Ferrari 458 Italia China Special Edition marks 20th Anniversary of Ferrari in China

Ferrari 458 Italia China Special Edition

Ferrari is marking 20 years in China with a 458 Italia Special Edition and a permanent Ferrari Exhibition in Shanghai.

With the Beijing Motor Show rapidly looming – and the status of China as the world’s most important car market now undeniable – you can expect to see plenty of ‘China Specials’ turning up from car makers. Like the Ferrari 458 Italia China Special Edition.

Ferrari is producing a limited run of 348 Italias for the Chinese market to celebrate 20 years since it sold its first car in China – a 348 TS to a buyer in Beijing – and its first permanent brand exhibition outside of Maranello at the Italia Centre of Shanghai World Expo Park.

The China Special 458 Italia gets pretty much what you’d expect from a China Special with Red, Gold and Dragons thrown at a standard car (do the Chinese find this patronising – we must assume not as car makers keep doing it). In the 458’s case it means a golden dragon on the bonnet with gold and black striped denoting a race track and a new red paint job – Marco Polo Red (isn’t that patronising too – the idea that Marco Polo ‘discovered’ China?).

The 458 Italia China also gets a gold finish for the wheels and winglets with the gold theme extending to gold embroidery on the headrests and the ‘Start’ button getting simplified Chinese characters for start. Oh, and there’s a ’20th Anniversary Special Edition’ plaque on the dash of each of the twenty cars.