On Tuesday. 15th of January 2019, a group of Alfaisal Engineering students made a field trip to Ferrari & Maserati Service Centre in Riyadh.
The trip aimed to introduce the process of service and workflow in the service centre in one of the leading sports cars brands in the world. Maserati and Ferrari service centre is the second biggest centre in the GCC, and it was the first until last year when the Dubai service centre was opened, also it’s the biggest in the Kingdome.
The students were welcomed by Mr. Naef Hamdan, the Aftersales Manager, and Majdi Joudah, MASERATI brand Manager, who were joined by the workshop manager, brand manager, reception manager, quality controller and the customer service manager.
Welcoming the students, Mr. Naef said ‘’ we are proud that you’re coming to us, and we know that it is important for you to understand the process of work in one of the leading Car Brands in the world. Our team is a professional one and our team of engineers are licensed engineers with great qualifications, we call them here the doctors, and without them, the centre and workshop will not exist’’
Mr. Naef and Mr. Majdi Went on to explain in order the process of service, starting with receiving the car from the customer, into cleaning it completely before working on it to ensure that the car is in excellent condition before the team start analysing the problem, which is a process done in 2 stages: computerised analysis for electrical issues, and human analysis for mechanical issues.
Mr. Majdi explained the history and legacy of Maserati and Ferrari, their establishment and when they produced their first racing cars, he explained the mechanics behind the engines and the general design of the cars, showing the students the inside engines of one of the most classic Ferrari models and giving them the chance to examine the bottom design of the car and the advanced Aerodynamic system it is equipped with. In addition, Mr. Naef revealed one of the most modern models of the Ferraris that was being prepared to be delivered to the customer, stating ‘’ this is a special edition of the Ferrari 488 called Pista, the demand on this car is bigger than production, and customers are on waiting list because this car production takes a long time’’
After that, the group moved into the spare parts store, the spare parts are all received from Italy and some pieces are ordered upon request and need only.
At the end of the tour, the students were given the chance to go in a short ride with one of the Ferrari & Maserati team members, and few were allowed even to have a test drive themselves accompanied by the representatives.
This tour showed the thorough, professional and detailed process followed by the leading car brands, with an experience of more than 50 years in the field of sports cars and luxury ones. The students were inspired by the extreme professionalism of the team and the facility itself, and the care given to the engineers to ensure they work in comfortable settings which will increase the quality of their work.
Mr. Naef and Mr. Mjdi extended an invitation for the student to visit the local showrooms, where they can have a special, memorable experience.
