A 13-YEAR ambition to represent the bespoke Italian hyper-class sportscar manufacturer Pagani Automobili yesterday materialised for Zagame Automotive Group (ZAG) as it announced it was the brand’s sole Australian importer.

ZAG managing director Bobby Zagame said the Italian manufacturer approached him to become the importer.

To back the brand, Mr Zagame has bought a car for permanent display at his Swan Street, Richmond premium car showcase in inner Melbourne within a showroom that Pagani will share with Rolls-Royce.

The right to sell the Pagani brand, which made only 100 Huayra cars in four years before developing a roadster variant, comes with high customer expectations driven by a $5.5 million-plus price (See footnote below).

“There was a bit of work over a period but it is a lovely jewel in the crown to get this brand,” he told GoAutoNews Premium exclusively.

“Pagani approached me because they wanted to come into Australia. The cars are road-registerable and ADR compliant and they see Australia as an opportunity to spread their wings.

“Like any manufacturer, the small markets build the total number of sales that they are trying to achieve.

“They want to be a global brand. They see Australia as a wealthy country and there is a lot of trade between here and Italy.

“Pagani may be new to Australia but there has been a privately-owned Zonda (Pagani’s first model) here for 13 years, so there is a connection.

“I was involved originally with that coming into the country and even then we discussed my company becoming a distributor.

“That fell off the radar but then about two years ago a Pagani representative was in Australia looking for an importer and he came and saw me.”

Asked who will buy a car worth almost $6 million on the road, Mr Zagame said: “Anyone. Anyone who can afford the car.

“It is interesting that we have amazing interest and it’s mainly coming from the IT sector of the market,” he said.

“These are people who have had successful businesses in IT. It’s also young money, so they are mainly around the 40 years of age mark.

“We may find other people will come out of the woodwork with the official launch next Wednesday.”

Mr Zagame said that the basics of selling a multi-million-dollar hypercar remain the same for Pagani as they do for his other brands.

“Though parting with around $6 million, the expectations of that bring with it some differences,” he said.

“It could mean we may fly to them to configure the car, or maybe send them to the factory in Italy to give them some understanding of the brand.

“That is part of the sales process that we are working on with current customers.

“The Pagani Huayra (the current model) encapsulates everything about the company and gaining an understanding of this car makes you aware just why the car costs so much.

“It takes four months to build one car. If you open up the car – open the doors and panels – it is an amazing piece of art. It is even more beautiful open than closed.

“It is a jewel, and that’s the way the car should be viewed. It can’t be viewed as a normal automobile.

“It is an asset. It has remarkable attention to detail, it is collectable and is one you don’t need to drive unless you want to. It’s something you really want to own and appreciate.”

Mr Zagame said an accurate description of the car and the company was delivered by car collector Jay Leno who said the Pagani Huayra was a piece of art, like a handmade mechanical watch and one that, when the company stopped making cars, would be the end of this level of car building.

ZAG now becomes one of 24 authorised Pagani dealers in the world, and one of an elite few to represent the boutique Italian car-maker to its full brand standards.

The announcement of the new brand representation was made yesterday in Melbourne in the presence of Pagani Automobili founder Horacio Pagani. There will be an official opening function next Wednesday.

Zagame Automotive, which now has 13 prestige brands, has retail premises in the Melbourne CBD and south-eastern bayside suburbs, as well as a major parts and logistics centre in Tullamarine.

All ZAG’s brands are European and among some of the most desirable in the world. They are Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Audi, Ferrari, Fiat, Lamborghini, Lotus, McLaren, Maserati, Morgan, Pagani and Rolls-Royce.

ZAG employs about 500 people and sells more than 6000 cars a year.

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Footnote: The purchase price of $5.5 million includes luxury car tax of $1.648 million and GST of $390,000. As part of the on-road costs there is stamp duty of $231,000.

This means the tax take by state and federal governments is $2.27 million per car sold.

By Neil Dowling