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Ferrari California Meets Asia

The world debut of the Porsche Panamera at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show did not remain unanswered, as the Italians over at Ferrari debuted their California model on the Chinese market. The unveiling ceremony was attended by Amedeo Felisa, Ferrari's CEO, as well as Kimi Räikkönen and several other members of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro (Shanghai hosted the Chinese Grand Prix over the weekend).

The Ferrari California, the latest addition to the manufacturer's high performance 8 cylinder range, stirred a "huge interest" in Asia, the company said in a release. The 4.3l V8, "thanks to its track-derived DNA and leading-edge innovation" is expected to do very well on the Chinese market as it "will more than fulfill the expectations of even our most discerning clients".

The ceremony was yet another opportunity for the Italian manufacturer to stress the importance of the Asia Pacific market for its business plans. Having had record sales in 2008 (over 1,000 vehicles, a big number for an exclusivist builder), Ferrari became the market leader in its segment, now holding 46 percent market share.

China by itself is the company's number one seller in the Asia Pacific region, "with 212 cars sold, double-figure annual growth and the 500-owner ceiling reached in 2008". As a result, Ferrari has established the first Ferrari China Owners’ Club, a meeting and exchange platform for Ferrari clients.

In addition, the manufacturer will introduce Pilota, the first Ferrari driving course to be staged in the country. A second driving course is already planned for Tokyo in Japan in the coming months. Other client services offered are: the Concierge Service, which allows clients communicate directly with Ferrari to enjoy a selection of exclusive services, and the Road Assistance Program, which provides direct road-side assistance.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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