Philosophy
“Today’s business world is all about delivering solutions for people’s needs, even though they might not have realised that need before. Of course, what people think they ‘need’ is very individual. People pleasing is huge business and the trick to winning at it, in my view, is to get ahead of the game – don’t just deliver what people expect but find out what they want before they even know they want it.
“This is especially relevant when it comes to the luxury car industry. Years ago, I remember going for lunch with a friend of mine in the South of France and feeling his abject frustration as we rocked up to a car park littered with supposedly rare and exclusive supercars…and four Bugatti Veyrons! He thought he had something special only to find he was one of many.
“His disappointment was a defining moment for me. I’d seen the potential with the Ferrari Corse Clienti and other special projects over the years, people want something different and I felt that, with the right team in place, we could meet that ‘need’.
Jump to 2018 and we have steadily built an incredible team of industry-leading, passionate individuals with the support of a global network of equally passionate investors who put their money where their mouths are, helping us to deliver extraordinary bespoke cars using cutting edge technological solutions.
“Our clients can actually design their own car, choose materials, colours, define the shape of the silhouette and even decide how many doors and windows it should have. Just imagine actually being able to create some of the stunning concepts we see in Geneva that never hit the roads…
“Our 18,000 square metre ARES DESIGN smart factory houses everything from CAD, carbon fibre ovens, electrical system engineering specialists, drivetrain assembly, paint shop, artisan leather works and metal coachbuilding – the list is almost never ending. I think we had as much fun designing the factory as we do test-driving the Land Rover Defenders we are transforming!
“We’re currently focussing on three core creations. Firstly, delivering bespoke automotive interiors and exteriors, like the world’s only Coupé version of the Bentley Mulsanne, the astonishing ARES X-Raid based on a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG or our ARES Design GT3 for Porsche Targa concept. Secondly, transforming classic cars into turnkey, tech-loaded, rock-solid, reliable cars that still look like the original from decades past, but without the potential “drama” of ownership. For example, our ’64 Corvette Sting Ray on the chassis of a C7. It looks like something straight out of a classic McQueen or Newman film, but features a 525hp V8, keyless go, LED halo beams, air conditioning, hi-fi stereo, Bluetooth, USB – all hidden under a big block bonnet and wrapped in red leather. Thirdly, the resurrection of automobile icons – our current ‘hero’ is a modern-day iteration of one of the most popular Italian-American sports cars of all time, the Pantera from the 1970s, with a completely new body sitting on the chassis of a modern, Italian supercar.
“We have actually found the solution to make (car) dreams come true.”
Dany Bahar, CEO ARES DESIGN