Wednesday 27th November 2013

Ferrari 458 'Niki Lauda'

Ferrari customer commissions unique 458, result is better than expected

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So exclusivity is the name of the game at Ferrari now. According to Luca di Montezemolo, the Prancing Horse belongs to an 'exclusivity culture' that must be preserved by making fewer cars than the market demands.

When's the Schumacher coming then?

This one-off 458 Italia 'Niki Lauda' is the manifestation of di Montezemolo's future vision for Ferrari. Quality not quantity was the official line, with the implied meaning that dealers were to be upselling all extras at any opportunity.

This car goes beyond regular options and even the 'Atelier' customisation possibilities, instead being commissioned by Ferrari's 'Tailor Made' department. In the Ferrari personalisation hierarchy, that's one rung below its 'One-Off' division, which busies itself with building truly bespoke products like Eric Clapton SP12EC.

The 458 Niki Lauda is mechanically identical to a regular Italia rather than being based on the new Speciale. The individual elements are designed to evoke Lauda's Ferrari F1 cars of the 70s; whether gold wheels and the tricolore stripe on a white roof actually make it look like a 312 T is open for discussion, but it certainly achieves Ferrari's aim for more unique cars. And it's been proven already how good 458s look in red with gold wheels, and the situation is no different here.

Stripes galore, inside and out

The interior continues on a similar theme, with the colours of the Italian flag adorning the centre console and seats. No price has been announced for the Niki Lauda 458, but given how far 458 prices can rise with a few options (secondhand 458s are being sold at over£200K when an entirely standard car is £178,526), it must have been an appropriately 'exclusive' figure.

As one-off specials go, the Niki Lauda is actually fairly restrained. Whether future bespoke Ferraris will be as (relatively) subtle remains to be seen. See Ian Poulter's tartanupholstered FF for a slightly more extrovert approach...

[Sources: Auto Express, GTSpirit]

[Dazed & Confused]

>result is better than expected

Your expectations must have been extremely low....

[willisit]

Beauty is in the eye of... well, not me.

[Davey S2]

Just like the Alonso 430

Utter gash.

[Ferosferio]

[quote=Dazed & Confused]>result is better than expected

Your expectations must have been extremely low....
[/quote]

Indeed. It's awful.

[GranCab]

Tasteless choice of name for a special edition - what with 458's propensity for setting on fire ...

[Impasse]

So it's had some paint?

[em177]

Does it only have an air vent on one side.....

Sorry

[Cotty]

GranCab said:

Tasteless choice of name for a special edition - what with 458's propensity for setting on fire ...

Ouch

[Agent Orange]

GranCab said:

Tasteless choice of name for a special edition - what with 458's propensity for setting on fire ...

I thought it but I'm glad it was you that said it.

[GS88]

I'd rather have the Nismo GT-R.

[BBS-LM]

[jimbop1]

Oh how the people of piston heads make me laugh !

[Cevert1973]

I was going to ask what it's time was for a lap of the Ring....if it completed it

[J4CKO]

Agent Orange said:

GranCab said:

Tasteless choice of name for a special edition - what with 458's propensity for setting on fire ...

I thought it but I'm glad it was you that said it.

Ditto.

[DG27]

Not my cup of tea and I have the base car in red which looks good enough IMHO

Looks like its covered in chap decals that will certainly not be cheap in reality

D

[Mermaid]

Desperate

[deltashad]

Cotty said:

GranCab said:

Tasteless choice of name for a special edition - what with 458's propensity for setting on fire ...

Ouch

Deserve a clip across the ear.

[Disastrous]

What's the opposite of rolling a turd in glitter?

They've effectively smeared st all over a Rembrandt.

[Cotty]

Disastrous said:

What's the opposite of rolling a turd in glitter?

Rolling glitter in a turd.

[jamespink]

BBS-LM said:

Exclusivity is obviously the name of the game for Ferrari... Even my 5 year old has got a pair of these trainers!