An unidentified man from Calabria, southern Italy, faces charges after allegedly transforming a Toyota into a fake Ferrari. He sourced counterfeit Ferrari parts, including the hood, wheel caps, and steering wheel, before affixing the iconic prancing horse logo to the hood.

The man intended to sell the doctored vehicle as a Ferrari F355 GTS. He listed it for sale online, asking for around 150,000 pounds, a price point comparable to a genuine Ferrari of that model.

Police inspect the fake car. Photo: GDF

The online advertisement quickly drew the attention of the Guardia di Finanza (GDF). This Italian financial police force specializes in tackling tax evasion, counterfeiting, smuggling, and border control.

GDF officers subsequently arrested the man in Catanzaro on charges of vehicle counterfeiting, confiscating the fake supercar.

Following its seizure, the vehicle underwent a thorough inspection. With assistance from Ferrari technicians, the car was disassembled, and all counterfeit parts were identified and destroyed. The underlying Toyota chassis was then returned to the accused.

The authentic Ferrari F355, a model the accused attempted to replicate, holds a significant place in automotive history. Ferrari produced the F355 at its Maranello factory in northern Italy between 1994 and 1999. The F355 Berlinetta variant was widely acclaimed in the 1990s, once lauded as "the best car in the world."

A real Ferrari F355. Photo: Manor park Classic

This arrest is not an isolated incident, as similar cases of automotive counterfeiting have emerged previously. In 2017, Spanish police apprehended three individuals for selling fake Ferrari and Lamborghini vehicles. Among the 14 vehicles seized were several counterfeit Ferrari F430 Spiders, a 458 Italia, and a 430 Scuderia, all cleverly re-engineered from existing Toyota models.

Hai Thu (According to DNA, Telegraph)