Driving the Ferrari California

As we pulled up to the historical gates of that famous red brick building in downtown Maranello, I felt the excitement begin to ravish through my body. But this was no ordinary excitement, mind you. It started in my toes and found its way through my extremities like warm cognac being gently poured through my veins, until it gathered enough momentum and intensity, eventually filling my chest and finding its way up my neck before exploding inside my head. I never knew you could feel like that with your clothes on. I almost lit up a cigarette right after. And I don’t even smoke.

It is one thing to come to such hallowed grounds to drive a Ferrari – we’ve done this more than a couple of times before and believe me, so long as your body temperature is above twelve degrees, it doesn’t get any less exciting – but this? This is no ordinary Ferrari. It is arguably the company’s most ground breaking model, if not their most controversial one, and it has the loyalists hopping mad.

Aside from being the very first Ferrari with an electronic retractable roof, they demand to know why the engine is in the front, especially that it is “only” a V8. They also want someone to explain how it can have the power of a third world dictator, but the manners of Kofi Annan. And they want to know who’s idea it was to give it some decent luggage room.

They call it the California; but is it a Ferrari?

First up, before even tackling that question, we need to agree on what a Ferrari is. It needs to be fast. Check. It needs style. Check. It must handle like woman scorned. Ummm, we’re going to have problems here... You see, first impressions of the California is that it is incredibly easy to drive. Too easy, in fact. And there lies the problem. Most Ferrari owners want to feel like a member of some exclusive little club that not everyone is qualified to join, and having a Ferrari that is as civilized to drive in traffic as a Fiat Punto doesn’t sit well them – its almost as if Ferrari has broken the sacred rule and allowed a girl into their little boys club.

Having said that, there were those who were opposed to sliced bread, too. Several decades later, I think we can all agree that it is the way to go. Gnawing off bits of your finger just to make a sandwich doesn’t make the experience any purer. Same goes with the California. Being easier to drive only means you can now drive it harder, and I have to say that the all-new double clutch, seven speed sequential gearbox is insane. It doesn’t matter what anyone tells you, this is awesome. If you hear any negative reactions about it, I guarantee you it is coming from those who haven’t figured out how to build one yet, and will hide behind the “purity” curtain.

It is so good in fact that the gearbox alone can probably take full credit for the California being able to match the acceleration of the 430 despite being 628 pounds heavier and 30 PS less powerful than its mid-engined sibling. To call it perfect would only dilute the word. Then there’s the all-new direct injection petrol engine; aside from being the greenest Ferrari ever built, the engineers have managed to bring the fuel consumption down and the power curve up, making 75% of its torque available as early as 2,500rpm, and delivering the outstanding balance by 5,000rpm.

Alright, so now we know that the direct injection and dual clutch transmission are the real heroes here, but just like with any big investment, its location, location, location... and the fact that the all-new 4.3 liter V8 engine sits up where your tool kit and gym bag are supposed to be, had me more concerned with the handling. Somehow its okay when it is a big growling V12 planted in there, but a V8? It is like buying a Mac and letting it run on Windows. It’s just not right.

But this, according to Ferrari, is the way of the future. You see by putting the horse before the cart, so to speak, the car becomes a lot more drivable to a wider circle of customers. Some may see it as a sell out, but if they want to continue to make any sports cars at all, they’ll need to be profitable. And this is just the ticket.

Never before has a Ferrari been so many things to so many people. It is a genuine sports coupe with all the good looks of a rock star, yet 14 seconds later, it becomes a sophisticated cabriolet for those sunny days by the coast. It has a no cost option of two rear seats, plus an opening to the trunk to allow tall items to be placed through, and even has a touch screen entertainment and navigation system. It is as practical as a proper sports car has any legal right to be and I have to admit, you will struggle to find any flaws.

I pushed the bright red starter button and breathed some life into that 460 horsepower beast resting under the aluminum hood. The growling sound on idle is intense, pure and carries the proper Italian accent. I take off gently in full auto mode and guide the California gracefully through the streets of Maranello, heading up for the hills where we could have some real fun. It is, as they say, painfully simple to drive. It is actually harder not look star struck as you do.

Having 53% of its weight in the rear gives the California a very balanced approach into the corners with the tendency to oversteer when you boot it. The power delivery is incredibly smooth, though, allowing you to modulate it brilliantly and feed in just enough power to keep everything on the boil and stay right on the ragged edge.

As I see a series of curves start to unfold in front of me, I peg that cross drilled throttle pedal against the firewall and try to control all 460 thoroughbreds that are in full gallop. The thrust is impressive, and more importantly, continues without interruption. The hand-built V8 sings freely up until 8,000rpm and hits a note that can pierce even the most jaded of souls. This may not be Ferrari’s fastest car, but it doesn’t make it any less fun.

100 km/h flies by in under 4 seconds. There’s so much left in the bag that it taunts you to find her limit, which is faster than most guardian angels can fly. And when you start driving faster than your angels, the carbon ceramic brakes can scrub off more unwanted speed in less time than it takes for you to say, “where the hell did the Renault Twingo come out from!?”

From mountain passes, to freeways, to congested city streets, the California was flawless. The challenge here was never to make a better super car, but just to engineer the compromises out of it. And that is exactly what they have done. From the floating aluminum bridge that acts as a center console, to the multi link suspension in the rear, to the brilliantly designed electronic retractable roof – if this is not Ferrari’s greatest car, it will definitely be their most successful.

Ferrari has taken a huge gamble with the California, much in the same way that directors in California do when they find a new actor to play the Joker, or Bond, or the Godfather. There’s so much heritage to live up to, so many comparisons to be drawn. Yet just as a talented actor can reinvent the role and own the character without diluting its identity, Ferrari has done so with California.

EDITOR’S NOTE: If you want to see the video blog of this test drive, search for jdeakin72 on YouTube.