati distribution in Australia and New Zealand in 2005.

He continues to own the Ferrari and Maserati aftersales centre in Artamon after relinquishing his half of the retail partnership, and will also pursue other interests.

The Italian sportscar brands’ William Street new-car and Crown Street used-car outlets will move to the new Ateco-owned building at the junction of Elizabeth and Bourke Streets in Waterloo under the new name of Ferrari Maserati Sydney.

Left: New dealer principal for Ferrari Maserati Sydney Edward Butler.

As part of the wholesale and retail restructure, general manager for Maserati in Australia and New Zealand, Edward Butler, was also named dealer principal of Ferrari Maserati Sydney late last week.

Kevin Wall continues to head Ferrari within Mr Crichton’s separate European Automotive Imports (EAI) company.

“I am very excited by the challenge of taking over the Sydney retail business for Ferrari and Maserati at a crucial time, with the launch of an all-new facility that will lift the representation of both brands to a higher level in New South Wales,” said Mr Butler.

Situated above two underground carparks including a pre-delivery and detailing area, Sydney’s new Ferrari and Maserati showroom will open in January, following the transfer to the top floor of the headquarters for EAI and Ateco, which holds the Australian and New Zealand distribution rights for Fiat, Alfa, Lancia, Citroen, Great Wall and Chery vehicles.

In between on the first floor will be the used-car showroom for Ferrari and Maserati, along with the Maserati workshops and parts area, while the Ferrari workshop and parts departments will be sited on ground level.

The Waterloo site will more than double all key areas of Ateco’s business, with each parts and service area to be larger than the entire Artarmon workshop.

Ferrari Maserati Sydney will follow other all-new retail outlets for both brands in Australia and New Zealand, including Bobby Zagame’s store in Melbourne, which now matches Sydney in accounting for 40 per cent of sales Down Under, Greg Willems’ facility in Brisbane and the Barbagallo Sport dealership in Perth.

Ferrari and Maserati have also received upgraded representation in Auckland and Adelaide, while a new service facility will open in Christchurch later this month as the south island’s first Ferrari aftersales centre.

Ateco and EAI will commence moving to Waterloo within two weeks.