There’s been no shortage of celebrations for Ferrari this year, as the prancing horse marks its 70th anniversary with the launch of a number of new models including the “entry-level” Portofino and the range-topping 812 Superfast. Not one to ever let an anniversary quietly pass by, the Italian marque has held a handful of fittingly lavish events at different locations around the globe, including shutting down part of London to parade 70 Ferraris down Waterloo Place, but last week it was Melbourne’s turn to get a taste of the festivities.
Taking over the 8th annual Motorclassica as this year’s featured marque, the Maranello-based brand played host to the largest showcase of rare and exotic, historic, vintage and collectible cars in the Southern Hemisphere, with a collective value exceeding $50 million AUD. But equally as staggering has been the brand’s local sales numbers, with 2017 (so far) being a record year for Ferrari, the performance brand having sold over 130 new vehicles in Australia so far. With long waiting lists for Maranello’s latest models and (most unfortunately) a limited number of cars allocated to Australia, Ferrari ownership remains an exclusive privilege, making featured events like Motorclassica’s prancing horse showcase all the more remarkable.
While there were bona fide head-turners at every corner, the star of the show—making its first appearance on Aussie shores ever—was the inimitable LaFerrari Aperta. Shipped over from Italy to take part in Australia’s local anniversary events of the past week, the Aperta is powered by a 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine, combined with a 120kW electric motor, pushing the F1-inspired Aperta to deliver a 0-200km/h time below 7.0 seconds (to put some perspective on that, McLaren’s brand-new 720S runs a 0-200km/h time of 7.9 seconds).
“Ferrari is thrilled to be officially celebrating this major 70th Anniversary milestone with our friends and fans in Melbourne. The spectacular collection expertly curated by the team at Motorclassica beautifully illustrates the longstanding history and affinity Australia has with Ferrari. We are excited to share this heritage with our Australian clients and fans and encourage everyone to join us for the celebrations.” – Ferrari Australasia CEO Herb Appleroth.
The LaFerrari brought out for Motorclassica is one of only 210 examples produced in Maranello, with some 200 having been sold to customers by invitation-only. The most recent Aperta to come up for public auction last month fetched an astonishing $12.4 million AUD, reflecting the religiosity with which Ferrari is revered among collectors and car lovers alike. Its display at the event, like a shrine as the centrepiece of Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building, saw Tifosi fans and admirers flock to it all weekend, with festivities eventually culminating on Sunday as crowds descended on Lygon Street to watch on as 70 Ferraris—close to $100 million worth—from throughout the marque’s history took over the classic strip synonymous with the city’s Italian heritage.
Stay tuned for continued celebrations this Friday, October 20 as we head up to Mitchelton Winery for an exclusive drive day in the GTC4Lusso with Ferrari Australasia.
