FAMILIES across the south may be struggling to make ends meet, with households hit by a crippling combination of soaring prices and static wages.

Jobs are hard to come by and for those that do have work they are constantly worried about its security as the worst cash crisis since the Depression continues to bite.

But despite the financial doom and gloom one section of society appears to be immune from the credit crunch and money woes that have hit most of us.

The fast luxury car market is booming and sales have never been better for one Hampshire firm.

Ferrari, driven by Formula One driver Fernando Alsono in the video below, has reported record profits of £185m for the first nine months of the year, with sales in the UK rising by almost 40 per cent.

And the Italian company’s runaway success has been underlined by the opening of a new £1m showroom at the Meridien Modena dealership in Lyndhurst, where sales have actually gone up since the financial crisis started in 2008.

 

Staff are celebrating the latest addition to the site that Meridien chairman John Butt bought as a run-down British Leyland garage in 1988.

The state-of-the-art showroom is the perfect place for anyone able to splash out at least £152,000 on a new car.

Facilities in the Italiandesigned building include a waiting room, a dedicated handover bay and a fully-detailed “Atelier” where customers can choose the colour of their vehicle and other important features. No two Ferraris are the same.

Mr Butt said: “I’m delighted to see how our investment and improvements ensure we meet the very high standards expected from the Ferrari brand.”

His son Glenn, who has customers as far afield as New Zealand and Scotland, said Meridien sold more than 300 cars a year at Lyndhurst, with more than 30 new Ferraris, 30-40 new Maseratis and about 100 used models of each brand.

He added: “Last year was our best ever – we have continually improved our sales figures since the start of the economic downturn in 2008.”

“Our clients’ financial investment returns are low, but people with reserves look at Ferrari and the excellent residuals and decide they can afford to have a bit of fun!”