Ferrari to celebrate 20 years in China with special-edition 458 Italia
At the 2012 Beijing Motor Show later this month, Ferrari will celebrate its 20th anniversary of the brand’s presence in China. The first Ferrari in China, a 348 TS, was ordered 20 years ago and to celebrate the milestone Ferrari will hold its first ever permanent brand exhibition outside of Maranello at the Italia Center of Shanghai World Expo Park.
The expo will cover 900 square meters and will last for three years and will show some of the best collections from the Maranello Museum.
To celebrate the 20 year mark in China, Ferrari will also unveil a special-edition Ferrari 458 Italia, of which only 20 units will be built exclusively for the China market. With some unique Chinese design elements the special-editin 458 Italia is finished in a brand new color called Marco Polo Red specially developed for the exclusive model.
Check out more news on the Ferrari 458 Italia.
“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'” Ferrari said in a statement. “Dragon is a symbol of Chinese culture, standing for courage, passion and success, whilst Ferrari’s prancing horse logo is one of the most recognized symbols in the world representing Italian cultural identity and its unrivalled achievements in the design and engineering fields.”
Power for the Ferrari 458 Italia comes from a mid-rear mounted 4.5L V8 producing 570-hp at 9,000 rpm with a maximum torque of 398 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm. Mated to a dual-clutch 7-speed F1 gearbox, 0 to 62 mph comes in just 3.4 seconds with a top speed of over 202 mph.
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– By: Omar Rana