We review the Ferrari California from price to economy and all its features
NOBODY, it seems, is immune from the recession gripping the world, but one car maker still bucking the trend is Ferrari.
In the first six months of this year they made a trading profit of £132million, delivered 3,506 cars and are on course to beat their 2007 record of 6,465.
Red hot ... Ferrari California
They have a waiting list of two years or more on all their models and are about to launch the stunning new California, which is already sold out for the next three years in the UK.
And that’s with a price tag of £143,320, which doesn’t include an extra £5,000 if you fancy your Ferrari in one of the Italian firm's historic colours.
This week I was among the chosen few to get a first drive.
As I drove the new Ferrari I kept thinking of the lyrics “Welcome to the Hotel California . . . ” from the Eagles’ classic song.
Because the Ferrari California is one lovely place to be, a place in this Ferrari’s driver’s seat is super car transport of the most exclusive kind.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says Ferraris are like nice girls — you have to desire and want them.
And desire definitely applied as soon as I saw the bright red California in the Sicilian sunshine.
In fact, sheer lust was probably nearer the mark.
Like a great-looking woman, the California’s curves seduce you immediately.
You are trying to look cool and only mildly interested, but you are actually visibly drooling and desperate to touch.
The California is the first Ferrari convertible with a retractable hardtop, but because it’s a Ferrari it looks sensational with the roof up or down.
It is like those rare women who would look gorgeous even if they were wearing a sack.
It has curves in all the right places.
The dazzling LED teardrop headlights are like staring eyes and the grille is a pouting mouth begging to be kissed.
The California has a beautifully rounded, slightly heavy, Jennifer Lopez rear end, decorated by twin-stacked exhaust pipes.
So as you may have gathered by the time I actually opened the door to start my affair with my Italian mistress, I was hopelessly hooked.
Easing into the California’s leather and aluminium-clad cabin was like seeing the Ferrari undressed down to silk lingerie.
And it did not disappoint when it came to getting intimate.
This car responds instantly to attention. As soon as I turned the key and heard the explosion of sound from the 4.3-litre V8 it was like being hypnotised.
Although the California is a thoroughly modern Ferrari thoroughbred sprinkled with the latest F1 race technology, it takes its design inspiration from one of the great Ferraris of the past, the 1957 250 California.
The muscular lines of the new California and shape of the front bumper spoiler and rear diffuser means the drag coefficient is ten per cent lower than any other Ferrari.
That not only benefits stability but boosts fuel consumption to just over 20mpg — heady stuff for a Ferrari.
And the all-aluminium V8 is the first Ferrari road car to be mid-front engined.
The result is red-hot performance, 0-62mph in under four seconds and a top speed just shy of 200mph.
There is also a super slick and lightning quick seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.
One clutch is used for even gears and the other for odd numbers.
Combine this with F1 paddles on the steering wheel and you’ll be convinced you’re changing gear quicker than Schumacher.
The button that really catches the eye is the launch control, again inspired by F1, that fires you like a rocket from a standing start to maximum power.
However my favourite button was for the retractable hardtop — perfect for the British weather — which disappears in just 14 seconds and you don’t lose half the boot when it’s down, it is still a healthy 240 litres and 340 in the up position.
So this is a dual purpose Ferrari that combines the talents of the coupe and a convertible.
It is even reasonably practical, but no one buys a Ferrari for rational reasons.
They buy it because it is a Ferrari and looks sensational, but unlike an Aston Martin not necessarily beautiful.
However, a Ferrari has more character and emotion, plus it gives you the thrills of a road-going race car.
At the end of a day behind the wheel of the California I was left musing over another song, California Dreamin’, because sadly that is as close as I’ll get.
But hey, at least I lived the dream for a day and fell in love with an Italian stunner.