This year marks the 20th anniversary for Ferrari in
China since the first Ferrari, a 348 TS, was ordered in Beijing. To celebrate
this historical milestone, in a few weeks time Ferrari will inaugurate its
first ever permanent brand 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 rich 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 only 20
cars dedicated exclusively to the China market. The car’s livery is
characterised by unique Chinese elements and is finished in a brand new colour
called Marco Polo Red specially developed for this exclusive 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”. 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 unrivalled achievements in the design and engineering fields.
The 458 Italia is a very high performing and exclusive 8
cylinder mid-rear engined car which has won over 35 awards all around the
world. The 458 Italia mixes very innovative technology with exclusivity and
design and it perfectly encapsulates the passion and vitality of the longma spirit.
The most eye-catching element of the car’s exterior is the
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 perfectly, and are the
finishing touch to the car’s overall design. The symbols reflect both Chinese
culture as well as Ferrari’s constant innovation.
This unique 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.
STORY BY FERRARI
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