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Ferrari's first V8 front-engined car
wants to steal sales from AMG, Bentley and Aston...
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For the last twenty years
Ferrari's product range has been consisting of 4 lines - an entry-level
mid-engined sports car, a 12-cylinder flagship sports car, a luxury
grand tourer and a limited edition supercar. However, as its sales grew
steadily in the past 10 years, from 3600 units to near 8000 units this
year, Ferrari needs to introduce its fifth model line. Car journalists
speculated that it might be a cheaper "baby Ferrari" in the mold of
Dino. Some suggested it could be a sport utility like Porsche Cayenne.
How wrong they were !
Now everybody knows it is actually an open-top V8 front-engined GT. Its
name is California, internally codenamed F149. It is priced at about
the same level as F430. Some 2,500-3,000 units will be built annually
at a brand new factory located beside the existing facility at
Maranello, stretching Ferrari's sales volume to well over 10,000 units.
This is Ferrari's first ever V8-powered front-engined car. It also
features Ferrari's first retractable hardtop, direct fuel injection and
twin-clutch gearbox. In short, it is the most unferrari Ferrari.
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Not many motoring writers are
satisfied with the looks of California. They criticized its big bum...
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A softer Ferrari
This is not the first time a Ferrari is named after California state of
USA. In the late 1950s, Ferrari produced 250GT California Spyder to
please the wealthy Californian who appreciated sunshine and a relaxing
lifestyle. It worked against the philosophy of Enzo Ferrari, but
Ferrari still built it because of money. The new California is similar.
By Ferrari’s standard it is easily too civilized, too luxury oriented.
Ferrari aims it at the same crowd of Mercedes SL AMG, Bentley
Continental GTC and Aston Martin DB9 Volante. These customers regard
the F430 Spider as too hardcore and prefer more luxury, comfort and
user friendliness. They also prefer open air motoring without
sacrificing refinement. Therefore Ferrari chose a retractable hard roof
from the outset. The complex mechanism is built by CTS (Car Top System)
which also supplies the roof of F430 Spider and Opel Astra TwinTop. It
opens and closes in a record 14 seconds, but it also increases the kerb
weight to some 1735 kg, which makes the California even heavier than
599GTB !
Another compromise is the addition of a pair of small rear seats. They
are not necessarily suitable to human being (even children), but they
must be the most convenient way to place your golf clubs. If not
enough, there is another 340 liters of luggage space at the boot, some
100 liters more than 612 Scaglietti. No other Ferraris could be so user
friendly.
Not many motoring writers are satisfied with the looks of California.
They criticized its big bum, which is necessary to store the
retractable roof yet providing good luggage space. Personally, I have
few problems with it. In my eyes this Ferrari still looks sportier and
sharper than all its target rivals, let them be Mercedes, Bentley,
Aston or even its distant sister Maserati. Its wedge bonnet, pronounced
flanks and laughing grille are unmistakably Ferrari. Open the bonnet,
you still see a mechanical engine with red-painted aluminum intake
manifolds and cam covers instead of black plastic. Enter the cockpit,
it combines Ferrari’s traditional style with luxury and technology
(e.g. Manettino switch, LCD screen in instrument binnacle and touch
screen sat nav on center console). The only surprise is how roomy it is.
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Its drag coefficient 0.32 is the
lowest ever for Ferrari...
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Chassis
Like all current Ferraris, the California employs aluminum spaceframe
chassis and body panels. Its drag coefficient 0.32 is the lowest ever
for Ferrari, yet it still provides remarkable downforce at speed,
thanks to flat undertray and venturi tunnels. The V8 engine sits
completely behind the front axle while the gearbox sits near the rear
axle to achieve a slightly rear-biased balance at 47:53. This also
guarantees low polar moment of inertia, hence an agile handling. The
front suspensions follow Ferrari’s tradition to employ double-wishbones
design, but the rear now features a multi-link setup for the first time
in order to achieve a smoother ride that California needs. Other good
ingredients include: Delphi magnetorheological adaptive dampers, Brembo
ceramic brakes, Ferrari’s well proven launch control system and the
user-friendly Manettino switch on the steering wheel (with 3 modes -
Sport, Comfort and CST off). No matter mechanically or electronically,
the new Ferrari is way superior than its civilized rivals.
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You still see a mechanical engine with
red-painted aluminum intake manifolds and cam covers instead of black
plastic...
