458 Italia World Premiere

458 Italia World Premiere, Maranello, Italy

The 458 Italia World Premiere took place on 09/09/09 and was a private very exclusive preview for selected clients and potential clients of the new Ferrari. The official launch would take place a week later at the 63rd Frankfurt International Motor Show.

The dining room

For once spouses like myself were invited to the World Premiere of a new Ferrari. Very glad to be able to actually sit down and eat a meal - without cutting up meat in X plates and refilling X glasses every few minutes. Very nice too to be able to wear a dress and forget about the need to have pockets.

Ferrari clients are very rich and/or famous, very masculine so you get a room filled with testosterone eventually dangling in its arms other hormones at least 20 years younger, often modified esthetically and wearing boobs jewellery that could steal the limelight from the new car.

Not being able to compete with the diamonds or the expensive cocktail wear, I decided to put on my new long printed purple silk dress from Zara and my not-so-new gladiator sandals also from Zara - comfy stuff. But I nearly suffocated myself when wearing my Misaki 4-strand pearl choker. Nonetheless I was pretty pleased with my "decorated" self - until I discovered that the guy sitting next to me was one of the Damiani brothers and therefore surely a great jewellery expert. One, as I would find out in the course of the evening, who has more than 100 carats of diamonds incrusted in his Ferrari. Alas I would have other things to worry about throughout the evening, like how to stop my boobs from spilling out of my dress.

A place at the table

I was fortunate to be able to have DC and M with me as Hub had to sit at another table with his guests and didn't have time for me. There were also DC's counterparts from Pininfarina and another Ferrari Director who has a Chinese sirname but who is not Chinese and who didn't seem to have a funny bone in him. One of Ferrari's test pilots (the last winner of 24H du Mans) was also part of the table. Dinner, thank God, was simple but good. Seabass Ravioli with fresh tomatoes and basil flowers to start followed by a really tender Chianina beef filet with mixed salad. After the farewell lunch that we shared with AB, I was so very off my diet for the day.

Qui est Qui?

Our table was next to the President's and I got a nice view of Kimi all the time. He has let his hair grow and used a pair of sunglasses to keep it from getting onto the face. There was also the new Ferrari pilot Fisichella who being Italian brought tears to his countrymen happy to have an Italian drive a Ferrari again.

458 Italia on display

The 458 Italia is a beauty and is a first in many things - but don't count on me too much to tell you about them. Once again, DC has outdone himself style-wise, though I still love his California the most. Performance-wise, I understood that this car is 1.5 to 2.5 seconds faster at take off from 0-100 or something compared to its predecessor - though why those guys should be in such a hurry I have no idea. It also has all the important controls on the steering wheel, V8 engine with direct injection, new aluminium chassis, F1 dual-clutch gearbox, carbo-ceramic brakes etc. Many English and Japanese clients around and you should see the faces on those men, all rapt and rapturous.

Gene, Badoer, Schumacher, Felisa, Montezemolo (President), Raikkonen, Fisichella, Fedeli

Massa said Hi from Brazil

Schumi tells you what it was like driving this car

The President himself presented the new car and charmed the audience with his humourous repartee, anecdotes, intimate remarks...In fact, you realised then what an exclusive club/family Ferrari and those who drive or aspire to drive a Ferrari make. Just that alone would sell the cars, I suspect. And when in addition it's a world's 1st in so many aspects...

458 Italia - The main features

However I wish that he wouldn't be so hard on Kimi. Maybe it's an Italian joke but I do not see why he had to keep harping on the fact that Kimi doesn't like to talk. Moral of the story the guy is not as popular as Schumi or Massa or even Fisichella in Italy and often gets the least applause. Pity as he's the cutest of them all and looks like your boy next door. And men are often better off just agreeing with you and not talking too much.

Fireworks above the Fiorano tracks

Dessert was served buffet-style outside with a view of the Fiorano tracks and the sky. And the guests were offered a fantastic fireworks display, each time you thought it was over it only got better. It was a lovely evening and I was really happy to have been a part (albeit nondescript) of it. It makes it a little easier to live with the Hub's long hours and working Saturdays and for being in this hole of a city. I can only hope that Ferrari will finish off the F1 season in some beauty and get off to a better start in the next. And if you have the money (and know not what to do with it), buy this car.