Ferrari takes over Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower for a special ceremony in honor of the brand’s 999th Chinese client. That number not only is a great sales number for Ferrari since they came to China, it is also a special occasion for the Chinese because the number nine – ‘jiu’ – is a symbol for longevity and excellence in that country.

Ferrari only came to China five years ago, but thanks to the booming economy there they found it to be a market for great potential for the Italian prancing horse. So they paid special attention to that market with different events and special edition models – including a unique 599 GTB by the artist Lu Hao, and it has paid off apparently. In 2010 alone Ferrari sold 300 cars in China.

Celebrating Johnson Zhang, the 999th client, Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa said: “For Ferrari, China represents the present and the future. It is a great country where we continue to invest. I’m convinced that in a couple of years, we’ll reach sales of 500 cars per year, a number equal to established European markets.”

The festivities started in the afternoon with a show of more than 15 Ferraris in front of the Oriental Pearl Tower and ended with a gala dinner, in the company of Amedeo Felisa together with Ferrari Asia Pacific CEO Edwin Fenech and numerous clients. Amongst them were many young Ferrari owners under the age of 40: new entrepreneurs who, as a symbol of their success, were able to realise their aspiration of owning a dream car that is the symbol of Italy itself: a Ferrari.

After Johnson Zhang symbolically turned the key of his Ferrari 458 Italia, illuminating a screen with the number 999, he said: “It is a great honour for me to be here today. With this car I made a dream come true. The dream of every man. I’m glad that I can experience this very special moment for China. For me Ferrari is the symbol of success and the brand’s values are an inspiration for the upcoming goals I want to achieve.”