A sordid tragedy involving a 20-something playboy, two scantily-clad women and a two-seater Ferrari has once again exposed the Communist Party’s challenges in hiding its dirty laundry in the information age.

The black Ferrari Spider 458, reportedly bought for close to $1 million, was travelling so fast along Beijing’s North Fourth Ring Road that it split in two when it smashed into the Baofusi bridge, about 4am on Sunday, March 18.

Tragedy ... the incinerated Ferrari in which Ling Gu died.

A photograph of the tangled, smouldering engine block - resting far from the main car body – was published in the Beijing Evening News and immediately spread across the internet.

The paper reported that the driver was killed and the two female passengers seriously injured. What might have been a tale of unbridled wealth and power quickly became one of political intrigue when propaganda authorities blocked relevant search terms including "Ferrari", and refused to confirm the name of the driver.