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Engine
Of course, a Ferrari should excel in engine. The California’s 4297cc V8
shares its block with the 4308cc unit of F430, also the dual continuous
variable cam phasing system and the lightweight flat crank
construction, but it has several significant changes. Firstly, it
introduces Ferrari’s first direct fuel injection system in order to cut
consumption and emission. Secondly, its compression ratio climbs from
11.3:1 to 12.2:1, thanks to the cooling effect brought by the direct
injection. Thirdly, it employs a larger bore (94mm vs 92mm) and shorter
stroke (77.4mm vs 81mm) than the F430 engine. This seems biasing
towards top end power, but its intake and exhaust manifolds are tuned
otherwise to favour torque delivery. As a result, it produces 358 lb-ft
of torque at 5000 rpm, some 15 lb-ft stronger and 250 rpm earlier than
that of F430. On the downside, top end power reduces by 30hp to 460 hp,
while redline is lowered by 500 rpm to 8000 rpm.
Nevertheless, the California V8 is still highly efficient, with a
specific output at 107 hp per liter and a specific torque at 83 lb-ft
per liter. The latter is the highest among existing cars and barely
toppled by the last generation BMW E46 M3 CSL (at 84 lb-ft per liter).
Moreover, the lower redline and direct injection helps lowering fuel
consumption to 21.5 mpg and CO2 emission
to 306 g/km. This is a considerable improvement from F430 Spider's 15.4
mpg and 420 g/km.
Twin-clutch gearbox
Unquestionably, Ferrari's Superfast 2 gearbox in 430 Scuderia is
mind-blowing fast, but the California asks for higher level of
refinement. Therefore it asked Getrag to develop a 7-speed twin-clutch
gearbox. You might remember Getrag has just introduced another 7-speed
twin-clutch box to BMW M3, but this one is a transaxle, thus
theoretically closer to the one it built for Nissan GT-R, albeit with
one more forward gear and closer ratios to suit the high-revving V8.
The twin-clutch design allows preselection of the next gear thus
results in quick and seamless gearshift.
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The cockpit combines Ferrari’s
traditional style with luxury and technology. The only surprise is how
roomy it is...
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On
the Road
The spec sheet says California could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.9
seconds and would not flat out until 193 mph. As this car is so heavy,
we had reservation about that.
However, any doubts wash away once you start its V8. What a masterpiece
! Its rev rises and falls so responsively according to throttle. Its
exhaust noise remains loud and addictive, deeper but not any more
civilized than that of F430. The V8 produces incredible torque at low
speed yet retains the high-revving character of Ferrari engines. The
way it shifts at 8000 rpm is so thrilling.
Even better is the seamless gearshift of the twin-clutch gearbox. This
is probably the best of its kind until now. Although built by the same
supplier, its shift pattern is specified by Ferrari using its rich
experience in robotised gearbox. You can feel the engine and gearbox
become a unity - power transmits from engine to rear wheels with nearly
no interruption and delay. The seven closely stacked ratios are fully
utilized to aid acceleration because each gearshift lose so little time.
In
addition to
the clever
launch control, the California feels every bit capable to pass 60 mph
in 3.9 seconds. It feels much faster than its power-to-weight ratio
suggests.
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Retractable roof opens and closes in a
record 14 seconds...
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The handling is
equally impressive. It feels agile and rock solid in the twisty, and
stable at high speed. Undeniably, grip level is not as high as the
mid-engined F430, but its handling is remarkably neutral. If you
provoke it in corners, it will power slide according to your wish -
progressively and fully under control of your right foot. For
comparison, F430 is trickier at the limit. The California is the best
balanced, best manner Ferrari ever.
With magnetorheological adaptive dampers and Manettino set at Comfort
mode, the California also rides better than any other Ferraris ever
achieved. Neither big bumps nor small irregularities could trouble its
smooth ride. Refinement is further supported by the rock solid chassis
(no creaks and rattles on rough surface) and good airflow management.
Yes, keen drivers might dislike some of its minor flaws - the power
steering is light and slightly numb, the brake pedal is too long and
lacks initial bite... well, that's it. However, as a driver's car the
Ferrari California is obviously unapproachable by its AMG, Bentley and
Aston rivals. It is the best day-to-day Ferrari ever built, but most
important, it is still a true Ferrari. |