It is with the same driving passion that Enzo Ferrari showed when building up what is probably the most famous car brand in the world, starting in 1947, that Niki Hasler AG became the official Ferrari and Ferrari Classiche dealer in Basel. The new Classiche showroom celebrates and brings together the brand’s exciting history, its aesthetic tradition and its unparalleled popularity. The world that has been created here is unique and destined to turn everyone into a Ferrari fan.
Niki Hasler is no different. He lives out his passion for Ferrari with his team every day, always striving to infect others with his enthusiasm. The focus of this enthusiasm is the old-timers. As one of the few Ferrari dealers in the world who are permitted to use the title “Officina Ferrari Classiche”, Niki Hasler AG is licenced to certify early Ferrari models and to confirm that they are originals – holding himself to the highest standards. Models are also completely restored here and returned to their original glory. Because only the original is authentic; in combination with the rarity of some of the older Ferrari models - it is this that gives the brand its appeal and exclusivity.
All-round thrills
One highlight is the annual event, the Giro Classiche, when clients are invited on a sightseeing tour of the region. The Ferrari Classiche models which are especially cleaned and spruced up for this event, all glide off together through the streets of Basel and out into the surrounding area, accompanied by photographers and a video team – as well as plenty of inquisitive and fascinated glances along the way. But what counts is the shared experience and the feeling of living this passion to the full in the company of kindred spirits, the enthusiasm for a car that is the quintessence of aesthetics, craftsmanship and the racing tradition. Whether the Giro Classiche or a tasteful dinner by the top chef with three Michelin stars, Peter Knogl in the Restaurant Cheval Blanc at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois – as part of the launch of the new Ferrari Roma – Niki Hasler AG brings the exclusive world of Ferrari to life and makes a real effort to pass on his passion. The current highlight of this all-encompassing world is the new Classiche showroom.
For the last year and a half, the building next to the Ferrari dealership has been restored and returned pretty much to its original appearance in 1940. This recently opened Classiche Showroom thus complements the pale concrete monolith of the main building, where the modern models are housed. The showroom sets a new global standard in terms of presentation, mise-en-scène and appreciation of rare, older Ferrari models. With an impressive attention to detail, a place has been created that is far more that the term “showroom” could possibly encompass. It is more of a museum, a magnificent showcase for the most handsome, the most valuable and the rarest of Ferrari Classiche models. Here too, the cardinal rule is, only the original is authentic. The rarer the model, the more intriguing its history, the greater its value.
A piece of Ferrari history in Basel
What ultimately turns the showroom into a kind of museum, are the numerous and precious collector’s items representing defining moments in Ferrari’s eventful history. There are original Formula 1 engines on display here, original chassis components hanging on the wall, metal parts that were painstakingly hammered into shape by hand and with nothing but muscle power. Tucked away here is also an archive of memorabilia with technical documentation from the earliest through to the most recent complete Ferrari models, as well as documents signed by Enzo Ferrari himself. It is a truly unique collection of historical rarities of mind-blowing value.
Authenticity fills every square metre of the new Classiche showroom, for example in the decorative yellow ceramic plates from Modena, which Enzo Ferrari once had hanging on the wall behind him in his office. One of the strongest expressions of this complete authenticity is the huge wall of colour samples which displays almost every colour used in Ferrari’s history. What sounds quite simple, is in fact the result of Niki Hasler’s unbridled passion and painstaking research and the extraordinary manual labour of an equally passionate varnisher in Italy. He took advantage of the peace and free time provided by the pandemic to dedicate himself to this crazy assignment: he had to research the composition of around 240 historic colours then laboriously coat small individual metal plates with them. An impressive piece which now hangs in the new Ferrari Classiche showroom.
Anyone who sees this temple to all-consuming enthusiasm and real-life experience in Ferrari red in Basel with their own eyes, will automatically want to be a part of this world. It is a revelation of an infectious delight in detail and an eternal passion for Ferrari.
