Attila Bassett’s motto is dare to be different — and you can tell by the blinding gleam of his car.

Bassett recently had his new Ferrari F430 Spider wrapped in chrome, the first time the difficult procedure has been performed in Victoria and only the second time any car has been modified in this manner in Western Canada.

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The job took six days to complete and cost more than $13,000 — or about 6.5 per cent of the $200,000 insured value of the Ferrari.

“I am head over heels happy with the results,” said Bassett, owner of Paparazzi Nightclub. “I like to step outside the box. I know it isn’t for everyone, but if you spend your life worried about how everybody thinks, you will never live your dream.”

In the week he has taken delivery of the very shiny sports car, which is charcoal in colour under the wrap, he has had countless people stop to take pictures, wave or comment on his customization.

The trend to wrap exotic sports cars started in Dubai, and pictures of the eye-catching cars are easily found on the Internet. The YouTube video of his car being wrapped was viewed more than 5,000 times in four days.

The company behind the job is just as happy to have the opportunity to showcase its craft.

“It’s the Everest of wrapping,” said Greg Warren, owner of the Sign Pad. “Working with this film requires more time. An average wrap would have taken two days — this one took six to complete.”

The material is also five times more expensive than regular wrap. He said that the job came with $600 of wastage, a cost he can’t pass on to the customer.

Most vehicle wraps are done to cover a company vehicle in advertisements, transforming it into a mobile billboard. Images are printed on large vinyl sheets which are placed over the complete vehicle.

The vinyl wrap lasts up to five years and can be easily removed when required. An added benefit is that the paint under the wrap is preserved while covered. Panels that are damaged can be replaced easily.

parrais@timescolonist.com