Here in the U.S., all eyes are on the North American International Auto Show->ke222 in Detroit. Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, the City of Brussels, the Capital of Belgium, is hosting its annual auto show. Last year, one of the models unveiled at the show was the 2015 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Tour De France Edition. That model debuted with a 740-horsepower, 508-pound-foot monster of a V-12 that was mated to an F1 dual-clutch transmission. The car was built to pay homage to the Ecurie Francorchamps GTO that won the Tour de France in 1964, and was a huge international success after its debut. Because of that success, one of Ferrari’->ke252s three authorized dealer’s in Belgium teamed up with the Tailer Made program again – this time, to bring a bespoke version of the California T to the 2016 Brussels Auto Show.

Aptly named the California T Tailor Made, the car was built to pay respect to the Ferrari 458 GT3 – the car that won the Pro-Am Cup class at the 2015 24 Hours of Spa with “Gimmi” Bruni, Alessandro Pier Guidi, Pasin Lathouras and Stephane Lemert rotating control of the helm. As part of paying homage to that 458 GT3,->ke3479 this California T->ke3183 sports some of the same livery as the 458 GT3 inside and out.

Since this California T has just debuted in Brussels, there is no telling if it will be as successful as the Tour De France edition of the F12 from last year, but the chances are that it will be. So, without wasting any more time, let’s take a good close look at the Tailor Made California T and what features make it so special.

Continue reading to learn more about the Ferrari California T - Tailor Made.

2016 Ferrari California T - Tailor Made

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Ferrari California T - Tailor Made
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

What makes the Ferrari California T - Tailor Made special

A quick glance at the car and you can’t miss that Rosso Corsa Red, or as many like to call it, “Ferrari Red.” And right smack in the middle are those red, white, and blue racing stripes that run from stem to stern. Furthermore, the same racing stripes, albeit a bit smaller, runs from the rearward edge of the front wheel arch toward the rear. Ultimately it slants downward to terminate at the lower, front corner of the rear wheel arch. The cool part is, however, that at the end of that side racing stripe – right where it slants downward – the design of the side skirts gives the stripe a 3D appearance like it is curved 90 degrees from away from the body. Yellow edges have also been applied to the outer edge of the Argento Nürburgring wheels, and yellow arrows have been placed on the door handles.

On the inside, the Tailor Made California T gets even more interesting as even more respect is paid to the race-winning 458 GT3. The mid and lower dash, center console, steering wheel, and door trim have all been graciously covered with Alcantara that is offset with red stitching. Along with that Alcantara, matte black carbon-fiber trim has also been added to various parts of the interior, including the steering wheel, center console inserts, upper door trim, and upper dashboard. As you can see on top of that flat-bottom steering wheel, the white, red, and blue racing stripes are also applied to the top of the steering wheel. The footwells are designed in black aluminum, but the carpets and floor mats are actually bullet proof – made from SuperFabric that has a 3D surface finish.

Ferrari didn’t release any details as far as the car’s drivetrain, so it’s best to assume that it has the same drivetrain as the standard California T. Of course, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as far as power output goes. The current California T offers up 560 horsepower and 557 pound-feet of torque from a 3.9-liter V-8. Let’s not beat around the bush here – a 3.6-second sprint to 62 mph and a top speed of 196 mph is nothing to laugh at.

Regardless of what really is under that hood, what really matters is the respect this car is paying to the GT3, and I think it does that quite well. Who can argue with all the Alcantara and carbon fiber work, and really, who doesn’t like a well-placed racing stripe? I like what Tailor Made and Ferrari did with this bespoke California T, but what do you think? Could they have done more to honor the GT3 and its drivers from the 24 Hours of Spa? Let us know in the comments below or drop us a line on our Facebook page.

Ferrari California T

There is no denying that the introduction of California 250 GT back in 1957 was the beginning of a long, distinguished line of models that has surely pleased anyone who has been lucky enough to own one. The California T is the latest release in the California line, and it carries on the legacy quite well. As of the time of this publication, the Ferrari California is the cheapest model available from Ferrari, with the standard model starting at $198,973. It’s a little out of my price range, but not a bad price for an entry-level model from a manufacturer like Ferrari.

Read our full review on the Ferrari California T here.