MARCH 26, 2003

Meanwhile in glitzy Egham...

Egham is not famously glamorous, but the town in Surrey, which is in effect a suburb of London, is leafy and filled with well-heeled people and this is probably the explanation of why it has become the home of the world's largest Ferrari and Maserati showroom.

The Tower Garage, which was built as a Vauxhall dealership in 1935, is a Grade II listed building with an impressive art deco exterior and tower. It stands beside the A30, which was once the main road into London. The Tower Garage has been a Ferrari dealer since 1967. The revamped showrooms will house a store (The Maranello Store) selling Ferrari and Maserati merchandise and there will be space for 50 cars to be on display at any one time. This has been made possible by the relocation of the aftersales service and body repair shop to a purpose-built facility in nearby Thorpe.