It had been here 4 years but was still on UK plates
08:58, 29 Jun 2026Updated 09:19, 29 Jun 2026
Ferrari on a flatbed on the Carrigrohane Road in Cork(Image: An GS)
It’s not often that Gardai get to pull over an Italian thoroughbred on Cork Roads – and it’s even more rare for a car like that to have no Irish paperwork whatsoever.
But that’s what happened when the owner of a Ferrari decided to take it for a spin in the sunshine down the Carrigrohane Straight over the weekend. The bright red covertible certainly stood out from the normal run of Fords and Fiats on Cork roads. The model looks to be a F430 Spider, which even at 10 years old or so, would still be worth, in good condition, around €170,000.
And when Gardai took a closer look, they found that – despite being in Cork for four years – it was still on Yellow UK reg plates. It also had no tax, no insurance and no NCT.
The car was impounded immediately and the owner now faces costs running into the thousands – and a likely court date – before he’ll be taking his Testarossa out for another spin around Cork City.
Posting to social media, Gardai said; “This Ferrari certainly turned heads today while out for a spin….unfortunately, it also caught the attention of Cork City Roads Policing Unit.”
A few quick checks revealed it had:
No insuranceNo motor taxNo NCTAnd despite being in Ireland for over 4 years, it still hadn’t been registered here.
The Gardai quipped: “Looks like it had been avoiding more than just speed bumps.
Remember, no matter what’s on the bonnet—Ferrari, Fiat or Ford—the rules of the road apply to everyone.”
The Ferrari may not be one of the latest models, but it’s still a hugely expensive motor car. The owner will be hoping that the driver of the flat-bed – and whoever was unloading it at the Garda pound, will have taken care. Buying a set of wheels alone for a F430 model costs over €13,000 – so you wouldn’t want any kerb-scuffs on those.
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