Jalopnik: Ferrari California

New Photos Reveal The 2009 Ferrari California In Glorious Detail

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT

We just received a full load of pictures of the steamy and dreamy 2009 Ferrari California. Ever since the new Ferrari GT made its well-planned debut, we've been slowly digesting the few images we've seen, hungry for more like them. In full, high-color, close-up, car-pr0n detail, we're now treated to views of the new Ferrari from every conceivable angle and all sorts of interior and exterior details. For instance, the steering wheel is pure sex and the gauge cluster has a slick monitor off to the left which details all kinds of fun driver information. We're even able to see the car has a dedicated "launch" button. This, we like. But were we pleased about everything we saw?

No. We don't like the nav system. It looks terrifyingly like a repainted Chrysler unit. Also...umm...well...actually, that's pretty much it. Hmm, well, anyway — let's just get back to the awesome, shall we?

The briefcase shelf in the back even folds down for trunk pass-through action. What's that? Those are seats? Oh. Ouch. We also get a peek under the hood at the direct-injected 4.3-liter V8 that'll be making the well-heeled sing the praises of it's 424 horses of goodness. Anyway, take a peek for yourselves folks, 'cause that right there is how you make a damn fine-looking automobile. [AutoMobilsmo.it (translated)]

2009 Ferrari California Restyled By Crash Test

Mark Arnold — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EDT

The new 2009 Ferrari California's been spotted on its way out of what appears to have been a head-on crash test. But don't shed a tear over this brightly-blue-painted California. It's died so that the rest of the fleet of Californias may live.

Unfortunately, maybe we should still cry a tear because we already know they'll all more than likely end up living their miserable lives getting their passenger seats chewed up by the tiny dogs of their celebutard owners on the way to a Beverly Hills Botox parlor. Still, maybe we'll be seeing more crash pictures — from the Paparazzo — just as soon as the celebutards get their hands on 'em. [Autogespot via AutoBlog, CzechFerrari.cz]

Ferrari California Caught Topless Out-Of-Doors

Ray Wert — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:20:00 EDT

The enterprising spy photographers of Auto Express have caught the new drop-top 2009 Ferrari California with said top, dropped. While we're expecting to see the California go topless in the privacy of the exhibit halls of the Paris Motor Show to show off that beautiful leather interior, we didn't expect to see it do the same out in the open. Jeez, you'd think the California would have a bit more shame — especially considering the nude-friendly Bassona Beach is merely an hour and a half East of Maranello. Some Italian GT super cars, right? [Auto Express]

Alfa Romeo Could Californicate, Build 8C Replacement Off Ferrari California

Mark Arnold — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EDT

In a recent interview, Alfa Romeo's global marketing director, Sergio Cravero, expressed his desire to have an Alfa Romeo model based on the new 2009 Ferrari California. "It would be great if Ferrari let us do it... but they are very hard to convince." The potential model would be a replacement for Alfa's current dragon-bait halo cars, the 8C Competizione and 8C Spider. Of course, the 8C hasn't been a directly profitable model for Alfa, so we're thinking that they're hoping to actually make some money by mooching more from Ferrari for the next car. [autocar]

2009 Ferrari California Shows Convertible Top In Action

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:45:00 EDT

Oh, 2009 Ferrari California, you are such a tease. After months of spy photo speculation, you come at us with a lullaby of engine sounds, then we finally see you revealed in all your grand touring glory, and then we get the equivalent of an burlesque show with the static shot of the top in transformation. Now, finally we get to see the full show: how that all-important-to-the-buying-public convertible hardtop works. In a word, fast. It only takes 15 seconds to go "from the commotion of downtown LA to the tranquility of garble garble." We especially like that flippy thing it does with the rear glass right at the end. Take that and stick it in your pipe, origami-folding Volvo C70. [4wheelsblog]

The 2009 Ferrari California Goes Outside To Get Some Sun

Mark Arnold — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:20:00 EDT

Those of us who have been waiting to judge the styling of the new 2009 Ferrari California until we had non-studio photos to look at are in luck: Judgement day has arrived. These are the first shots we've seen of the brand new folding-hardtop Ferrari outside of the studio and not wrapped up in camo. But we're still not sure what we think about the styling.

The California definitely looks like it fits in with the rest of the current Ferrari range. But depending on who you ask, that's not necessarily a good thing. Now that we can see real-life lighting on the red-painted surface, the lines don't look quite as exaggerated as they did in the studio...but we're just not sure if we like those lines or not. The car's certainly not as subtle as a Aston Martin V8 Vantage, but you'd be hard-pressed to call it downright ugly. Perhaps just a bit over-styled. But that's just us; what do you think?
[autobild via carscoop]

What Do European Automakers Think About California?

