Children use Ferrari as a slide and the game becomes a legal dispute

Imagine returning from a business trip to find your supercar, valued at about R$ 2.76 million (US$ 530 thousand), transformed into an amusement playground. That’s exactly what the owner of a Ferrari 488 GTB experienced in Kunming, in Yunnan province, in southwest China. What was supposed to be just a moment of leisure for four children from the neighborhood ended up in court, after the “game” left severe damage to the bodywork and windows of the sports car – and the attempt to reach an agreement with the parents failed.

Images from security cameras, which circulated on social networks, caught the moment when the boys, all under 10 years old, climbed the vehicle. They took a break from the windshield, climbed onto the roof and used the rear window as a makeshift slide, as well as “poked” the body with bamboo poles. The result was a series of deep scratches that spread across the hood, roof, fenders, taillights and windows, as well as a cracked front bumper. On the networks, the episode divided opinions: part of the netizens questioned why such an expensive car was parked in the open, instead of a secure garage.

The Ferrari owner, who is also a father, tried an initially understanding exit. Instead of going to an official dealership of the brand — where the repair would cost more than $14,700 — he looked for quotes in independent workshops and was able to redo the painting for about $4,300. He took the notes to a police station, where he met with the children’s parents to try to reach an agreement.

The conciliation, however, collapsed. According to the South China Morning Post, the parents offered only $730 in compensation — a tiny fraction of the loss — and did not take their children to apologize. Faced with the refusal, the owner gave up the negotiation and filed a civil lawsuit to receive the full amount of the repair.

The choice for the civil sphere has a legal explanation: under Chinese law, minors under 14 years of age are exempt from administrative detention, which leaves the civil process as the only way to hold guardians responsible for damage to property. As for the sports car, the 488 GTB equips a 670 hp twin-turbo V8 and was produced between 2015 and 2020, when it replaced the 458 Italia before giving way to the F8 Tributo and the electrified 296 GTB. Until the day of the game, according to the owner, the car had never suffered a scratch.