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2012 Ferrari 458 20th Anniversary Special Edition

Ferrari 458 Italia China Edition

Shanghai, 10 April 2012 – 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 S.p.A.

In Detail

submitted by admin
type Limited Production Car
released at 2012 Auto China
built at Maranello, Italy
coachbuilder Pininfarina
production 20
engine F136-FB 90° V8
position Mid Longitudinal
aspiration Natural
block material Aluminum
valvetrain DOHC, 4 Valves per Cyl
fuel feed Direct Gasoline Injection
displacement 4499 cc / 274.55 in³
bore 94 mm / 3.7 in
stroke 81 mm / 3.2 in
compression 12.5:1
power 419.1 kw / 562 bhp @ 9000 rpm
specific output 124.92 bhp per litre
bhp/weight 375.17 bhp per tonne
torque 540 nm / 398.3 ft lbs @ 6000 rpm
redline 9000
body / frame Aluminum Body over Aluminum Chassis
driven wheels RWD w/E-Diff3
wheel type 5-Spoke Forged
front tires 235/35ZR20 Michelin Pilot Sport 2
rear tires 295/35ZR20 Michelin Pilot Sport 2
front brakes Ventilated & Drilled Carbon-Ceramic Discs w/ABS
rear brakes Discs w/ABS
front wheels F 50.8 x 21.6 cm / 20 x 8.5 in
rear wheels R 50.8 x 26.7 cm / 20 x 10.5 in
steering Rack & Pinion w/Variable Assist
f suspension Double Wishbones, Coil Springs, Delphi Magnetorheological Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar
r suspension Double Wishbones, Coil Springs, Delphi Magnetorheological Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar
curb weight 1498 kg / 3300 lbs
weight distro 42 % / 58 %
wheelbase 2650 mm / 104.3 in
length 4527 mm / 178.2 in
width 1937 mm / 76.3 in
height 1213 mm / 47.8 in
transmission Getrag 7-Speed Sequential
tran clutch Dual-clutch
top speed ~325 kph / 201.82 mph
0 – 60 mph ~3.3 seconds
0 – 100 mph ~6.9 seconds
0 – 1/4 mile ~11.2 seconds
0 – 100 kph ~3.4 seconds
0 – 200 kph ~10.4 seconds
drag 0.33 Cd
fuel econ epa 13.7 L/100 km or 17.17 mpg-us
emission 320 g/km