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EDT

Naming cars after exotic places isn't anything new (remember the Alfa Romeo Montreal?), but it's always interesting to see what certain cultures think of other cultures. We have two newer European cars named after our very own California, the 2009 Ferrari California GT and the Volkswagen California. The former is a convertible Italian exotic and the latter is a Westfalia-style camper van. The question is, who is more spot on? Is California the state of ladies and lads running around in a drop-top Ferrari or a place full of people living in vans? Vote for who has it right below the jump.

The Ferrari California Shows How It Goes Topless

Ray Wert — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:30:00 EDT

Ferrari's revealed some new details and new photos of the upcoming 2009 Ferrari California. Yes, it's the same Ferrari California we first revealed early for you a couple weeks ago. And it's the same one we showed you a week later with a Skittles-like rainbow of fantasy color options. Now we've got shots of the new Ferrari GT in baby blue showing you how the little baby prancing pony puts the roof down. Isn't it simply adorable? In addition to showing off the new paint job, they've also revealed a statement full of all the verbiage we've come to expect and love from Ferrari — from orgasmic exclamations of "driving pleasure" to references of "Prancing Horses" instead of using their brand name. We love it — check it out after the jump.

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.

Taste The 2009 Ferrari California Rainbow!

Mark Arnold — Wed, 21 May 2008 01:30:00 EDT

Sure, you could get the 2009 Ferrari California — the new GT from the prancin' Italian stallion — in red. But that's so, so...so predictable. This is an Italian drop-top sports car with an American name — ostentatiousness is the name of the game. Why not get it in any of the other colors under the rainbow — like "Great Pumpkin Orange" above? Well, for starters, we're not sure you'll be able to get a visit to the Hotel Ferrari California in these color combinations, but the good folks at pigmag.com have come up with a way to make your color-coordinated fantasy a reality with a nice do-it-yourself Photoshop Barbie doll-like game of Ferrari dress-up. Although a California painted to match your Malibu dream house will still cost you extra, for the meantime you can check out some of the detail shots we've just received once you're done with the colorgasm below.

1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Sells For $10,976,000 Setting World Record As Most Expensive Car Ever

Mark Arnold — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:40:00 EDT

How much would you pay for the car of your dreams? Well, the official record for the highest price anyone ever paid for any car anywhere was just recently set when a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT short-wheelbase California got hammered down at auction for €7,040,000. Converted to 'merican dollars, that's about $10,976,000. That is a lot of money, there's no need for us to add any fancy exaggerative adjectives here.

We honestly don't know how to feel. Sure, there's been multiple millions spent on the likes of everything from Bugattis to Cobras before. Just last year there was even some guy that paid $9,300,000 for a Ferrari 330 TRI/LM. But this little California clearly takes to a new level. Sure, we'd probably drop some coin on the car of our dreams if we actually had the means to, but $11-million? Really? We're guessing there's probably been more paid for a vehicle in some shadowy private sale, or that a some robber baron back in the day bought some gold-plated motor carriage for a higher inflation-adjusted price, but this sale is still quite remarkable given today's economy. The other thing that gets us is the winning bidder was some British radio DJ, Chris Evans. There's just something about morning radio guys that makes us— well, we've never heard his jockeying firsthand, so we'll reserve judgment lest we be judged. We'll also dismiss any conspiracy theories that this was all just a massive publicity stunt by Ferrari to stir up public interest for their new California, though it does make you wonder. Oh well, maybe we're just jealous that we don't have multiple millions with which to realize our own fantasies of owning one of James Coburn's cars. (h/t Kyle) [CarScoop]

2009 Ferrari California, Revealed!

Ray Wert — Tue, 13 May 2008 05:48:59 EDT

Ferrari welcomed us all a little bit early to the Hotel California, and yes, it's a lovely place. In fact, check out the lovely face on the new 2009 Ferrari California just to see if we're wrong. Despite being told we'd need to wait at least another week before shots would officially go live, the prancing stallions at Ferrari have revealed three press photos of the new Ferrari that's been alternately called the "Ferrari GT," "Ferrari California GT," "Ferrari Dino" and "Ferrari Little Tiny One" in the spy photos. OK, maybe not that last one. But the rest of them are accurate. Whatever we used to call it in the spy photos, it's now set to take on a bit of West Coast flair. We'll be pleased as punch to see it in person in Paris later this year. For now, check out the photos below and press release after the jump.

New Ferrari California revealed: a hugely versatile, innovation-packed GT
Maranello, May 13th 2008 - The first official photographs have been published of the Ferrari California, the latest addition to the new generation of Ferraris launched in 2004 with the 612 Scaglietti and added to more recently with the 430 Scuderia.

The Ferrari California joins the Prancing Horse's 8-cylinder family which has always been defined by power and performance. It also flanks the flagship 612 Scaglietti in the prestige sporty Grand Tourer segment.

