Thursday, February 9, 2012

The Ferrari California (if you're a bloke or a girl)

California drifting in London


When this kind of Ferrari debuted at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, what can I say about this Ferrari California (フェラーリ・カリフォルニア)? Is this a convertible? A long distance cruiser? A supercar? And still be a Ferrari? We're not diddling about this like what Vicki Butler-Henderson reviewed on Fifth Gear but this Ferrari California is stubbornly different than the other Ferraris ever made. Enzo Ferrari will be turning in to his grave when he encounters this kind of Ferrari but this is not some kind of a long distance grand tourer and a supercar all rolled into one. The California is Ferrari's first ever FR sports cabriolet that comes with a first retractable hard-top that can be opened or closed in less than 14 seconds. It is the first to come with the first fuel-injected 4.3L V8 engine that can go 0-60m in under 4 seconds and a top speed of 310kph. This car marks the start of Ferrari's commitment to reduce emissions and it will yield more women with the California. It has CO2 emissions of 305.6 g/km while the combined fuel economy is 13.1 l/100 km, which are bad numbers for a supercar. It even comes with the new 7-speed double-clutch paddle shift transmission, which is a first for a Ferrari road car.

Stig remembered that this car is
driven by Vicki Butler-Henderson

It maybe somewhat a Ferrari convertible you may fall in love it but because of the car's firsts, this car made me feel like a jerk. I felt like I'm ending up on the same league of Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, and the rest of the Fifth Gear presenters, but I don't want to be like them because a show like Fifth Gear is really really boring. By the way, it was featured on Jeremy Clarkson's 2009 DVD titled "Duel", where Clarkson's Aston Martin Volante battled against Vicki's California and it all ended on a "Dead Heat". Not only that, the people behind the Gran Turismo series were responsible for the Ferrari California's promotional video that was seen at the special Ferrari website, way before its Parisian debut since Autumn 2008.

This California only live twice...

Having the Ferrari California featured on Gran Turismo 5 is somewhat an ambitious act to follow but when I drove this thing the first time after watching the duel between Clarkson and Vicki Butler-Henderson, I love it. I think this car is might have been a whole new romance but when I corner around the sharpest of corners, well, let's be honest, let's say difficult. Despite that, the California is more fun and I am going to be bonkers, just as women in the motoring journalism drive me mental.

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