Ferrari releases more photos of the California, now with the top up!
by Sam Abuelsamid on May 29th 2008 at 10:55AM 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Ferrari California
The gang in Maranello is continuing to dribble out more imagery of the new Ferrari California roadster, now with the car now making its first appearance with its hard top up. This blue GT can be seen in the gallery below with the top up, down and halfway in between. Thankfully, in spite of the 2+ designation (whatever that means) the car still maintains two-seater proportions, so it doesn't have a ridiculously long rear deck. There has been plenty of discussion in the comments about the virtues of the California's design details, but the overall proportions are definitely classic GT the folding hard top manages not to screw that up.
Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo recently had his first crack at driving the new car at the company's Fiorano test track and unsurprisingly came away feeling quite effusive about the newcomer. In the bosses words, "The California is, like all of our models, the epitome of cutting-edge innovation." The new hard top can apparently change state in a mere 14 seconds. Hopefully it will also prove to be more reliable than some other such examples. It's going to be a long summer of teasing from Ferrari before the California makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. In the meantime, Ferrari's latest press release is after the jump.
Gallery: 2009 Ferrari California
[Source: Ferrari]
PRESS RELEASE
New photographs of the Ferrari California with roof
closed
FERRARI PRESIDENT LUCA DI MONTEZEMOLO TEST-DRIVES THE NEW CALIFORNIA:
"I'M THRILLED. IT'S A GREAT FERRARI THAT DELIVERS UNIQUE
DRIVING PLEASURE"
Maranello, 29th May 2008 – The new Ferrari California, 2+ convertible, had a very special "test-driver" behind its
wheel the last few days as the Prancing Horse President Luca di Montezemolo put it through its paces over several laps at the Fiorano circuit.
"I am very satisfied indeed with the work that the women and men of Ferrari have done," declared Luca di
Montezemolo. "The California is an extraordinary car and I was delighted with the performance, comfort and driving pleasure it delivered. The California is, like all of our models, the epitome of cutting-edge innovation. Its
gearbox, suspensions and chassis are the most advanced possible.
This is the first dual-purpose Spider/Coupé with a retractable hard top that closes in just 14 seconds.
Despite its extraordinary performance, the California 2+ is also exceptionally easy to drive and has a space
behind the front seats that makes it supremely flexible in terms of usage."
The latest photographs of the new Pininfarina-styled retractable hard top convertible released today show it
with its top closed and in an Azzurro California livery. Azzurro California was the colour chosen for the
legendary 1960s spider's appearance at the New York Auto Show in 1962 and proved one of the firm favourites with owners of that model too.
Like the rest of the current Prancing Horse range, the Ferrari California has been aerodynamically designed to
deliver significant downforce values – 70 kg at 200 Km/h, in fact.
This is the first time too that the new 7-speed dual clutch has been used on a Ferrari car. This technology is
the fruit of in-depth gear shifting systems research by the Scuderia Ferrari. The system utilised on the Ferrari
California cuts the gear shifting time to zero and enhances to the utmost the car's performance in terms of
comfort and driveability.
Performance is further boosted by the new Launch Control button which when hit delivers blistering high
performance starts by ensuring correct torque delivery and preventing tyre spin during acceleration.
The car is 4560 mm in length, 1900 mm wide and has a wheel base of 2700 mm.
The luggage capacity of the Ferrari California provides further proof of the versatility of this latest addition
to the Prancing Horse range: when the roof is up, the boot has a 360-litre capacity and a 260-litre capacity
when it is down.
For the first time on a Prancing Horse car, the boot and cabin communicate directly, allowing a choice of luggage
configurations to be used.
Particular attention was also paid to fuel consumption levels which in the case of the ECE combined cycle is
13.2 l/100 km with CO2 emission levels of around 310 g/km.
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
UH2L 10:59AM (5/29/2008)
In a word, that is "bodacious".
Reply
Soccer Mom 11:02AM (5/29/2008)
Looks like Maserati. Does it mean that Ferrari caught that badge-engineering fever? They should do it just like Dodge-Chrysler than - sporty and cheapy for Ferrari, slower and luxury for Maserati.
Reply
Alex 11:17AM (5/29/2008)
In my view, it looks a bit like the Mercedes SL in profile.
Mobius_1 11:41AM (5/29/2008)
IMHO, it looks more like a downsized Maser GT, as the Merc SL has quite a long hood, which the Ferrari Cali hasn't really got. But its shape also kinda reminds me of the Corvette
David(Postal) 11:03AM (5/29/2008)
Wow this is extremely sexy. I still prefer the 430 Modena but i love this car as well. Amazing
Reply
3seriesisking 12:57PM (5/29/2008)
It is truly something. I agree with you on the Modena as well. The Modena is sexy from every angle you look at it from, the California isn't. It's close but not all the way there. When I saw the close-up shot of the front end, it didn't strike me as being beautiful on it's own.
Lachlan Creamer 2:08AM (6/05/2008)
Sorry to correct but the Modena wasn't the 430. It was the 360 Modena, and the F430.
I love this car, looks so curvy and sexy, love it. Looks purposeful also, not over the top like a zonda or SLR.
I think this will be one hell of a car.
If its anything like the F430, it will be brilliant.
Franz 11:13AM (5/29/2008)
I like it. It looks really nice with the top up.
Reply
Unknown 11:19AM (5/29/2008)
Are hard tops slower then rag tops because the top on the S2000 will change states in under 6secs.
Reply
peyay 11:17AM (5/29/2008)
i concur with soccer mom i looked at the pic and said hey a grand turismo
Reply
Dasupersprint 11:20AM (5/29/2008)
Now it makes sense!
+1 for the color.
Reply
TheMagnificcen7 11:20AM (5/29/2008)
Wow. I anticipate seeing a lot of these on the street, beautiful design, and the hard top *drool*. This is car design at it's near finest, especially for a "lower end" Ferrari. I want one ... or six.
Reply
ricotubbs 11:22AM (5/29/2008)
Note to future Ferrari California owners: Just make sure there's plenty room behind you before you open the top. I'd hate to see the repair bill if/when that rear deck lid gets smashed!
Reply
Chris-B 11:38AM (5/29/2008)
Quick photoshop to red:
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1892/caliredun6.jpg
Eddie 11:24AM (5/29/2008)
Lately, with a lot of auto makers, their smaller cars are their best looking. Ferrari with the California, Lambo with the Gallardo/lp560, the e92 m3/335i, new audi a4, Lexus with the is350/f.
Reply
Malfoy Roark 7:01AM (5/30/2008)
except the gallardo doesn't look that good. Esp when compared to the Murcielago.
Dude 11:25AM (5/29/2008)
My guess is that "2+" refers to the seating.
Reply
BLS 11:34AM (5/29/2008)
Yeah but they aren't saying 2+2. It is hard to see in the picture but there aren't proper seatbacks in the back seat. Although, there appears to be seat beats and the legroom doesn't look too bad.
I hate the hood btw. It is ok but I would rather have an 8C or a Gran Turismo, which should share many parts with the California.
Quattroporte 11:48AM (5/29/2008)
It looks as if (from the overhead picture) that Ferrari gives you two seat cushions and seat belts in the back, but they do not actually appear to be seats. It looks like anyone who sits back there has to lean up against the firewall.
sylinen 11:34AM (5/29/2008)
The front end does seem very similar to the maserati GT. I wonder we'll be seeing a Maserati version of this, or even an alfa romeo.
Reply