From the Daily Telegraph
Costly ... (top) the 1999 355 F1 Ferrari Spider on the showroom floor and (above) the same car after yesterday morning's crash
Two hurt in $310,000 crash
By ANNA COCK
19aug02
THE man behind the wheel of a $310,000 Ferrari had only been driving the car for two days before wrapping it around a pole on the weekend.
The 46-year-old man and his 34-year-old girlfriend both from Sydney's outer northwest suffered serious injuries in the crash which occurred on Victoria Rd, Gladesville, at 12.55am yesterday.
Witnesses have told police the blue
Ferrari may have been drag-racing a white sports car, possibly a Subaru WRX , in the minutes preceding the crash.
The cars were heading west along Victoria Rd when the Ferrari driver lost control and the vehicle mounted the kerb, swiped metal bollards on the footpath then struck a pole.
Light rain was falling at the time of the crash, which occurred near the intersection of Gerard St.
The driver, from Windsor Downs, was in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a serious condition. He suffered a compound fracture to his right leg, two broken arms and cuts to the back of his head.
His girlfriend, from Riverstone, is in the Royal North Shore Hospital with a broken right leg, deep lacerations on both knees and a cut to her forehead. She underwent surgery yesterday and is listed in a stable condition.
In the hours leading up to the crash, the couple had enjoyed a night out at Birkenhead Point, where they dined at a restaurant.
Senior Constable Matt Hamilton, of Lane Cove Crash Investigation, said police are yet to interview the Ferrari's driver but are anxious to hear from any more witnesses and the driver of the white sports car, which has been described variously by different witnesses as a Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi Lancer and Nissan Skyline.
It is understood the Ferrari, a 1999 model 355 F1 Spider, is still registered to prestige car dealer Scuderia Veloce Motors in East Sydney.
The car is currently listed for sale on Ferrari's Australasian website at an advertised price of $310,000. The Daily Telegraph was unable to contact Scuderia Veloce sales manager Michael Lister yesterday, but it is understood the wrecked vehicle was a fleet car and was subject to a corporate leasing deal.
According to Ferrari Club of Australia data, there are just 1450 Ferraris in Australia, 485 of them in NSW.
Scuderia Veloce Motors alone sells between 70 and 80 of the prestige Italian sports cars each year.
The $310,000 asking price for the three-year-old 355 F1 Spider is almost cheap when compared with the price of a new Ferrari.
The current model 575M Maranello F1 is advertised for $577,000 almost double Sydney's median house price.
Anyone with information about yesterday's crash should contact Lane Cove Crash Investigation on 02 9418 8742, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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