Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj is the Raja Muda of Selangor, but even with the demands of that role, he jumped at the chance to represent one of the most storied and beloved brands in the world—Ferrari. On why he chose to become chairman of Ital Auto Malaysia, the official Ferrari importer in the country, Tengku Amir Shah explains: “The opportunity opened up here in Malaysia, so I had to go for it. This is one of the leading global and automotive brands.”
Tengku Amir Shah is speaking to Robb Report Malaysia at the new Ferrari showroom at Four Seasons Place in Kuala Lumpur. He adds: “When a brand like this comes around, you have to jump on it. And my dream and aspiration for the brand is to bring it higher for the Malaysian market. I see myself as trying to look ahead for the company—always trying to keep the customer in mind. Being a luxury brand in today’s day and age is now pivoting more to customisation and personalisation.”
Luxurious high-end cars are something that Tengku Amir Shah has had a lot of experience with since childhood. “I’ve been very lucky that Tuanku Sultan, my father, is a big car collector,” he says. Indeed, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj Ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj is famously passionate about motoring. At the royal residence of Istana Alam Shah, the Royal Automobile Gallery showcases an impressive number of exotics as well as mementos of some of his continent-crossing drives. And, no, Tengku Amir Shah was not allowed to touch the cars while he was growing up. “They’re precious to him. And I know why—I see the value of it and the work,” he says. Tengku Amir Shah gives the occasional palace tour, which includes the Royal Automobile Gallery, so he is familiar with the history of each car. “History is so important to us. It tells us where we’re from and where we can go,” he says.
One of his favourites is a Rolls-Royce that came to be in his family when it was purchased in the UK for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. “Later on, it was brought back to Malaysia and used for Merdeka. And my father, Tuanku Sultan, used it for the 50th Merdeka. It’s been a part of history, from British coronations to our independence,” Tengku Amir Shah says. “And what’s really interesting and unique about it—there’s no air-conditioning! There’s a kipas (fan) inside, an actual kipas,” he says with a laugh, adding that it can get quite hot inside.
Ferrari came a bit later, when he was in his teens. “Before we even got our first Ferrari, we always knew Ferrari was the car for any collector to have. We could see that Tuanku Sultan felt like he had this fantastic collection, but it felt incomplete,” he recalls. The ice was broken with a Ferrari 360 Spider, an exciting time for Tengku Amir Shah when the garage was mostly filled with stately vintages. “Being able to see the engine and to hear it; it was pretty awesome,” he says. The mid-engined V8 sports cars proved popular, and a 458 and 488 would follow. “The 458 was definitely one of the favourites,” he adds, noting that it was the first time Ferrari embraced one of its modern user interface signatures by moving more functions onto the steering wheel—including the manettino drive mode selector, a relatively recent innovation at the time. “You felt like a real racer in there,” he says.
These days, Tengku Amir Shah has his eye on the Purosangue. “It’s the ‘in thing’ right now. And I do like that—being a bit bigger and sitting higher up. It’s more versatile,” he says. He was at the global launch of the new Ferrari 12Cilindri earlier this year, an 818bhp two-seater Berlinetta with a naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 that pays homage to Ferrari GT cars of the 1950s and 1960s. “I was blown away because of the way they explained and showed the story behind the design,” he says. “They are blending classic and futuristic elements, which made it even more appealing.”
Aside from his royal duties and enterprising roles, Tengku Amir Shah is involved with non-profits such as Yayasan Raja Muda Selangor, which provides underprivileged youth training and opportunities in vocational streams. “We go to schools, engage students early and (look for) students who are not doing well in grades, a bit nakal (naughty). They probably just need to see the opportunities out there and then they might be a bit more focused. That’s one aspect that I keep myself busy with,” he explains. In 2016, he started Selangor Youth Community, a platform for him to engage with Malaysian youth. “I see it as a catalyst to other people’s programmes, for other NGOs to build a community base,” he says.
As for Ferrari, Tengku Amir Shah’s focus is going to be on the customer experience. “With Ital Auto Malaysia, we want to provide that same experience when customers come in—that they feel like they are the client when they walk in. They are investing and buying into a luxury brand. So, we want them to feel that sort of luxury the minute they walk in,” he explains. Aside from the main gallery and cosy customer lounge, the new showroom also includes an atelier that allows buyers to immerse themselves in the various available customisation options—from exterior finishes to rims, upholstery and seats. “It’s very important to show straight away that the possibility is there,” Tengku Amir Shah says. “And with Ferrari, there are certain things that are expected—like the iconic Rosso Corsa colour—but then again, people want to do it their own way and sometimes they want to stand out. We hope that we can be leading the Malaysian market on that front.
“Ferrari is such a global brand, and our key focus should be making sure that we are giving exceptional customer service above all else.”
Lead image: Tengku Amir Shah wears Giorgio Armani oversized single-breasted jacket with two buttons, wide notch lapels and welt pockets, with diagonal weaving pattern in viscose (taupe colour), and guru collar shirt with mother-of-pearl buttons and front covered closure in mixed silk and cotton diagonal stripe pattern on ivory. Cartier watch, Tengku Amir Shah’s own.
Photography: Soon (Awesome Image). Hair and grooming: Ellyn Yeo. Art direction: Penn Ey, Chee. Styling: Zuhairi Sahrom. Styling assistance: Cheryl Ng. Special thanks to the Ital Auto Malaysia team.
