New facility set to send Zagame international
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 8th Apr 2019
ZAGAME Automotive Group (ZAG) chief executive Michael Winkler is confident the leading prestige motor vehicle retailer’s new repair and restoration facility in Melbourne’s north-west will bring in extra customers – and will expand its reach across Australia and abroad.
The 4000-square-metre operation at Tullamarine has four restoration bays available and offers OEM-standard repairs for high-end brands such as Rolls-Royce, Ferrari and Lamborghini, to name a few, as well as a restoration operation for classic cars, which can be completely restored to showroom standard.
In an interview with GoAuto, Mr Winkler said the program could help to broaden ZAG’s reach internationally, starting with Australasia and eventually moving further into the Asian market.
Zagame has traditionally been associated with Melbourne, where automotive operations commenced in 1999, and has recently expanded into Adelaide.
When asked how broad the scope could be for restoration customers, Mr Winkler said there was no geographic limit to how far it can expand.
“I wouldn’t limit it, I’d even say worldwide to be bold,” he said.
“But that’s not going to happen next Monday morning – it’s a matter of establishing a reputation and going forward from there.
“The first thing you need to have is the infrastructure – we certainly have that now. We’ve had the expertise in-house for quite some time, and we’ve been doing work on a one-off basis for quite some time already, it’s just that we haven’t trusted it out to the road yet.
“And we’ll end up doing a couple of ‘showcase’ products to communicate our abilities.”
Mr Winkler said the restoration operations would start off slowly, building up over the coming years and hopefully culminating in such a high quality of restoration as to be shown at classic car shows such as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
So far, the facility has restored a 1978 Porsche 911 Turbo, and is in the process of rejuvenating a Ferrari Dino.
Three more Dinos and a 250 Testa Rossa are also in the pipeline to be restored by Zagame.
Featuring specifically trained technicians, Zagame Autobody’s Bespoke division also includes a high-end repair operation, which offers the chance for supercars to be repaired on-site, instead of shipping them to their home countries or having a specialised technician travel out to fix them.
Along with its own internationally trained mechanics, the facility features state-of-the-art work bays and hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of expensive and sensitive diagnostic equipment, sometimes designed specifically for one model of car.
With a multitude of glass panels and viewing areas, ZAG is also encouraging owners to visit and observe the repair process, with the goal of turning what might have been a negative experience into a positive one.
Mr Winkler said the involved experience of its restoration process will help bring new customers to the company.
“These days, particularly in the luxury end, it’s all about the experience and the feeling of being welcome, the knowledge that you will be completely taken care of if something goes wrong,” he said.
“(Customers are) willing to pay what the price of these cars are, but they just want the peace of mind to say, ‘I want to drive and I don’t want any hassles.’
“And what we’re doing out at Tullamarine is really a supplement to that, that should something go wrong, or should you wish an enhancement to your car whether it’s a clear wrap or a colour wrap or some innovative wheels or styling, blacking out or the windows, or whatever it is that interests you, we can take care of it.”
He added that the response from customers who have toured the facility has been overwhelmingly positive, and that the unique nature of the repair facility made it a particularly valuable asset for ZAG.
“It’s been overwhelming – it would have to be for a customer,” he said.
“I think it’s fairly unique in terms of what you can offer. I’m certainly not aware of something similar existing in the marketplace here or even overseas.”
