Calipornication- Details on the new California from Ferrari

Pulled out of its secret workshop and displayed on the grounds of the Ferrari factory just for us, the 2009 Ferrari California stops us all in our tracks. We all just stand there. Mouths open. Like high-schoolers in the presence of bare breasts for the first time.

This is a gorgeous car. With Pininfarina bodywork created under the direction of Donato Coco, Ferrari's new design chief, the California is a real stunner, particularly with the roof up. Roof down it loses a trifle of that extraordinary well-balanced beauty, but only a trifle. Unlike other cars with a retractable hardtop, the proportions remain intact when the passengers expose themselves to the sun.

For instance, the fender vents are a welcome homage to the car from which the California takes its inspiration, the powerfully evocative Ferrari 250GT SWB Spyder California introduced at the 1960 Geneva auto show. And the long, hollow grooves in the sills have a function, as they direct air to ducts that cool the rear transaxle.

No question about it, the newest Ferrari is a looker. Full-figured, but a looker still the same.

Hard and Light
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 midengine 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drive the California with the hardtop roof in place and then shrinks only slightly to 9.2 cubic feet when the roof has been retracted into the trunk.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.

Leather Tuscadero
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.

Not a Maserati
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.

Comfort and Speed
"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."

Coming Soon
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."