First Ferrari World targets Aussies

AUSTRALIANS will be a prime target for the first Ferrari theme park, which has been confirmed to house the world’s fastest rollercoaster.

Details of the 20-plus rides and attractions at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi were announced for yesterday, when the Italian supercar-maker began a 100-day countdown to the official opening of the world’s largest indoor theme park at noon on October 28.

Top billing goes to the Formula Rossa rollercoaster – the world’s fastest – which Ferrari says reaches 240km/h in five seconds, closely followed by ‘V12’ – a flume ride to the centre of a 12-cylinder engine – and Fiorano GT Challenge, aboard duelling F430 Spiders twisting and turning through tight corners in a sprint to the finish line.

Australian and New Zealand Ferrari spokesman Edward Rowe said he expected travel companies and airlines to target tourists from both countries, not because of their high per-capita Ferrari ownership rates, but because of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s location near a halfway hub between Europe and Down Under.

As such, he said the Middle Eastern development on Yas Island, near the new grand prix circuit, would attract an entirely new type of clientele to the famed Italian brand.

United Arab Emirates national carrier Etihad is a major partner, encouraging stopovers in Abu Dhabi with the lure of Ferrari World and other theme parks being built nearby, including a Warner Brothers theme park and WaterPark – a huge water slide park that will even include a rain forest.

Mr Rowe said Ferrari was the first company to leverage its brand in this way, taking it beyond conventional sponsorship and merchandising.

“This is a significant change away from how a car company traditionally operates, using the brand not to sell cars but to generate income from a totally different industry,” he said.

The Abu Dhabi theme park is expected to be just the first Ferrari-themed park, with others being considered for as-yet-undisclosed locations.

Apart from theme parks and the Yas Marina Circuit grand prix circuit that hosted its first Formula One race in 2009, the 2500ha Yas Island complex – 10 minutes from Abu Dhabi airport and a 50-minute drive from Dubai – will include 20 hotels, golf courses, apartments and Yas Marina.

Ferrari World – co-developed with Yas Island developer Aldar Properties – is being built under a 200,000-square-media roof with a shape inspired by Ferrari curves and coloured – naturally – Marinello red.

Apart from rides and ‘4D’ experiences, the theme park will also showcase Ferrari’s Marinello factory in a virtual tour, along with the company’s Italian homeland in a virtual road trip following a Ferrari Enzo.