Former F1 drivers Mansell and Donnelly, in Romania for Lotus showroom opening

Former F1 drivers Nigel Mansell and Martin Donnelly on Thursday attended the official opening of the first Lotus showroom in Romania, in Otopeni city. Nigel Mansell made his debut in Grand Prix as a pilot of the Lotus team in 1980 and Martin Donnelly in 1990. Read more about Manselland about Donnelly). “We have three models for sale in the showroom, Elise, Exige şi Evora, priced between EUR 38,000 and EUR 76,000, excluding VAT”, said Ion Bazac, president of Forza Rossa, the company which sells Lotus cars in Romania. Forza Rossa will inaugurate three other showrooms, one in Moldova by the end of this year, and two others in Serbia and Montenegro, by the end of 2012, he also said. The company will bring another brand to Romania next year, Bazac added, without revealing its name. Forza Rossa SRL, the only importer for the Italian brand Ferrari in Romania, Serbia, Montenegro and Moldova, will also expand its activity in Monaco. This will be the second Ferrari store opened by Bazac's firm, after Bucharest. Forza Rossa sold 26 cars last year and has orders for 28 to 30 cars for this year, according to company representatives. In May 2008, it opened its first showroom dedicated exclusively to Ferrari in Romania. In 2010, the company had a turnover of EUR 9 million and an operating profit of EUR 450,000. Irina Popescu