On a brilliant Saturday afternoon, as sunlight illuminated the vast expanse of KL Base—a former airport—a steady purring of V8s and V12s filled the air. And just like that, the FOCM Festival 2024, organised by Ferrari Owners’ Club Malaysia (FOCM), came to life. The event, supported by a stable of co-marketing partners, including presenting partner Shell Malaysia, would become a celebration for Ferraristi with an assortment of other luxury brands and team Scuderia Ferrari partners adding their own touches.
As the Ferraris started arriving, their owners discovered a hangar set up to celebrate the Ferrari lifestyle. Welcoming guests at the entrance was an in-depth Ferrari Classiche display by Ferrari’s authorised importer and dealer, Ital Auto Malaysia. Among the beauties displayed at the space were the Ferrari 308 GTS, Ferrari 328 GTB and Ferrari F355 Berlinetta. Nearby, the Ferrari Approved marque showcased the grand touring California and the mid-engined 360 Spider with original Rosso Corsa paintwork.
Up front, just before the stage, the eyes were then drawn to modern-day beauties—from the F12tdf, which boasts a top speed of more than 340km/h, to the 812 Competizione, an extreme front-engined Berlinetta. In the centre of this row of mechanical wizardry and design marvels was the phenomenal Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, a futuristic coupe built to mark the Prancing Horse’s 70th anniversary.
With this event taking place at a former airport, the FOCM Festival Challenge offered owners a chance to race down the runway on a 400m solo sprint, with SF90s and the V6 plug-in turbo engine 296 among the top contenders. Prior to the challenge, automotive tyre specialist Lim Tayar with Pirelli offered assessments including visual inspections and depth gauge measurements to ensure the safety of the participants.
As the parade of Ferraris continued at KL Base, the previous record of 148 Ferraris—set in 2017 by FOCM—was easily eclipsed. And inside the hangar, the owners and their guests waited for the eventual number with bated breath, while enjoying high-energy performances from a live band led by the soaring vocals of Jess Vanronessa.
A curated list of programming within the hangar included hand massages by Acqua di Parma, as well as a driving challenge—the golfing variety—by MST Arena, which had set up an indoor simulator. Two vastly different new developments were also showcased: one was Aset Kayamas’ luxury high-rise residences of Antara Genting, while the other was the opulent residential enclave of Anyara Hills by KHK Land.
Boutique travel company JNE Tour & Travel showcased its many exceptional vacation packages, including luxury cruises, corporate incentive travel, yacht charters and private jet services, as well as its affiliations with the top-end hospitality locations by Marriott International, IHG Luxury & Lifestyle and Mandarin Oriental.
One of the most exciting hotspots within the hangar were the twin Hydratech racing simulators by Hoe Huat Electric. A stream of participants attempted to better the top score in hopes of winning the grand prize, a Bang & Olufsen A5 speaker. Just beside the simulators, the luxury audio brand, a Ferrari official partner, also showcased its state-of-the-art speakers and screens.
Another Ferrari official partner, global fitness drink Celsius, offered a range of mocktails combined with its Sparkling Orange and Tropical Vibe flavours. These mocktails, served with orange juice, lime juice, grenadine and plenty of crushed ice, was just the ticket on a sunny day. Beside them, Peroni, similarly a Scuderia Ferrari team partner, proffered non-stop refreshment.
At the F&B precinct of the FOCM Festival 2024, one could savour a host of delights from the famous trio of restaurants at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur, including a beef sando from Ushi, ebi tempura don from Tenshin, and a sushi platter of akami, sakuramasu, sawara and the house speciality tamagoyaki from Sushi Taka. Specialist fine food bar Luna offered a veritable feast of air-flown Fine de Claire oysters and Italian Giaveri caviar.
Italian cuisine abounded with a burrata in fig chutney and hazelnuts from the exciting new Nice Bistronome, as well as linguine with crustacean sauce and tiger prawns. Its sister restaurant, Chateau Dionne, served its signature cold capellini with Hokkaido scallops, ikura and ponzu, as well as umami fries and a Rossini burger with foie gras. Leen’s Middle East Kitchen, meanwhile, offered chicken shawarmas, while Malaysia’s one and only Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza rolled out three variants of pizzas from its giant ovens as well as piping hot beef lasagne.
