The New Ferrari California

[rhsgolfer33]

The largest market of punters with large wads of cash to blow on this thing live there. Being as it's meant to cost at least as much as a F430 it's not going to be cheap. Coupled with the fact that the handling is unlikely to be as sharp and focused as a F430 and it's really not all that pretty you are looking at selling it on badge alone. Hence California

I was under the impression that this car was supposed to be the Porsche 911 Turbo killer. I.E. around a $140,000 at entry level price tag, higher production numbers, and less power. I had heard that it was going to be the new bottom end of the Ferrari line. The "California" name kind of makes me think that even more, I can't go 10 miles without seeing a 911 where I live, I hope this Ferrari doesn't make it that way. Probably won't though, I imagine the production numbers on this will still be way lower than Porsche's on the Turbo (if it is the new low end).

 

[robbieduncan]

It is going to be the bottom of the line car. They want to move the 430 replacement to a higher price bracket to slot between this car and the 599.

Rumoured starting price in the UK is £100,000 with is significantly more than a 911 Turbo. But then I don't imagine it'll be made in 911 Turbo numbers either...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Beautiful from the front and in profile but the rear is less successful. At a hundred thousand pounds that doesn't make it that much cheaper than a 430 either...

The Alfa 8C is better looking.

 

[Abstract]

Whoever buys this car is only going to buy it because it looks OK, and it has a horse at the front. I don't think it matters whether an Alfa looks better or not.

The back just keeps getting fuglier every time I look at it. It's like some sort of deformity. I'm embarrassed to stare at it, but I can't stop looking taking a peek.

 

[yellow]

Whoever buys this car is only going to buy it because it looks OK, and it has a horse at the front. I don't think it matters whether an Alfa looks better or not.

I kinda figured dudes would be buying it to extend their penis size and/or get some lovin'.

 

[arkitect]

I kinda figured dudes would be buying it to extend their penis size and/or get some lovin'.

Kind of makes me wonder what that makes a show like TopGear?

 

[yellow]

Kind of makes me wonder what that makes a show like TopGear?

Same as above, but for fat guys?

(I've only watched part of one episode, so that's not fair of me to joke about.. Not that it will stop me.)

 

[Zwhaler]

Yawn. I would rather own any Porsche than an exotic. The new GT2 is faster in every way than cars twice it's price (including Lambos and Ferraris).

 

[PowerFullMac]

Yawn. I would rather own any Porsche than an exotic. The new GT2 is faster in every way than cars twice it's price (including Lambos and Ferraris).

And there is a Audi that is faster than a Porsche which is cheaper still!

 

[yellow]

Being 6'6" (198cm) tall, I can't fit in any of these damn things.

 

[bartelby]

How much is it?

For the money I'd rather have one of these Ferrari Californias:

Much sexier and probably more exclusive.

 

[Stridder44]

Meh. I mean it's still an awesome car, but there's not much that really stands out to me. Compared to some other Ferrari concepts, it's pretty boring actually. Mmmm...

 

[Counterfit]

Meh. I mean it's still an awesome car, but there's not much that really stands out to me. Compared to some other Ferrari concepts, it's pretty boring actually. Mmmm...

Ferrari Cayman?

 

[Markleshark]

Ferrari Cayman?

I thought exactly the same thing.

Although, the 612 is a nice machine.

 

[iGav]

I thought exactly the same thing.

Didn't the headlights, bonnet vents, rear cooling ducts and overly curvacious quarter panel give it away?

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I'd take that shape over a Cayman in a minute, even if it was a Lada instead of a Ferrari.

 

[iGav]

For the money I'd rather have one of these Ferrari Californias:

Well... that's not actually a California, that's a 250 GT PF.

How much is it?

Well the new California according to Autocar is going to be slightly more expensive than a pauper spec F430 so you're looking at what... £130k perhaps?

A 250 GT California... you're going to need... a million, maybe more.

and probably more exclusive.

You could say that.

Anyway, Autocar have posted more specs;

• 4.3-litre V8
• 453bhp
• Sub-4.0secs 0-62mph
• 7 speed twin-clutch transmission
• Ceramic brakes standard
• F1-Trac traction control system
• 310g/km CO2

Sounds like a perfect Aston baiting machine to me.

 

[bartelby]

Well... that's not actually a California, that's a 250 GT PF.

Really?
The guy who owned it was under the impression it was a California when I asked him about it.

Maybe he didn't know...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

A 250 GT California... you're going to need... a million, maybe more.

Worth every penny IMHO. That shape, like so many of the classics, could never meet todays safety regs.

The biggest argument for the Ferrari against the Porsche is that everyone has a Porsche...but I have to say I've seen more Ferraris on my midwestern highways than Astons, so for exclusivity an Aston would be a winner.

But I'd take the Ferrari. Or rather, the Alfa 8C.

 

[rhsgolfer33]

The biggest argument for the Ferrari against the Porsche is that everyone has a Porsche...but I have to say I've seen more Ferraris on my midwestern highways than Astons, so for exclusivity an Aston would be a winner.

Thats funny, out here in Southern California there are way more Astons than Ferrari's, even in Beverly Hills and Malibu. I typically see about 15-20 Porsches, 4-5 Astons and if I'm lucky 1-2 Ferrari's when I'm out in either area.

 

[xlii]

Are these cars green? How many mpg do they get... that's all I care about in a car. They are just machines... meant to get you from one place to the next... like all machines... they wear out... you throw them away. Sorry but even if I had more money than I knew what to do with I wouldn't be buying an expensive car.

 

[rhsgolfer33]

Are these cars green? How many mpg do they get... that's all I care about in a car. They are just machines... meant to get you from one place to the next... like all machines... they wear out... you throw them away. Sorry but even if I had more money than I knew what to do with I wouldn't be buying an expensive car.

These cars don't wear out, the people that own them don't drive them enough. Its not uncommon to see a 10-20 year old Ferrari with less than 10,000 miles on it selling for more than was originally paid for it. Ferrari's can really be an investment that increase in value, can't really say that for many cars.

These cars aren't about mpgs either, if you've got $250,000 to throw down for a brand new Ferrari that you'll probably have to wait a year or two to actually recieve then you probably aren't terribly worried about the $75 it'll take to fill one up and you probably don't drive it enough to worry about the environment. People buy these to enjoy driving them once in a while, not so much to get you from A to B everyday like your Toyota Corrola (they've got a nice Bentley for that).

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Are these cars green? How many mpg do they get... that's all I care about in a car. They are just machines... meant to get you from one place to the next... like all machines... they wear out... you throw them away. Sorry but even if I had more money than I knew what to do with I wouldn't be buying an expensive car.

Throwing machines away when they wear out isn't green at all. Ferraris, like any luxury item, are about exclusivity and not environmentalism. Otherwise Ferrari would be manufacturing rickshaws out of carbon-neutral materials.

If I had more money than I knew what to do with I'd have a different one-off Ferrari for every day of the week, like the Sultan of Brunei.

 

[Stridder44]

Ferrari Cayman?

From what I've read, I think it's actually the new Dino.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Maybe not on itself... but the Aston's Ford ancillaries and 2 decade old design language should probably do it.

Aston Martin's are the most beautiful cars on the face of this planet, two decade old design or not.