Ferrari California: Performance and Style

Ferrari California performances are electrifying, and the car handling and responses are accurate and unerring. The California completes the Ferrari’s portfolio by reaching those people who might have always wanted a Ferrari without the extreme Ferrari experience, who enjoy the driving pleasure but they quality of life onboard is what really matter. At low speed the Ferrari California emits a silkier, more sonorous sound than its 430 brother. The ride quality is extremely comfortable in terms of compliance and suspension’s ability to absorb surface imperfections.

The California name invokes memories of its late-’50s forebear, which is widely held to be perhaps the most beautiful Ferrari of them all. The new California is a complex looking automobile, with two competing lines on the door that harmonize as they sweep up into those sinuous rear wheel arches. The California’s nose is low and aggressive, and the front arches and the bonnet air intake are muscular indicators of the potent powerplant that lies beneath. The roof features an all-aluminum mechanism with a series of complicated looking spars that slide the roof panels on top of each other before folding down into the boot compartment. The whole process is cleverly engineered and carried out in an impressively 14 second’s time frame.

The Ferrari California sees the debut of some highly and significant new technology. The 4.3 liter V8 engine features direct fuel injection into the combustion chambers. Power output is 460 CV, peaking at 7,750rpm with 485 Nm of torque produced at 5,000 rpm. The other major technical innovation is the California’s seven-speed dual clutch transmission ensuring a minimal torque interruption during gearshifts as well as delivering seamless progress. Additional highlights include a new multilink rear suspension set-up with extremely clever elastokinematics. Upper and lower wishbones are used in the front suspension with improved bushing to further increase compliance.

The Ferrari California also features a variety of ingenious aerodynamic solutions to improve airflow and maximize down-force. The engine is linear, revs with a powerful energy and smoothness allowing top speed of193 mph with 0-60 mph acceleration in just less than four seconds. The California chassis is made entirely in aluminum and it moves with stunning poise and precision. The “Manettino”, the steering wheel mounted control switch, governs stability and traction control systems. It features three settings: comfort, sport and CST. The California features carbon ceramic discs (CCM) as standard to ensure shorter stopping distances and significantly improved resistance to fade. The Ferrari California design is supremely comfortable with excellent seats and logical arranged controls: the instrument panel features both analogue and digital dials and a central rev counter with LED display dominates.