The new Ferrari California will satisfy even the most demanding of owners in term of its superb vehicle dynamics and driving pleasure. The new model will be available exclusively as a convertible with a folding hard top. Both chassis and bodywork are aluminium, in line with the rest of the current range. The California will be powered by a new V8 engine mounted for the first time in the marque's history in the mid-front position.

In line with Ferrari tradition, the new model also features several innovations. Apart from its folding hard top, these include the original 2+ concept which guarantees exceptional versatility of use in the rear of the car. The California's 4,300 cc V8 engine features direct fuel injection and a "flat" crankshaft. It generates 460 CV at 7,500 rpm with a torque curve that enhances vehicle dynamics and provides maximum driving pleasure which is typical for Ferrari.

As per the traditional Ferrari transaxle layout, the engine, which allows the Ferrari California to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4.0 seconds, will be coupled to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission that boosts the car's performance while enhancing the driving pleasure, improves ride comfort and reduces fuel consumption and emissions (c.310 g/km CO2). The comfort is further enhanced by a new multilink rear suspension system. The Ferrari California is also equipped with the exclusive F1-Trac traction control system which made its debut on the 599 GTB Fiorano and has been further honed to suit the typical driving conditions expected for this new GT. Brembo brakes featuring carbon-ceramic material disks as standard guarantee superbly efficient braking.

In addition to sporting the marque's classic styling cues, the cabin has also been beautifully trimmed using quality materials by Ferrari's own skilled artisans. New accessories and equipment, such as the seats, steering wheel, instrument panel and infotainment system, together with optimised aerodynamics ensure that this is a highly ergonomic and enjoyable car to drive regardless of whether the top is up or down.

The Ferrari California is aimed at owners who desire a car which embodies everything the Prancing Horse represents in terms of sporty design and innovation, but also seek a car with greater versatility than ever. The car will be officially unveiled to the public at the Paris International Car Show. However, over the coming weeks, new photographs and further details about it will also be published.

Ferrari GT Spied Again, Still Teasing Us In Camo

Mark Arnold — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

With just under 8 days until the official reveal of the new Ferrari GT, our anticipation keeps rising as the countdown clock keeps ticking. These new shots show off the camouflaged rear end of the upcoming stallion, an angle we haven't seen much of. Interesting to note are the vertically stacked tailpipes, something not seen on any other current Ferrari model. Technical details are still unconfirmed, but whatever kind of engine is in there, it sure sounds pretty dang good.

[automobil.se]

Ferrari GT Coming in 10 Days, 23 hours

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:40:00 EDT

The buzz machine for the pending Ferrari F149 just got a lot louder. A teaser website for the pending prancing pony which is apparently now called the Ferrari GT just went up and it's not only touting the time line for our first look, but also gives a specific countdown —10 days, 23 hours as of this printing 20 minutes — AND engine noises (swoon), AND a look at what we're assuming is the door handle. Hold onto you butts folks cause it's probably going to be a Ferrari GT love-fest for the next 10 days. [FerrariGT Countdown]

Ferrari F149 Dino California GT Thingamacar Caught Without Crazy Rear Camo

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:20:00 EDT

Despite the deadline for the really real pictures of the new Ferrari F149 (or Dino, or California GT) being supposedly only days away now, new shots have surfaced showing the true shape of the car. Now we're getting somewhere, we can see the tail end drops off with a very Berlinetta-like gusto and the overall shape reminds of the Maranello, though much smaller. The camo also suggests a fairly large radiator intake and two smaller intakes for something down low below the headlights. Very interesting Ferrari, this small GT thing you're working on has got potential. (h/t to Ard-Jan)

[FerrariChat via Autogespot]

Baby Ferrari F149 Dino California GT Or Whatever Caught In Action At Fiorano

Mark Arnold — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT

You've already heard about the upcoming baby Ferrari. A lot. Though we're not sure if it'll be called Dino, F149, California GT, or something else. What we do know is that we're told we can expect it to expose itself in about two weeks. And now, we may also know what it looks and sounds like in motion around Ferrari's Fiorano test track. Is that a V8 we hear screaming through the tailpipes?[YouTube via autoblog.nl]

Ferrari F149 Makes Photographic Debut... in Two Weeks?

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:45:00 EDT

The rumor mill has been churning at full froth lately over a possible new model from the shops of Maranello and Modena. One set of reports calls it a Ferrari Dino, another calls it the California GT and as of late, the third option is the Ferrari F149. Whatever it ends up being, Topspeed is reporting images of the new car will hit the web in just two weeks time. This means some outlets must have embargoed pictures — which means we'll probably be showing you shots later today after somebody jumps the gun and spills them all over upon seeing a story up saying the words "Ferrari F149." We all know how itchy those trigger fingers can become. But until then, we'll just have to be content to peek again at the spy photos of the Ferrari F149 / Dino / California Dreaming / Whatever and the knowledge that something is on it's way. We think.