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An important element of Ferrari's 20th
anniversary celebrations in China is the
introduction of the 458 Italia special
edition of 20 cars dedicated to this market.
This special edition is restricted to trim
changes on the outside and in the cabin. |
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This
year marks the 20th anniversary for Ferrari in China
since the first car, a 348 TS, was ordered in Beijing.
To celebrate this milestone, in a few weeks time Ferrari
will inaugurate its first ever permanent exhibition
outside of Maranello at the Italia Center of Shanghai
World Expo Park. Covering 900 square metres the Ferrari
Exhibition will last for three years and will feature
some of the best collections from the Maranello Museum
divided into five topics, including Ferrari in China,
Green Technology, Product, Design and Racing.
Along with current and past Ferrari models, visitors
will gain first-hand experience with a selection of
images and videos made especially for this exhibition.
Another important element for the 20th anniversary
celebration is the introduction of the 458 Italia
special edition of 20 cars dedicated to the China
market. This special edition is restricted to trim
changes on the outside and in the cabin. The exterior
livery is characterised by Chinese elements and is
finished in a new colour called Marco Polo Red specially
developed for this car which will be presented at the
inauguration of the Ferrari Exhibition at the Shanghai
Expo Park’s Italian Center.
The inspiration behind the livery came from the
longma theme which is an old Chinese idiom which
means “the vigor and spirit of the legendary
dragon-horse”. The dragon is a symbol of Chinese
culture, standing for courage, passion and success,
whilst Ferrari’s prancing horse logo is one of the most
recognised symbols in the world representing Italian
cultural identity and its achievements in the design and
engineering fields.
The 458 Italia is a 8 cylinder mid-rear engined car
which has won over 35 awards all around the world. The
458 Italia mixes innovative technology with exclusivity
and design and it Ferrari thus believes that it
encapsulates the passion and vitality of the longma
spirit.
The exterior features a golden dragon on the front
bonnet, which is offset by gold and black livery stripes
symbolising a racing track. The image of the soaring
dragon and the prancing horse on the front bonnet
complement each other and are the finishing touch to the
car’s overall design. The symbols reflect both Chinese
culture as well as Ferrari.
This design is enhanced by gold finish to the rims and
the aeroelastic winglets. The interior also reflects the
unique longma spirit and the celebration of
Chinese culture with gold embroidery on the car’s head
rests, while the engine start button on each of the 20
cars is inscribed with the simplified Chinese characters
for ‘start’, and a ‘20th Anniversary Special Edition’
plaque is set into the dash.
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