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(EURO) - SUMMER 2009 DELIVERY.
EUROPEAN VERSIONS - MSRP PLUS €25K.
(EURO) - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 DELIVERY.
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At 179.5 inches long, the 2009
Ferrari California is 2 inches longer than a Ferrari F430,
and its 106.3-inch wheelbase is 4 inches longer. This makes
the California larger on the inside than an F430 even though
the front-engine car is an inch narrower than its mid engine
brother. The factory hasn't yet confirmed the new car's
overall weight, but we expect it to be more than the
3,533-pound F430 Spider.
Ferrari's composers are also still working hard on the
soundtrack for this car. We can hear a difference in exhaust
sounds among various California test cars, as they drive by
us regularly, still in camouflage. The car's volume control
is set by butterfly valves in the exhausts, so the bark of
the car's V8 engine at idle is explosively loud, beastly and
titillating. But as soon as the wheels roll, it dies down in
order to stay within legal limits.
The trunk has a capacity of 12.7 cubic feet when you drive
the California with the hardtop roof in place and then
shrinks only slightly to 9.2 cubic feet when the roof has
been retracted into the trunk. This means the California
should be an extraordinary practical sports car in which you
can bring along more than in a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti — more
than in a VW Golf, even. Quite an achievement, for the gang
in Maranello had to find room in the rear of the car for not
just a decent trunk and the folding hardtop but also the
rear-mounted transaxle.
There's even a pair of simple backseats for a couple of
extra bags. Yes, just bags. There's no way adults could sit
there; there's simply not enough room. Behind the seats are
two protective rollover bars that pop up into place if
things go horribly wrong for you out there on the road.
The interior is magnificent, and the suspended bridge in the
middle console and the superbly comfortable seats are a
feast to the eye. These seats (built from carbon fiber and
magnesium) sit you very low in the car, with just enough
view over the rear deck to descry following vehicles. To
park the Ferrari, you definitely need to have a good feeling
for the dimensions of the car, or perhaps clairvoyance.
Just like the Ferrari F430, the California's steering wheel
is graced with a distinctive manettino so you can calibrate
the chassis stability control. There are three positions:
Sport, Wet and DST Off. That's all you need in a carefree
GT, or so they must be thinking at Ferrari.
The Ferrari executives emphasize that the California is a
completely new car that doesn't share any main parts with
other models. Though the first prototype mules appeared on
the street disguised by Maserati bodywork, the California's
all-aluminium frame apparently shares nothing with the 2009
Maserati GTS or Alfa Romeo 8C.
The Ferrari California's retractable hardtop certainly is
unique. It weighs just 11 pounds; yes, that's even less than
the fabric roof of the F430 Spider. The small hardtop
retracts into the trunk in 14 seconds — a record in this
segment, Ferrari claims.
Such a lightweight roof and operating mechanism means the
car's weight distribution remains well balanced even when
the top goes down, as only 51 percent of the car's weight
rests on the rear wheels — ideal as far as Ferrari is
concerned.
Ferrari applies a five-link rear suspension for the first
time instead of its customary double-wishbone design. This
design permits plenty of room for springs and plenty of
wheel travel, ensuring ride comfort while making sure the
suspension geometry stays exactly as it should be.
Predictably the Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires are massive:
245/40R19s in front and 285/40R20s in the rear.
In Maranello they consider the California the technically
most efficient Ferrari in a long time. The 0.32 Cd of the
California's bodywork is a point of pride, representing the
lowest coefficient of drag ever achieved by a Ferrari. Even
so, the car still produces a useful 154 pounds of
aerodynamic downforce at 124 mph.
Down to Business
Once you open the hood, you'll find that the V8 has been
mounted completely behind the front axle. This 4.3-liter V8
is Ferrari's first direct-injection engine, which asked for
some specific victories from the engineering department.
Ferrari worked intensively with Bosch in order to get a
throttle response quick enough to be worthy of a Ferrari.
Also, some effort went into reducing the engine vibration
that's a by-product of the taller compression ratio that
direct injection permits.
The power peaks at 460 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and the
California's rev counter won't turn red until 8,000 rpm.
Thanks to direct injection, the engine only emits 310 grams
of CO2 per kilometer, performance of which Ferrari is
especially proud, since the 599 GTB produces 500 grams per
kilometer in comparison.
The California will be available with a conventional
six-speed manual transmission, but Ferrari expects most
buyers to go for the brand-new, seven-speed dual-clutch
automated manual that has been developed in cooperation with
Getrag. As with every dual-clutch design, it combines the
seamless acceleration of an automatic with the versatility
of manual gear selection from paddles on the steering wheel,
plus the Getrag design also incorporates launch control.
Ferrari promises a sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than
4 seconds, which is quicker than the F430 Spider's
4.1-second capability.
Chief test driver Dario Benuzzi and his men haven't set a
lap time on the Fiorano test track yet, simply because the
total setup of the car has not been finalized. Unknown as
yet are also top speed and braking distances. Since the
speedometer reads up all the way to 340 km/h (200 mph) and
huge carbon-ceramic brake rotors are available, we suspect
impressive numbers will be in order.
"When we got the opportunity to add a new model, we had a
good look at how our customers use our cars and what their
new wishes might be," says Massimo Fumarola, Ferrari's
director of product marketing in his hypermodern office
behind Ferrari's wind tunnel.
"On the one hand, we have customers who love motorsports and
who buy a Ferrari especially to drive fast, on road or
track. These people are Formula 1 fans, they visit track
days and they want a car focused on these needs. It is for
these people that we manufacture the 599 GTB Fiorano and the
F430, with the 430 Scuderia being the most extreme model.
"On the other hand, we have a large group of customers with
quite a different lifestyle. They do not drive to Grand Prix
races, but instead to the best restaurants they can find.
They greatly value a comfortable and easy-to-drive car, for
they will, literally, go to great lengths to get where they
are going. Typically, they don't want to attract attention
in the streets and they want some room — for their golf
bags, for instance.
"They don't want a focused Ferrari, as the first group does,
but instead a versatile one."
The 2009 Ferrari California has been made for people who
highly value the combination of driving comfort and speed.
Its mission is to attract new clientele, the people who have
been finding their way to Aston Martin, Bentley, Mercedes
AMG or even Porsche.
Moreover, the Ferrari California has been designed to
generate such a high degree of customer satisfaction that
Ferrari's brand loyalty will improve. Right now, 50 percent
of Ferrari buyers have previously owned a Ferrari, but in
Maranello they think an increase in loyalty is feasible.
The exact price of the Ferrari California is unknown as yet,
but it is clear that it will be nearer to the F430 than to
the 599 GTB and 612 Scaglietti. Fumarola says, "Establishing
the price is simple. The California has to cost less than
the F430 Spider because the Spider has 490 horsepower and
the California has 460. So count on a price very close to
that of the F430 coupe."
