Ferrari California
The Ferrari California is a beautiful grand tourer with 2 doors, 4 seats and a hardtop convertible roof. It keeps up the phenomenal standard set by the legendary Italian marque over the years, and combines jaw dropping performance with ‘everyday’ usability. Poised, refined and seriously stylish, it’s automotive perfection of the highest order.
Released in 2008, this car actually pioneers a whole new approach for Ferrari. It’s the first with a front mounted V8 engine, the first with a ‘coupe cabriolet’ roof, the first with a 7 speed double clutch gearbox, and guess what? It’s also the first with gasoline direct injection (GDI). Basically it’s got a whole host of stuff that’s never been used before, and is all the better for it. In addition, the huge performance and ultra specialised aerodynamics make it awesome, for lack of a better word.
Like all Ferraris, this is a work of art on the design front, and there are so many separate features that stand out it would take months to describe them all in detail. Some of the best however are the wonderful engine intake on the bonnet, the aero styled rear lights and the exhaust pipes. The 2+2 seating arrangement inside makes it quite practical, and there’s also a decent boot. Overall the cabin is elegant and lavishly styled with quality materials everywhere and wonderfully comfortable seats. This car was made for touring, and it certainly inspires you to get out on the open road, especially with the roof down on a sunny day.
The performance is just mind blowing, and the huge V8 engine produces a godly noise that makes your heard beat faster and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. As well as going from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds, it’ll also shoot you to a top speed of 193 mph. With most of the weight at the front, the California handles superbly and there’s enough grip to make the Earth spin faster. An abundance of technology like traction control makes it simple to drive and easy to feel like a hero, even if you’re not.
Not a cheap car by any means, the Ferrari is a big boy when it comes to price tags. However, buying a second hand one from Motors.co.uk will lessen the blow quite substantially and could actually turn out to be quite the bargain. Not only are there thousands of quality pre owned cars for sale, but prices are some of the lowest around, so even those people with mountains of money will be shocked at how much bang they can get for their buck. A used Ferrari California could be the greatest purchase you ever make.
At the end of the day, the Ferrari will really have you California dreamin’ because it’s just epic. Fabulous to look at, stonking to drive and actually rather practical, there’s no better way to cruise around on a hot summer’s day than in this beast with the top down. While it’s comfortable on British roads, if you really want to experience it at its best, take a cruise to continental Europe and attack the Alps. The only downside to this car is that you’ll never want to get out of it.