Photo: Bloomberg
When you’re part of the family that gave birth to the largest car making company in Italy, it’s only natural that cars should play an important part in your life.
Take the case of Lapo Elkann, one of the less conservative heirs of the Agnelli family - but you figured that part out based on the image alone - who is now back in the business with a new project.
After a ten-year hiatus with the automotive world that made him feel like “an orphan,” 38-year-old Elkann is once again doing something car related, he told Bloomberg, as quoted by Automotive News. But cars won’t be the only type of vehicles to receive customization in his new shop: yachts and even helicopters are welcome as well. In fact, don’t be surprised if everything that comes with an engine or motor will get the same treatment.
For this new enterprise of his, called Garage Italia Customs, Elkann bought a vintage 1950-era gas station that will serve as the main headquarters for his shop. Besides the actual garage where all the work will be done, his hub will also include a restaurant managed by star chef Carlo Cracco.
If you’re looking at the picture and thinking “I would never leave my car in that man’s hands,” we get it, but don’t be so quick to judge. Just because he likes to dress flashy and wrapped a Ferrari 458 in camouflage as if he were taking it hunting doesn’t mean he can’t also be stylish. After all, he’s Italian: they're born with it.
Even though you can’t really call him a visionary based on this move alone, it’s clear he’s figured out that car customization will play a big part in the future, especially in the premium and luxury segments. People want their cars to be special or unique, and the manufacturers can’t offer that without the help of third parties. He has worked with Ferrari in the past and is now looking into the possibility of developing new projects together with the BMW Group. High-quality customization business is booming. Of course, it helps when you’re the grandson of Giovanni Agnelli.
Elkann isn’t ruling anything out at the moment. Could his business evolve into a car brand producing actual vehicles? Why not? Will he expand abroad? Most definitely. The Garage Italia Customs sure looks like the type of business to keep an eye on. Assuming you can stand the bright red suit.
After a ten-year hiatus with the automotive world that made him feel like “an orphan,” 38-year-old Elkann is once again doing something car related, he told Bloomberg, as quoted by Automotive News. But cars won’t be the only type of vehicles to receive customization in his new shop: yachts and even helicopters are welcome as well. In fact, don’t be surprised if everything that comes with an engine or motor will get the same treatment.
For this new enterprise of his, called Garage Italia Customs, Elkann bought a vintage 1950-era gas station that will serve as the main headquarters for his shop. Besides the actual garage where all the work will be done, his hub will also include a restaurant managed by star chef Carlo Cracco.
If you’re looking at the picture and thinking “I would never leave my car in that man’s hands,” we get it, but don’t be so quick to judge. Just because he likes to dress flashy and wrapped a Ferrari 458 in camouflage as if he were taking it hunting doesn’t mean he can’t also be stylish. After all, he’s Italian: they're born with it.
Even though you can’t really call him a visionary based on this move alone, it’s clear he’s figured out that car customization will play a big part in the future, especially in the premium and luxury segments. People want their cars to be special or unique, and the manufacturers can’t offer that without the help of third parties. He has worked with Ferrari in the past and is now looking into the possibility of developing new projects together with the BMW Group. High-quality customization business is booming. Of course, it helps when you’re the grandson of Giovanni Agnelli.
Elkann isn’t ruling anything out at the moment. Could his business evolve into a car brand producing actual vehicles? Why not? Will he expand abroad? Most definitely. The Garage Italia Customs sure looks like the type of business to keep an eye on. Assuming you can stand the bright red suit.
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