A few weeks ago, there were rumors that Naza Italia would lose Ferrari import and distribution rights in Malaysia, and now, it has been confirmed that the brand will have a new dealer representative here in the near future.
Ferrari Far East (FFE) was contacted about the matter earlier today and the company issued the following response. “Ferrari SpA announces the termination of the business partnership between Ferrari SpA and Naza Italia (Ferrari Malaysia) effective April 8, 2023. Naza Italia will continue to fulfill its responsibility towards its customers for sales and after-sales activities,” said an FFE spokesperson.in reply said paultan.org.
“During this handover, Ferrari SpA will establish a point of contact for our customers for sales and after-sales related questions until we confirm our new partner,” the statement added.
“Recognizing Naza Italia’s contribution to the brand’s success in Malaysia, Ferrari explained that this decision reflects its desire to renew the brand’s representation in the market. Ferrari is committed to Malaysia and will continue to meet the strong demand in the local market , and in close contact with customers there,” the statement concluded.
The company did not comment when asked who its new Malaysian partner was, but many names (six at last count) have been making the rounds in the grapevine, many of them familiar from the scene. These include Sunway and two other Malaysian companies that have ties to Ferrari through dealerships, though not in Malaysia – Australia’s Sime Darby and Berjaya, through its UK-based HR Owen car retail arm.
The latter is rumored to be one of the frontrunners, but another major contender also mentioned is Ital Auto, which has been a Ferrari importer in Singapore since 2009. Ital is part of the multi-franchise Komoco group owned by Singapore-based Malaysian billionaire Ong Beng Seng. In addition to Ferrari, Komoco also operates car brands such as Hyundai and Maserati in the Republic.
Separately, it was revealed that Naza, who has been a Ferrari dealer in Malaysia since 2008, will continue to represent Maserati in the country. In addition to Maserati, the Naza Group has Ducati (Next Bikes) and Suzuki (Naza Eastern Motors) as its remaining car brands.