Of particular note at the event was Poltrona Frau, leather specialist and the upholsterer of choice for Ferrari. At the festival, the Italian designer furniture and leather artisan powerhouse was represented by its iconic Archibald armchairs. Leather would then give way to sterling silver with Comyns—a nearly 400-year-old silversmith—showcasing its heritage in art and design. A particular point of fascination was the 1967 GP Car number 18, a 1:32 reproduction of the Ferrari Formula 1 race car, with its deeply modified 312-type with new Campagnolo 5-spoke rims. This limited-edition piece was also the prize claimed by the winner of the best classic Ferrari on show at the FOCM Festival 2024.
Savoir-faire also arrived at the festival in the form of Louis XIII cognac, which showcased its eclectic new kid on the block, The Drop. This whimsical and yet totally recognisable symbol of Louis XIII’s past, present and future contains 10ml of the precious Louis XIII cognac in a choice of five unique bottle caps to better reflect the current mood and fashion of its wearer.
From a silversmith founded in 1645 to the august cognac house that is Louis XIII, guests at the FOCM Festival 2024 then experienced cutting-edge modernity through Oppo’s smart devices, including its latest Find N3 Flip and Find N3 foldables. The latter, priced at RM7,999, was awarded to the best car photo taken on the day.
For many of the guests at this year’s FOCM Festival, a must-visit was the Royal Salute lounge, which was outfitted with a cocktail bar where choice drams of Royal Salute expressions, such as its Signature Blend and Blended Grain, were on offer.
All these activities dovetailed with the continual onstage excitement, including the arrival of the first four-door Ferrari in its 77-year history, the Purosangue. The high-performance crossover approached the stage while transporting Shell Mobility Malaysia’s general manager Seow Lee Ming, general manager of Ferrari Malaysia Damien Woo, and FOCM president Abu Rizal Bakri Dato’ Sulaiman. The latter duo welcomed Seow onstage for the launch gambit of the new and improved Shell V-Power Racing, the latest generation of its premium grade fuel that cleans 100 per cent, thus protecting critical engine parts for optimal engine performance. In trials, it has added additional power and acceleration, becoming the only used, trusted and recommended fuel by the Formula 1 team of Scuderia Ferrari.
“Shell V-Power Racing is designed beyond the realm of conventional fuels to restore up to 100 per cent of your engine performance to keep it running like new, providing customers who wish to experience the thrill and make the most of their journeys on the road,” Seow noted in her speech. “With the reduction in size, modern engines tend to expose fuels to tougher operating conditions where dirt can build up. Our Shell V-Power Racing is designed to work even more effectively under these conditions. It restores up to 100 per cent of your engine performance to keep it running like new.”
Outside the hangar, as the count of Ferraris undertaken by the Malaysian Book of Records officials continued, the stage inside welcomed Malaysia’s first cosplay deejay Valent, whose anime-accompanied screens added an ethereal ambience to the festivities.
Following speeches by Kelvin Ong Abdullah, Ital Auto Malaysia’s executive director, and FOCM president Abu Rizal Bakri, the place roared into sixth gear with the official announcement by a Malaysian Book of Records official, stating that the day’s gathering of Ferraris numbered 297 in all, shattering the previous record by more than double.
And just when the crowd thought that the night had reached its zenith, the internationally renowned DJ Soda appeared in a brand-new Ferrari Roma Spider and took to the decks for an hour of non-stop action, including a walk on the dance floor with the crowd for her finale track Cold.
The following day saw the FOCM Festival’s concluding act. The dawn of the day witnessed an assembly of Ferraris gathering at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur for a stunning convoy all the way to the top of Genting Highlands, where they were feted by the co-marketing destination partner Resorts World Genting.
At the finale dinner, the Ferraristi were welcomed by Resorts World Genting’s vice president Winnie Lim, before being entertained by a combination of live performances and soul-stirring singing, all of which was accompanied by drams of Royal Salute Scotch.
The night ended with cigars by Cohiba Atmosphere as Genting Rouge—the poshest venue on the mountaintop—saw guests and FOCM members sharing new bonds of friendship and locking in memories of a spectacular weekend of Ferrari fellowship that will last a lifetime.
Photography: All Is Amazing & Momenz Creation
