Autoblog

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Ferrari California

The best Ferrari is the next Ferrari. Whether you consider that to be a statement of fact or an opinion largely depends on how you define the term. It's an opinion like a Supreme Court justice's ruling is called an "opinion". Or better yet, like billions worldwide would view the Bible as God's "opinion". Coming from the mouth of the legendary Enzo Ferrari himself – famously expressed in response to a journalist's query – for the congregations of the faithful around the world, it's the gospel truth.

The Commendatore's statement was – as it remains to this day – backed up by a spirit of progress, by the constant pursuit of technical perfection that continues to drive his company into the 21st century and which makes each new Ferrari better than the last. Follow Enzo's declaration to its natural end and you'll conclude that the best Ferrari must be the new California, unveiled earlier this month at the Paris Motor Show, brimming with the latest in performance automotive technology and ready to hit the market next summer. But some 20 years after his passing, would Enzo Ferrari's truism still hold true? That's exactly the answer we sought as we boarded a flight for Italy to drive the new California along the twisting mountain passes, scenic coastal roads and wide open autostradas of Sicily. Follow the jump to read what we discovered.

Photos Copyright ©2008 Noah Joseph / Weblogs, Inc.

This past Sunday, Ferrari had its Racing Days event at the Nürburgring in Germany and after the customers got a chance to 'ring out their rides, company legend Michael Schumacher wheeled out the new Ferrari California and put it through its paces. For those of you waiting to hear a lap time, don't hold your breath. The track was wet, the course was the F1 track, and the event was more of a meet-and-greet than a pedal-to-the-metal assault on the GT-R. This short YouTube clip by JurreAG will show you MS taking the California through the first few turns from a standing start near turn one. While you can clearly see that the car has some oomph, there aren't any real references for comparison or hard data for bragging/arguing/flaming yet. Sure does sound nice though, and it beats the last video clip we had of the car pretty much sitting still and posing for beauty shots. Check out the mini-gallery of stills below and the YouTube clip after the jump.

Yesterday we told you that the Ferrari California was officially sold out through 2010. Some of you seemed to think that this was a ploy. Others thought it fitting. Still others thought it ridiculous because of the car's lack of aesthetic appeal. Well, for all but the last group, here is the newest batch of official photos from Ferrari showing this hot little coupe/cab. More beauty shots of the red and blue models have popped up in the wake of the Paris Motor Show and we have them here for you to see and download. They might even convert a few of you who have thus far been impervious to this car's charms. Click any image here to go to the full high-res galleries.

What recession? Ferrari just confirmed that the Ferrari California is officially sold out through 2010. The 179,000 Euro supercoupe/cab is scheduled to be produced in batches of about 2,000 per year and has been a runaway success for the Maranello manufacturer. Company President Luca di Montezemolo was recently quoted as saying, "In 2008 there was the success of the Scuderia. 2009 will be characterized by the California. It has been an incredible success. We have already sold all of the 2008 and 2009 production. You have to now wait until 2011 for one."

Rather than act as a replacement for anything in the current lineup, the California was intended to be an eight-cylinder car that would compliment the F430 and be a vehicle with a lot of flexibility according to Ferrari. While some say it isn't the most beautiful Ferrari they've ever seen, the performance should be pretty spectacular for those lucky souls with a signed contract already in hand. The new direct-injection, 460-hp 4.3L V8 should be more than adequate for propelling this prancing pony down the road with gusto. We'll keep our fingers crossed that someone listening will loan us one for a short stay in the garage so we can confirm our suspicions.



[Source: la Repubblica via Eurocar Blog]

Polyphony's Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is about to get a pretty substantial upgrade. The next time you boot up your Playstation 3, an update will be available for GT5 that will add the GT by Citroen, Ferrari's new California and the Lotus Evora. Lotus fans got a sneak peek into the Evora's GT5 inclusion at the British Motor Show a few weeks back, and now everybody gets to join in on the aluminum-intensive fun. It's always a pleasure to strap yourself in a Ferrari, in real-life or virtually, and the California is the latest Italian Stallion around, so its addition was a foregone conclusion. The biggest news, though, is the new French GT, which its maker says was "a partnership between Citroën and Polyphony." In the game-realm, the new GT concept will be powered by electrons generated from a hydrogen fuel cell. Even if the technology isn't quite ready for prime time in your driveway, it can always make waves in digital form, running around various race tracks while emitting nothing but water.


[Source: PlayStation Blog via Joystiq]

Click either image to view the Ferrari California live in high resolution

It's not every day that Ferrari unveils a new sportscar. And when it does, it's almost invariably billed as a successor to the one that came before, or a version of something already on the market. But the Ferrari California is an entirely different beast, expanding the Prancing Horse's line-up into a new segment, and it certainly looks the part when viewed up close. We'll have to reserve our judgment for the time being on the California's driving dynamics, but the Italians promise it'll keep up its end and then some with its new direct-inject, 460-hp version of the company's 4.3L V8. In the meantime, today was a big day for Ferrari, and we've got the pictures to prove it. Click the thumbnails below to see for yourself.

Prior to Ferrari's successful customization plan for the 612 Scaglietti, your best bet at having Maranello build you a one-off would be to throw your wealth around like a Sultan. The One To One Personalisation Programme has been met with enthusiasm, so Ferrari is going to offer the factory custom treatment on the 599 GTB Fiorano, as well. The official announcement will take place at the Paris Motor Show tomorrow, where everyone will be packed like sardines to get a glimpse of the new Ferrari California up-close. An Atelier has also been set up in Italy to aid buyers in looking through all of the various permutations in order to come up with just the right car. The only option we're interested in is the one entitled "park a Ferrari in your driveway."

[Source: Ferrari]

Click for more hi-res images from the Ferrari California launch event in Santa Monica, California

"We're not building a cheap Ferrari". That was the oft-repeated party line from Maranello as the Prancing Horse marque was plainly working on the new California. Well no kidding, not at these prices.

The first example of the Ferrari California was sold during its American unveiling in Santa Monica this week, garnering a top bid of $520,000. The event was attended by a handful of Hollywood celebrities, and even the Governator dropped by. Half a million can buy you a lot of car, and the California is expected to retail for about a third of that amount, but of course that's not the point: proceeds from the sale will go to the After-School All-Stars charitable foundation. Press release after the jump and images in the gallery below.

[Source: Ferrari]

We've seen the photos and read the press release, but still haven't managed to catch a glimpse of the Ferrari California in person. Even though everyone knows what the car looks like, Ferrari has been pretty strict about who gets to actually see the car in person. We're hoping that will all change with the car's official debut today in Maranello and at a satellite event in Beverly Hills, CA. If you didn't happen to receive an invitation to the events in Maranello or Beverly Hills, you can watch the unveiling live at FerrariCalifornia.com. The presentation will include a video filmed by Michael Mann, which is currently being previewed on the site. Live streaming starts at 4:00PM EST, so be sure to find a way out of work so you can watch the video.

[Source: FerrariCalifornia.com]

Click above to watch the video

So far the only video footage we've seen of the new Ferrari California has been either computer animated or sitting still with a giant chin talking. But the fellas over at Autocar magazine in the UK made their way down to Maranello with video cameras in tow for an up-close-and-personal with the newest Prancing Stallion. After the jump you'll find some focus-changing fun angles of the new California, as well as a brief interview with product development director Roberto Corradi, who amusingly informs us that the car was made easier to drive and more softly styled to accommodate female customers. Seriously. Check it out after the jump... it's good for a laugh.

[Source: Autocar]