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Charles Hurst in Belfast, which holds the only official Ferrari franchise for the island of Ireland, has just been awarded full 'Classiche Officina' status by the mother-ship in Maranello.
What does Classiche Officina mean? It literally translates as Classic Workshop, and means that Hurst's can now call itself an official sanctioned expert in looking after Ferraris that are more than 20-years old. You know - the ones that tend to be worth tens of millions, rather than hundreds of thousands. Those ones.
Each Classiche Officina has the official backing of the Ferrari factory, and must maintain a dedicated workshop ramp and a suitably-qualified and trained Ferrari Classiche Service Technician exclusively for Ferrari Classiche maintenance, repair and certification applications.
According to Ferrari: "A Ferrari Classiche Officina offers a highly qualified service to the customer, ensuring the maintenance of the vehicle's value through the start of the Ferrari Classiche Certification process, safeguarding furthermore the technical heritage of the Ferrari brand and, therefore, the client's investment in their Ferrari Classiche car and certification."
It also means that Hurst's can refer any special issues arising with a classic car to the Ferrari factory, and the car can if necessary be shipped 'home' to have any work done that can't be carried out in Belfast.
The appointment makes Hurst's, just as it is for new Ferrari cars, the only official Classiche Officina centre in Ireland, and as far as the rest of the UK is concerned, it joins the likes of Dick Lovett in Swindon; Graypaul in Nottingham; HR Owen in London; JCT600 in Leeds; Joe Macari in Wandsworth; Lancaster in Colchester; Maranello Service in Egham (the original home of UK Ferrari importer Maranello Concessionaires, under Col. Ronnie Hoare, which had its own racing team in the sixties); Meridien Modena in Lyndhurst; and Stratstone in Manchester.