| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Ferrari California made its debut in 2008 and is the company’s 2+2 hardtop convertible. It is a front engine, rear wheel drive grand touring sports car and was the first vehicle in four decades that did not carry an alphanumeric appendage. The California is powered by a 4.3L V8 delivering 454 HP and 358 lb-ft of torque. This engine can be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or the company’s first seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. Ferrari California plays bumper cars with the rear end of BMW 5-Series
 
At some point, you’d think that we would have gotten a little numb from all these exotic car wrecks we’ve been seeing for years now. But that assertion is as misplaced as saying that Toyota cars are safe. You never get used to something like this, especially when something like a Ferrari is involved. Like in this case where a Ferrari California somehow rear-ended a BMW 5-Series, causing significant damage for both cars. While it’s not as spectacular as other car crashes we’ve seen in the past, the driver of the California is going to have to pay a pretty steep price not just to repair his exotic supercar, but also for that poor 5-Series that was pretty much just minding its own business. Ferrari California by Novitec Rosso - again
Yes, we’ve been through this before; this is not the first time you’re seeing Novitec Rosso offering a tuning program for the Ferrari California. But while Novitec already did quite a job the first time around, it seems the tuner has decided that it can do better. Well, they did; taking the engine performance of this California up to 606 horsepower - an increasing of 105 horsepower from their earlier work. Also, this new tuning package has the cars peak torque going up to 603 NM, as well as the performance numbers: 0 - 60 mph is now made in just 3.8 seconds while top speed is up to an impressive 202 mph. The aerodynamic kit includes: a new front spoiler, new rocker panels with integrated airfoils and black side markers, a rear diffuser and rear spoiler lip and of course a set of three-piece Novitec Rosso NF3 wheels. Press release after the jump. Full story Ferrari California by Fabspeed
Get the Flash Player to see this player. Fabspeed is the third tuner to come with a tuning package for the all new drop top Ferrari California. The kit consists of a high quality hand built T304 stainless steel high performance exhaust system made up of a set of HJS hih flow sport catalytic converters which fit directly in the place of the much more restrictive factory cats. When combined with the EVOMS ECU, dyno testing has proved significant improvements in both horsepower and torque across the entire RPM band from the front midship mounted high revving 4.3 Liter V8 mated to a 7 speed paddle shifted transaxle, making the new California much more fun at any speed. Not to mention the sound. More video after the jump. Full story 1966 Ferrari 365 California
A large, luxurious grand tourer, destined especially to the wealthiest clients - this is how it can be described in just a few words the model revealed in 1966 at the Geneva Motor Show. With only 14 units built, the 365 California was a rare beauty on the market, with only 8 exported on the America.  Even if its designer Tom Tjaarda has been working for Pininfarina for quite a few years now, designing the 365 California was quite a challenge for him: "It was strange because I did it at home during the summertime,” he remembered. “They had an urgent need so I came back in September with sketches ... The difficult part was making it look like a Ferrari, but different."  The 365 California featured tail light assemblies that were unique to the model, being angular units to suit the shape of the tail corner, with triple circular lenses in a reflective surround. However, there were differences between the reflector colours and even the lens units on individual cars. Full story
Video: Audi R8 and Ferrari California rental cars
When you say Audi R8 or Ferrari California the first thing that comes to your head is "hot girls." Lets face it, with a car like this you are a real "Don Juan!" But the last thing that came to your head is bear suits. But a rental thought this is the best combination to sell their cars! Ferrari California by Novitec Rosso
It takes a German to make an Italian stallion this wild. Novitec Rosso, the arm of the high end tuning firm that specializes in all things from Maranello, has just released a new customization package for the 460 HP V8 powered Ferrari California. Novitec leaves no aspect of the brand new retractable hard top sports coupe untouched, making modifications both inside and out, and they weren’t worried about getting a little grease under their fingernails because they also changed out the suspension in search of better handling. But what’s the benefit of looking good and being able to take corners a little faster if you can’t blow past other California drivers on the straights, so the German engineers gave the front engine Ferrari a more aggressive engine tune as well.  The outside benefits from healthy heap of carbon fiber, with elements like a new front chin spoiler, rocker panel moldings and a new diffuser incorporated into the rear apron. The German tuner is offering the package with their three piece Novitec Rosso NF3 wheels sized either 21 or 22 inches in diameter depending on how much you want to feel the road. Don’t worry about wheel gap because the car comes down by 35 mm at all four corners not only lowering lap times but giving the new California the perfect stance. The Ferrari’s engine management software has been reprogrammed with custom mapping that optimizes both injection and ignition increasing output to an even 500 HP and 382 lb-ft of torque when combined with the new stainless steel exhaust that allows the California to be heard. Full story Luca Di Montezemolo beaches Ferrari California with Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso onboard
