The new Ferrari 458 Italia special edition will mark brand’s 20th anniversary since it sold the first car in China, a 348 TS, and will be build in a limited edition of just 20 cars dedicated exclusively to the China market. According to Ferrari, the new car is characterised by unique Chinese elements and is finished in a brand new color called Marco Polo Red. This colour was specially developed for this model and it will be first seen at the inauguration of the Ferrari Exhibition at the Shanghai Expo Park’s Italian Center.
The 458 Italia special edition was inspired by the longma theme which is an old Chinese idiom which means “the vigor and spirit of the legendary dragon-horse”. As you may know already, the dragon is a symbol of Chinese culture and represents courage, passion and success. This symbol is found on the front bonnet, where a golden dragon is seen which is offset by gold and black livery stripes symbolising a racing track. This means that on the front hood we have two symbols, a soaring dragon and the prancing horse, reflecting both Chinese culture as well as Ferrari’s constant innovation.
The design is completed by the golden wheels and the aeroelastic winglets. At the interior, the unique longma spirit and the celebration of Chinese culture is highlighted with gold embroidery on the car’s head rests. Moreover, the engine start button is inscribed with the simplified Chinese characters for ‘start’, and a ‘20th Anniversary Special Edition’ plaque is set into the dash. Under the hood, we find the same 4.5-liter V8 engine delivering 570 hp, capable to push the 458 Italia from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and to a maximum speed of over 325 km/h or 201 mph.
