We review the Ferrari California from price to economy and all its features
FERRARI launched their first TRAIN last week — and their supercars are also right on track.
Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has gone all Richard Branson to take on Italy’s state rail service, unveiling the faster, quieter and lighter Italo.
California dreams ... we put the new Ferrari through its paces
It brings into passenger service the technology behind the train world speed record of 574.8kmph in 2007.
Mobbed by press at its first journey in Rome, Montezemolo dramatically announced: “I’m addicted to speed. Speed and risk. Economic risk.”
Switching to Tarmac from track, it’s still all about faster and lighter with their brand new California — but little sign of financial risk.
Despite the global recession last year, the Prancing Horse saw revenue exceed 2billion euros for the first time — 2.251bn to be exact — an increase of 17.3 per cent over 2010.
In total Ferrari sold 7,195 cars in 2011, up around 14 per cent.
This all-time high in sales was boosted by a record number of 1,958 US vehicles sold. Ferrari also had stronger than average sales in the Chinese market, selling a total of 777, a 63 per cent increase from the previous year.
German sales were up roughly 14.5 percent, totalling 705. They also sold 574 cars in the UK, up an incredible 23 per cent.
The California was launched three years ago and is a major player in the current success story, but already this revised version has been unleashed — and an optional Handling Speciale pack.
When it went on sale, the California swept in a number of uniques for Ferrari, including its first direct-injection V8 engine, first twin-clutch gearbox and first folding hardtop. Ferrari also said they wanted this Grand Tourer to attract a different kind of customer — a super-smooth supercar.
That has definitely worked with 70 PER CENT of the 8,000 Californias sold going to new buyers to the brand. That now makes the California arguably the most important model they have.
The Prancing purists are up in arms at this supercar-lite operator. Now they are aiming to satisfy the connoisseurs and to convert others with extra horsepower and handling pack.
I was the first newspaper journalist to get behind the wheel of the new California on the mountains near Ferrari’s Maranello mecca and home. A new exhaust, and a host of under-bonnet tweaks have wrung out an extra 30bhp from the 4.3litre V8, taking the total to 483bhp and lowering the car’s 0-62mph time by a tenth, to 3.8 seconds.
Laughably, it’s still termed the ‘slowest’ Ferrari, yet still tops out at a more than adequate 194mph.
While it can’t match the 458’s mind-blowing acceleration, it’s very fast nonetheless, and the extra power adds pace throughout the rev range.
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But you’d need to be Fernando Alonso to notice any lack of ooomph.
I dropped the roof and suddenly I was the conductor of the world’s fastest orchestra. My hands flicked on and off the F1-style gear-changing paddles behind the steering wheel.
Those movements dictate the engine soundtrack. Flick down and it’s pure high-pitched strings, flick up, tap my feet and it’s greeted by a bellowing bassy wind section. This is the Royal Thrillarmonic.
Ferrari have also slashed 30kg from the California’s weight, and although there are no efficiency gains, my car was fitted with stop-start which lowers CO2 emissions down to an impressive 270g/km. As previously, fuel consumption remains around 20mpg.
They’re the only changes on the standard model, but for a bit more excitement you can pay £4,320 for the Handling Speciale pack, which is available for the first time.
It adds zip through the driving experience with quicker steering and suspension tweaks to make it racier all round.
If the standard car is Prince William, its brotherly Handling pack adds a bit more Prince Harry.
The wilder side is immediately noticeable — the steering is far quicker to react and it’s a lot more fun and precise on twisty country roads.
It certainly doesn’t measure up to the 458 Spider as out-and-out supercar experience, but neither is it designed for that. The California is a success for being a more versatile car — and Ferrari say that 20 per cent of owners drive it as an everyday car and it gets 50 per cent more road time than any of their other models.
Now it’s an even more impressive all-rounder with the Handling Speciale pack potentially appeasing the purists.
Price for the standard California is £156,406 — the pack takes it over £160k.
There’s no stopping motoring’s biggest brand as it expands even further.
For Ferrari it’s now all about trains, financial gains and automobiles.