Sweden edition

Vehicle inspection driver crashes iconic Ferrari

Published: 25 Sep 09 12:57 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/22296/20090925/

A Ferrari worth 3 million kronor ($434,000) was left nursing a crumpled front end after a hapless Swedish motor vehicle inspection driver took it for an impromptu spin.

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The Ferrari F40 had been recently imported into Sweden by Von Braun Sports Cars in Skene in southern Sweden and was duly subjected to a routine registration inspection in nearby Kinna on Thursday.

But when the state-owned Swedish Motor Vehicle Inspection Company (Bilprovningen) driver sat behind the wheel of the powerful Italian sports car something went seriously awry and the vehicle lurched into a fence in the test area.

"It is not an easy vehicle to handle, if you are not used to it. A thoroughbred you could say," Torbjörn von Braun, CEO of Von Braun Sports Cars, told The Local on Friday.

The red Ferrari sustained damage to its front end in the crash which left the driver shaken from his experience.

"I spoke to him yesterday and he wasn't feeling too good about it, I don't think he would have slept much last night," von Braun told The Local.

Thorbjörn von Braun told The Local that the issue of reponsibility had not yet been established.

"It is an issue for our insurance company."

While the vehicle is a rare "collector's item" von Braun explained that the damage is repairable and the car would be back on the road before long.

"Had it been performing on a race track they would have had the body part ready and replaced within 20 minutes. It is expensive, but can be repaired," he told The Local.

Peter Vinthagen Simpson (news@thelocal.se/+46 8 656 6518)

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The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

13:59 September 25, 2009 by Alohart

Bilbesiktningen?! Shouldn't that be Bilprovningen?

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14:09 September 25, 2009 by Rick Methven

I bet that they then failed the car because the headlights where not correcttly alligned. and they face a 200kr bill for a re-test on top of the repairs!

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14:16 September 25, 2009 by The Local

Thanks for pointing that out, Alohart. You're quite right - while one can take one's car for 'bilbesiktningen' (car inspection), the company that carries it out is called Bilprovningen.

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15:18 September 25, 2009 by Roger O. Thornhill

Good enough for government work

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21:14 September 25, 2009 by Atlas

Another observation if may, is it Skene or Skane (using latin only letters).

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00:33 September 26, 2009 by parrish

The headlight comment hits me close to home.... they actually failed my car because my headlights were 3mm out of alignment with each other. My car is a little hot rod mini cooper S - the bilprovningen "expert" drove it around the lot at least 15 times faster and faster and faster- it is a fun car. The so called inspection took nearly 50 minutes to mull it over! He broke my electronic car key and refused to speak english to me, even though he could. Then failed the car. In all seriousness I believe it was racism because I am an American.

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02:55 September 26, 2009 by this_aint_sparta

@ parrish.

probably its not coz of your race its b'coz of your cooper.

Next time go to the one in Solna if you are in Stockholm, I have a 2001 Rover 200 and its a sh!t car. I was sure they were gonna put me in jail for still driving that piece of

sh!t. I left it there with them and they called me later that there was not enough fuel in that so we havnt had a test drive but we know you have to change the break fuel. and thats it. :-)))))

Another tip, use volvo or sab or bmw, they are more familiar with that :-))))))

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Vehicle inspection driver crashes iconic Ferrari

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