Most people honor their favorite sports stars with jerseys and posters. This tribute to Formula One legend Niki Lauda is a little more elaborate.
An individual Ferrari owner commissioned the company’s Tailor Made personalization program to build a car honoring Lauda. The custom 458 Italia’s gestation coincided with the September launch of Rush, the Ron Howard film that tells the story of the epic rival between the Austrian driver and Brit James Hunt.
Lauda, 64, has three F1 titles to his credit (1975, 1977, 1984), and raced in 177 grands prix. He received severe burns in a crash at the 1976 German Grand Prix, but tenaciously got himself back in the car before the end of the season. He currently works as a television commentator and non-executive chairman for Mercedes-Benz AMG.
The Tailor Made 458 features a paint scheme that matches the one worn by Lauda’s 1970s Ferrari F1 cars. Naturally, that means red is the primary color, with a white roof and Italian flag. The gold wheels also give the car a very ’70s vibe.
On the inside, the Italian flag pattern is repeated on the seats and center console, accented by red stitching on nearly every surface.
No mechanical changes have been reported, not that they were needed. The 458 has a 4.5-liter V8 with 562 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. It can do 0-60 mph in around 3.4 seconds, and reach a top speed of 202 mph.
That’s pretty appropriate for a car inspired by an F1 driver. It’s certainly better than the special edition 2001 Fiat Seicento built to honor another legendary Ferrari driver, Michael Schumacher. Sadly, you’re more likely to see one of those than the one-of-one Tailor Made 458.
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