The bizarre object was discovered by the Guardia di Finanza in Italy during a routine inspection in the town of Asti. The prancing horse logo on the steering wheel and bonnet, the wheels, the brake calipers, and the trademark headlights were all present on the red Ferrari, but something about the car appeared off. Although it’s unclear whether the driver had the required paperwork to demonstrate that his car was an actual Ferrari F430 or not, the police called a team of experts to be certain. They verified that the vehicle was, in fact, a modified Toyota MR Coupe.
After it was determined that the 26-year-old scarlet Ferrari F430 was a modified Toyota MR Coupé, he was recently charged with forgery and trademark infringement.
The high level of forgery in this case, even though it is by no means the first instance of someone converting their inexpensive vehicle into their exclusive supercar, makes it noteworthy. The person who created this fake F430 did a fantastic job, going above and beyond the simple carbon fiber frame over a regular chassis and some fake logos.
Both the exterior and the interior of the car were closely modeled after those of the F430 Ferrari built between 2004 and 2009 at Maranello. According to the experts who confirmed the forgery, the car even featured original Ferrari parts and accessories, making it that much harder to notice that it was a Toyota.
Italian news media reported that the car was seized and the owner reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Asti for using registered trademarks without authorization.
