Ferrari 70th anniversary celebrations launched in Malaysia – LaFerrari Aperta makes first local debut

It is the company that requires little to no introduction. On March 12, 1947, its founder started the first car to bear his name and this year, we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Ferrari.

The car being referred to is the Ferrari 125 S, which featured a V12 engine, an attribute that it shared with Ferrari cars that arrived in the coming decades. The 250 GT, 575M Maranello, F50, F12berlinetta, Enzo and new 812 Superfast are just a few that come to mind.

Continuing this tradition, Ferrari introduced the world to the LaFerrari Aperta in July 2016. Built to commemorate the milestone, the convertible version of the brand’s flagship hypercar is even more exclusive than its coupe sibling, where just 209 units will ever exist.

From that figure, 200 units have already been allocated to customers that were handpicked by Ferrari. The remaining nine will be used for the Italian carmaker’s 70th anniversary celebrations, and one of them was present during the launch of the Malaysian leg of celebrations.

Ferrari Malaysia unveiled the LaFerrari Aperta during an event that was attended by Farid Sulaiman, COO of Naza Italia, Dieter Knechtel, CEO of Ferrari Far East & Middle East Hub, and other VIPs, much to excitement and joy of all attendees present.

Like its ancestor, the 125 S, a V12 engine powers the LaFerrari Aperta as well. However, this one is more than four times larger in terms of capacity (6.3 litres), and makes almost seven times more power (789 hp/700 Nm). With a focus on implementing the latest technologies, Ferrari drew upon its knowledge obtained from Formula 1, and coupled the engine to Hybrid Kinetic Energy Recovery System (HY-KERS) for an additional 161 hp from an electric motor.

The end result is an output that amounts to 950 hp and more than 900 Nm of torque, which is identical to the coupe. In terms of performance, the open-top hybrid hypercar will hit a top speed of over 350 km/h, with the first 100 km/h arriving in less than three seconds.

It isn’t just the car’s capabilities that are captivating either. The styling work done by Centro Stile Ferrari under Flavio Manzoni is striking and more than capable of turning heads. There’s function to go along with the form too, with plenty of clever aero trickery to ensure the best possible driving experience.

“We are truly honoured to be part of Ferrari’s global celebrations and it gives us great pleasure to be able to pay tribute to Cavallino Rampante (prancing horse) history with some of the most devoted Ferrari owners in the nation,” said Datuk Wira Hj. SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, executive chairman of Naza World Group.

The celebrations kick off this weekend with a rally of Ferraris from Kuala Lumpur to Penang’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. The participating Ferraristi (Ferrari owners) will embark on a memorable driving experience that culminates with a grand parade of cars along Jalan Padang Kota Lama, just in front of the Penang City Hall. Ferrari tifosi will certainly be left with a sight to behold.

Later on, Ferrari owners will be treated to a gala dinner hosted at Fort Cornwallis, where they will dine in the presence of the LaFerrari Aperta, which will also be unveiled then.

The Ferrari celebrations are just one of 70 events happening in 60 countries across the world, following the theme, “Driven by Emotion,” the linchpin on which the Ferrari story was founded. The anniversary celebrations began on March 12 this year, and will culminate in Ferrari’s homeground, Maranello, on the weekend of September 9 and 10.

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