FERRARI CALIFORNIA UNVEILED
460 HP and 358 FT-LBS of TORQUE
October 2, 2008
Finally, the new Ferrari California has been officially been unveiled and already we’re daydreaming about cruising through Sonoma with the top down. With the sun in our faces and the wind in our hair, there’s no way we’re stopping at Mondavi (maybe another day). No… in this daydream we’re off to Infineon, because while the California is a great lazy-day four-seater convertible, it’s also a hard top coupe with 460 hp, a double-clutch paddle shift tranny and carbon ceramic brakes.
All 460 hp are available at 7750 rpm while the 358 ft-lbs of torque comes on at 5000 rpm. Ferrari says 268 ft-lbs will be available from just 2250 rpm – making the car more useable for every-day driving.
The California isn’t light at 3,825 lbs (with a weight distribution of 47/53), but these days that number isn’t exactly heavy either. Still, the weight doesn’t seem to matter as Ferrari claims the California will hit 60 mph in four seconds, run a quarter mile in 12.2 seconds and blast all the way to a top speed of 196 mph.
We can’t say it’s our favorite Ferrari in the looks category, but you can be sure the aesthetics are functional. Apparently the car has 10 percent less drag than other Ferrari models with a coefficient of .32. That also means it’s more efficient on gas – if only minutely so. What will really make a difference on gas consumption is the fact that this engine features direct injection technology.
And when it comes to the design of the car, we really do love those stacked exhaust pipes out back.
As for the interior, it will be offered as a two-seater or as a 2+ with a rear bench able to sit one or two passengers. The retractable hard-top takes just 14 seconds to open or close. Designed to be more luxurious and less sporting, the interior is a real gem. After just a close look it’s easily more in line with the 599 than the F430 – not that there’s anything wrong with the F430’s interior, it’s just that the 599 takes interior luxury to a higher plateau. As well, the California will come equipped with a four-screen 6.5-inch display screen.
On the steering wheel can be found Ferrari’s Manettino, although the choices are much more limited than usual. The California’s Manettino has three settings, Comfort, Sport and CST-off (which eliminates all electronic aides – except ABS).
We’re eager to make our daydream a reality and we’ll be sure to bring you news of how it drives as soon as we possibly can!
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