Practical. Ferrari. Two words that don't belong in the same sentence, unless you're trying to say that the stoic Italian automaker's road cars are practically race cars.
That wouldn't be far from the truth, either. Ferrari originally began selling consumer road cars only as a means to support its racing efforts. Sixty years later, while rival F1 teams demand the financial patronage of major automakers, Ferrari's is sustained by its road car sales. And to this day, the company's two divisions work closely together to produce street-legal sports cars packed with technology garnered directly from the racetrack. Many superlatives can – and often are – attached to the products of their efforts, but "practical" isn't one of them. Not for a company whose entire product line-up consists of distinctly performance-oriented two-door sports cars.
Not that the idea of a more versatile Ferrari has never been broached, however. Pininfarina – the design house tasked with styling most of Ferrari's road cars over the course of the last sixty years – showcased a concept Ferrari sedan in 1980 called the Pinin, and even produced half a dozen station wagons for the Sultan of Brunei called the Venice and based on the 456 GT. However while these rare exceptions remain in obscurity, Ferrari will never offer a four-door model. That might be a bankable prediction if it were our own, but it comes directly from the mouth of the one man who could back up such a bold and assertive statement: Luca di Montezemolo, Enzo's successor, president of Ferrari and chairman of its parent company Fiat. Archrival Lamborghini came to the Paris auto salon with the Estoque four-door concept car, and sister-company Maserati used the venue to unveil its new Quattroporte, while fellow European sportscar-makers Porsche and Aston Martin were busy working on four-door models of their own. Even Bugatti and Koenigsegg – two ultra-exclusive niche automakers engaged in the battle for the highest top speeds attainable – are said to be working on their own four-door models. But downstairs from where we sat, Ferrari's latest offering, the California, was being viewed by the public for the first time.
Like every Ferrari that has come before it, the new California takes the classic form of the two-door sportscar. But even within those parameters there exists a wide range of usability. Take, for example, the FXX: an advanced client-driven test-bed for cutting-edge automotive technology based on the Enzo supercar. “Practical” considerations like baggage space and child-seat mounting points don't even enter into the equation. But take the 612 Scaglietti from the other end of the spectrum and you're looking at a trunk big enough to accommodate golf bags, and four proper seats fit for four full-grown adults in a package suitable – ideally suited, some would say – for swallowing continents like its occupants would a light snack (a decidedly gourmet one, at that). So a Scaglietti is more practical, then, than an FXX, but that's about the extent of it.
The California, however, could be the most practical Ferrari to date. Although the California is homologated as a four-seater, Ferrari calls it a 2+, offering the customer the choice of four seats or an additional parcel shelf. Its ingenious folding roof mechanism provides all the advantages of both a closed-roof coupe and an open-air roadster, with none of the drawbacks. Even with the roof down, trunk space is still more than enough to swallow its occupants’ luggage, while a pass-through to the rear seats can accommodate a set of skis for a dash up the Alps. And while the California’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission provides for the fastest shift-times yet, it can also shift seamlessly from gear to gear for smooth cruising.
It would be all too easy, however, to dismiss the California, as too many mistakenly have, as a boulevard cruiser devoid of performance capabilities. As we discovered on the twisting mountain roads and sweeping expressways of rural Sicily, the picturesque driver’s paradise, which Ferrari selected to launch its new roadster, the California is every bit as deserving of the Prancing Horse badge as any that have come before it. Slip into its exquisitely crafted leather-lined cabin and it's immediately evident where the California's cockpit places its emphasis. From the aggressively bolstered seats to the instrument cluster dominated by its glowing yellow tachometer, the California begs to be driven, and driven hard… a feeling only reinforced when thumbing the bright red starter button on the steering wheel. The engine comes alive with a furious growl that very well might be the sweetest sound these ears have ever heard, only to grow more tempting with each prod of the accelerator. And make no mistake about it, the driver will oblige blissfully until arriving at the next corner. That’s where the California’s state-of-the-art carbon-ceramic brakes, specially developed with Brembo and wisely fitted as standard equipment, come into play, as it scrubs off speed as quickly as it built it up. Turn-in is razor-sharp, feedback from the wheel and pedals proves more communicative than a therapy session, and the whole package comes together like an orchestrated symphony, with the driver holding the maestro’s baton.
It’s an experience to which, like many of the finest things in life, we could become accustomed all too easily. And this is where the California differentiates itself from the rest of Ferrari’s offerings. Although it hasn’t even hit the market yet, Ferrari has already released another new model since the California’s unveiling. Called the 16M Scuderia Spider, it celebrates Ferrari’s unprecedented 16th constructors’ championship in Formula One. It’s essentially a convertible version of the 430 Scuderia and is hailed as the fastest open-top Ferrari ever made. But while its limited production of 499 units are assuredly already spoken for, die-hard enthusiasts fear the worst fate a Ferrari can suffer: being mothballed, holed up in some collector’s garage and seldom if ever driven. The features that make the California, however, the most versatile Ferrari ever guarantee that it will be driven, driven hard and driven often. And that can make the difference between a good Ferrari and a great Ferrari. Practically speaking, that is.
Specifications (2009 Ferrari California):
Base Price Range (Manual - F1 A MSRP): TBA
Body Type: 2-door retractable hardtop
Layout: front engine, RWD
Engine: 453 hp, 358 lb-ft of torque, 4.3L, 32-valve, DOHC V8
Transmission: 6-spd manual (opt. 7-spd dual-clutch sequential manual)
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 4.0 sec
Top Speed: 310 km/h (193 mph)
Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS, EBD, BA
Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,563 / 1,902 / 1,308 / 2,670 mm (179.6 / 74.9 / 51.5 / 105.1 in)
Curb Weight (dry): 1,630 kg (3,594 lbs)
Tires (f/r): 245/40R19 / 285/40R19 Z-rated (opt. 245/35R20 / 285/35R20)
Cargo Volume (trunk space top up / down): 360 / 260 L (12.7 / 9.2 cu-ft)
Fuel Economy (est. average city/hwy): 13.1 L/100 km
Warranty (mo/km): 24/unlimited comprehensive
Competitors: Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster, Bentley Continental GTC Speed, BMW M6 Cabriolet, Jaguar XJR Convertible, Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet
Website: www.ferrariusa.com
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