California dreaming
By Straight-Six, published on 14 May 2008
As we shake our heads at the natural catastrophes that have flattened Burma and split China, the motoring world is being battered by its very own tsunami: the Ferrari California.
The Guide has been impressed and confused in equal measure by recent Ferraris – barring the exquisite 599 GTB Fiorano which is truly in a class of its own. The F430 Scuderia used brute force and subtle bodywork changes to turn the rather ungainly F430 into something we can now truly respect. While the design of the 612 continues to both frustrate and anger us. So, as Ferrari’s entry-level GT, the question is: can the California bring back some of that scintillating Italian magic?
While not definitive, our first impressions are tip-toeing toward a Yes. All of the specs are in the right place: performance, power, price, folding hardtop and trick transmission are all there. But buyers of GTs at this price level have a bevy of beauties to pick from, so looks can make or break a sale.
The California sports a tremendous name that’s packed with heritage and it nails the GT look as far as we’re concerned. From large splashes of 599 design to the aggressive rising waistline, gorgeous front and rear wheel arches to the single, trademark circular rear lights, the California definitely displays greater equilibrium between its design parts than many of Ferrari’s other offerings. In particular, there is a windswept stance that must be part of the DNA of any aspiring GT: there is no question the California is a pure-bred.
This said, we remain disappointed in the number of vents, strakes, scoops and ducts that distract us from the lovely lines of the California; though this is widespread engineering and design issue amongst many car manufacturers – particularly the Germans. Less has always been more, and Ferrari would do well to remember this. Equally important is the interior of a GT, an area where recent Ferraris have never been particularly strong. It appears greater effort has been made here, though the plasticky grey air vents are still present. Lastly, the almost vertically stacked exhaust pipes are definitely an acquired taste, and we would wonder how Ferrari feels about the Lexus IS-F being first on the road with them…
All things considered, we salute the new Ferrari California and welcome it with a hearty embrace. Seeing it in the flesh, so to speak, will bring us to a definitive conclusion, but we’re delighted to have been touched by some of that magic.
California dreaming
As we shake our heads at the natural catastrophes that have flattened Burma and split China, the motoring world is being battered by its very own tsunami: the Ferrari California. The Guide has been impressed and confused in equal measure by recent Ferraris – barring the exquisite 599 GTB Fiorano which is truly in [...]
