Last week the Ferrari 458 Italia made its debut on North American soil at a party hosted by the Italian automaker in Southern California. The guest list was limited to celebrities and Ferrari’s top clients, all of whom got their first peek at Ferrari’s F430 replacement.
As part of the event, the very first 458 Italia designated for the U.S. was auctioned off for charity to the highest bidder with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit Haiti through the CMBB (Catholic Medical Mission Board) and the William J. Clinton Foundation. The guests were in a particularly giving mood, and a top bid of $530,000 took the car home. In addition to the 458 Italia, Ferndando Alonso’s F1 racing suit and two Scuderia Ferrari team member trips to the Canadian Grand Prix in June raised an additional $72,000.
There’s still no word on when the common folk will get to see the 458 Italia here in the United States. Ferrari will not be among the exhibitors at the New York Auto Show, but we fully expect Ferrari to bring the cars to Monterey during the Pebble Beach weekend. Until then you’ll just have to settle for the high-res gallery below.