The new Ferrari 430 Scuderia has received its Chinese preview in Shanghai ahead of its public launch at the Guangzhou Auto Show next month. It will be available for ordering from next February and emphasising the importance of this growth market to Ferrari, Chinese buyer will be given preferential treatment with a waiting time of 6-8 months for the latest Prancing Horse sports car.

Ferrari has already sold 130 cars in China this year; it plans a full year total of 150-160 units and in 2008 this target is expected to rise to 180 cars. "China is one of our new markets with fastest growth over the past two years," said Jean Todt during the glamorous 430 Scuderia preview event. "With the new model, we are more confident of achieving our sales target for next year." The 430 Scuderia will join the F430, F430 Spider, 599 GTB Fiorano and 612 Scaglietti on the Chinese market.

Ferrari has had sales operation in China since 2005. "To be in China is no longer something new for us therefore," said Ferrari's Head of Communications for the Asia Pacific Region, Matteo Bonciani just prior to last weekend's Chinese Grande Prix. "China is definitely a booming market. In our first year, we sold 65 cars doubling that figure in 2006 and now, according to comments from President Montezemolo at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show we are expecting to reach a 2007 target of over 150 cars. We have seen already how important the Asian markets are to Ferrari as Japan is now one of our biggest markets on a global scale. In China, the arrival of our Formula 1 colleagues for the Grand Prix is crucial because the Chinese people are definitely very enthusiastic about our company. Recently, ten thousand people came to the Shanghai circuit back in June for the Ferrari Festival, which featured the FXX, and also F1 cars giving people the chance to experience F1 outside the Grand Prix weekend.
 

"China is very open to the idea of F1 and the fans are particularly keen on Ferrari. One should not forget that last year's Chinese Grand Prix was an historic event in the context of Ferrari as it was in Shanghai that Michael Schumacher recorded the last of his 91 victories in Formula 1, and his 72th with the Scuderia. For us this weekend's race will be a way for Ferrari in China to celebrate a successful year."

"The company aims to build on that success, bringing new products onto the buoyant market here. Again, as the President said at Frankfurt, "China is becoming much more important than ever for us." Ferrari has thirteen dealerships in China, but since the end of 2006 what has changed is that the company has now created Ferrari's Asia-Pacific Division. "President Montezemolo set up a special task force to run our business over two continents: Asia and Australasia, so that from New Zealand to South Korea, the headquarters for Ferrari are in Shanghai and that is another reason why this race is particularly important for us," says Bonciani.

"You can say that, in a way, this is our "hometown" race. Ferrari's Asia- Pacific division includes, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, so it covers a very big area and currently represents twenty percent of the company's total business and this is definitely going to increase in the near future. It is certainly the area of the globe with the greatest potential for growth."