A string of destructive, combustive and highly reductive accidents involving the new Ferrari 458 Italia apparently has some folks wondering if Maranello’s latest supercar is jinxed.
And, hold your (prancing) horses, there’s a loose Formula 1 tie-in.
The Telegraph has a story today about the Ferrari’s bang-up, in this case literally, unveiling:
In the last three months, six Ferrari 458 Italia models have been involved in accidents, while three more have caught fire and another was destroyed in a warehouse blaze.
There is no suggestion that there is any technical fault with the vehicles but Ferrari has confirmed it is investigating the fires.
While the number of incidents involving the 458 seems unusually high, motoring experts claim the crashes could simply be down to over enthusiastic drivers failing to appreciate the power of the car, which can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just over three seconds and has a top speed of 202mph.
Now, the disclaimer. Amazingly, the story doesn’t seem to quote an actual owners who think the car might be jinxed, although that’s what the lead to the story says. But why let that little tidbit ruin the fun? At least one destroyed car did seem the victim of forces beyond anyone’s control:
In July a customised 458 which featured a £65,000 Dolce and Gabbana interior was destroyed in a warehouse blaze at Heathrow Airport after being flown in from Saudi Arabia.
Finally, the F1 tie-in. I say Ferrari should hope the car is jinxed because, if it is, that might mean Maranello is getting all its bad juju out on customers — instead of, let’s say, its F1 drivers when the FIA rules on “team ordersgate.”
