Car of the Day - Ferrari 599 HGTE China Porcelain

Car of the Day - Ferrari 599 HGTE China Porcelain

Ferrari has long known the emerging Chinese market would be an important one for its future business.

In 2005 they became the first car manufacturer to tour China with the ‘Ferrari 15,000 Red Miles’ event. The Tour saw teams of Chinese and international journalists drive two Ferrari 612 Scagliettis the length and breadth of the enormous country. The introduction of the California, a car targeted at “new” Ferrari clients was undoubtably seen as a potential vehicle for the significant new market.

Now in 2009 Ferrari have launched the 599 HGTE China Limited Edition, one of which has been made even more special with a hand painted Ge Kiln finish replicating a porcelain the Song Dynasty by Chinese artist Lu Hao. Ge Kiln porcelain is priceless Chinese treasure with only a few hundred examples remaining in existence. Lu Hao is one of China’s most successful contemporary artists and a Ferrari owner.

The 599 Porcelain was produced as part of the Ferrari charity program and was auctioned a gala dinner at the Red Gate Gallery in Beijing. The gala was attended by Ferrari owners and collectors, Ferrari Asia Pacific CEO Mr. Marco Mattiacci and numerous Chinese and Ferrari luminaries. The car itself was unveiled by Michael Schumacher.

The unique Fiorano was ultimately sold to an anonymous collector from Shanghai for the equivalent of 1.2 million euro or $1.77 million US dollars. Part of which will be used for an educational programme to help young Chinese students in the automotive engineering field. Outstanding students and young teachers of Tsinghua University’s Department of Automotive Engineering will be able to study at Italy’s Politecnico di Milano University and receive an internship at Ferrari’s headquarters.

Rod Halligan