This year’s Ferrari World Finals in Valencia, Spain was supposed to be the culmination of a year-long Ferrari racing series that takes place all over the world. What was supposed to be the final round of the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy and the Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge ended up being overshadowed by a rather amusing and dim-witted incident involving three of the brand’s biggest names, Ferrari chief Luca Di Montezemolo and Ferrari’s 2010 F1 drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. In respect to both Massa and Alonso, they weren’t really to blame for the incident because they just happened to be sitting in the same car as the real culprit, Di Montezemolo himself. The trio were parading around the track in a Ferrari California when Di Montezemolo – he was the one driving, by the way – decided to make an unplanned pit stop and drove into the gravel pits. Predictably, the California ended up getting stuck into the gravel after the rear tires got beached. Continued after the jump. Full story Video: Ferrari California does too much showboating in Bulgaria, ends up crashing into a bulldozer
We’ve all had our fair share of exotic crashes over the years and despite the stomach-churning sight of seeing these prized beauties burn, get mowed down, or get smashed into smithereens, we still can’t get enough. Days after a Bugatti Veyron dove into a lake in Texas, we now go to Sofia, Bulgaria for an up-close look at a Ferrari California getting whacked not just by an oncoming car, but to make things worse, a bulldozer too. In the video, two Ferrari Californias are whooping it up in the streets of Sofia, power sliding and showing off their muscles to anyone willing to take a glance. But after too much showboating, one of the cars overdoes his drift and catches an oncoming car side-on. The California bounces off the car and hits a bulldozer seconds later. Needless to say, the lesson is very important in this crash. If you’re going to show-off your wheels, it’s always a good idea to still bear some semblance of caution. Otherwise, this is how your showboating is going to end up. Ferrari California by Hamann
 For most a car like the Ferrari California is nothing more than a dream, let alone a tuned version of Maranello’s latest hard roof drop top sports car. The aftermarket manufacturer Hamann has just unveiled their latest creation at the Frankfurt Motor Show, a customization package for the Italian sports car that improves both its appearance and performance with a host of carbon fiber aerodynamic pieces as well as a 20% bump in power. Press release after the jump. Full story Video: Ferrari 458 Italia spy video from the factory in Maranello
We aren’t quite sure whether to call the individual that captured this fleet of Ferrari’s newest prancing horses in Maranello lucky or brave, but one thing is for sure, it takes some serious testicular fortitude to hang out camcorder in hand in front of Enzo’s factory. While posted on what must have been a weeklong stakeout this Italian automotive paparazzo was able to capture four preproduction Ferrari 458 Italias wearing the popular camera confusing white stripes to hide the new super car’s beautiful bodylines that most likely won’t be seen until September 15th when the new mid engine sports car is unveiled simultaneously at the Frankfurt Motor Show as well as back home in Maranello. The latest incarnation of the mid-rear engined berlinetta is a completely new car from every point of view: engine, design, aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and ergonomics and benefits hugely from the company’s Formula 1 experience. The new car is powered by a 4,499 cc V8 which is the first Ferrari direct injection engine to be mid-rear mounted and delivers a maximum of 562 HP at 9,000 RPM while generating a peak of 398 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm, over 80% of which is available as low as 3,250 RPM. The videographer was also able to catch both the sights and sounds of two striking red Ferrari California drop tops as well as one mysterious looking F-430. We call it mysterious because this particular example appears to be a bonafide test mule for the new car, wearing a set of Maseratti wheels and a pair of scoops molded to the rear of the deck lid, eerily similar to the new 458’s rear mounted radiator feeding air ducts. Whatever the case may be, it is just nice to be able to both see and hear these exotic Italian machines in action. More spy video after the jump. Full story | featured reviews: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|