Customise so as to stand out. These were the intentions of Ares Design when it was set up in 2014. Founder, with some partners, was Dany Bahar, a businessman with a past in Ferrari and Lotus. Today it employs 100 stylists, designers and mechanics who operate in a 118 thousand sq.m. plant near Modena.
The 10 designers in the style centre give shape to the modifications requested by customers and are in contact with them throughout the development phase of the project. It was as a result of this process, for example, that the Bentley Mulsanne Coupé is able to offer that extra touch of uniqueness to those who are not satisfied with the “standard” version of this mighty British car.
Don’t imagine a classic production line, here every corner of the factory resembles an atelier. You find out a lot wandering around among the cars being worked on. What apparently seems to be a 1964 Corvette Stingray, actually has completely overhauled mechanicals, a new 525 bhp V8 engine and a Bluetooth multimedia system. “We make this type of car for people who love the classic shapes of the past, but want to avoid all the problems of reliability that vintage cars generate”, says Bahar, during the tour of the factory. The same applies to the Porsche 964 Targa, which we find disassembled along the assembly line.
One of the latest ideas from Ares designers is Project Phanter. Built on a Lamborghini Huracan base and freely inspired by the Pantera of the Modena manufacturer DeTomaso, the vehicle has original lines and its numerous citations, starting with the retractable headlights, distinguish it from the Sant’ Agata Bolognese original. And for the future? Technicians and designers are working on a project based on Maranello’s GTC4Lusso. The aim is to update the forms of the Ferrari 400, 2+2 of 1976 designed by Pininfarina, equipping it with modern mechanicals and technology. A rather ambitious project which, according to Bahar, will see the light by the end of this year.
