Ferrari crashes highlight danger of Asia luxury backlash

Worried about public anger - government censors deleted all microblog posts mentioning the accident - even blocking searches of the word 'Ferrari.'

The car maker declined a request to comment on the incidents - but they don't appear to be slowing the company down.

Ferrari sales have been strong even in this gloomy economy, with net profit up 10 percent in the first half of this year.

But the cases - and public outcry - are a reminder even the most glamorous brands have to tread carefully.

Brand consultant Anant Deboor of The Partners.

HE PARTNERS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ANANT DEBOOR, SAYING:

"In today's world, there are so many conversations on the internet and through social media, et cetera, that any brand that walks away from trouble it tends to get magnified. There's an onus on brands and brand guardians to be more responsible about what their brands stand for."

Already, there are signs of lower luxury tolerance in China.

A former civil servant - nicknamed "Brother Watch" on microblogs - got the boot after pictures surfaced online of his fancy watch collection, reportedly worth thousands of dollars.

Asia's growing wealth represents opportunity for the likes of Ferrari but even the fastest firms can't outrun an image problem.

Lisa Yuriko Thomas, Reuters.