Within a short ten days of one another, both the launch of the Ferrari World theme park in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island is announced – along with the sale at auction of a one off 599 GTB Fiorano ‘China’ art car. In two media spectacular, the Ferrari brand occupies both the rarified upper echelons of car culture — as well as a very populist, very 21st century style of car consumption.
Influential Chinese Artist Lu Hao created the unique ‘cracked glaze’ effect pattern on the 599, which made around 1.2M Euros at auction yesterday in Beijing. According to Ferrari the design evokes the values of the sought after Ge Kiln porcelain of the Song Dynasty – and thereby appealing to the rapidly expanding super-rich class of China – for whom European culture crossed with the ancient heritage of the far east is a holy grail.
Meanwhile in the middle East, Ferrari World is set to become the largest indoor theme park in the world, complete with a myriad of attractions for all the family, which include the world’s fastest roller coaster, virtual Ferrari F1 rides, and of course an acreage of Italian food outlets and retail space.
Whatever you think about what they are planning for the Ferrari brand, the Modena hierarchy are certainly not hiding its light under a bushel.
Let’s just hope the cars continue to be an outstanding blend of passion and engineering, rather than simply the brand extension of a corporation producing global pop culture.
