2009 Ferrari California: Is this one too tame?

PETER BLEAKNEY FOR THE TORONTO STAR

The snout and grille on the new California are a classic Ferrari design, while the side vents and functional air scoop recall earlier Maranello models.

Peter Bleakney

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

SAN DIEGO, CALIF.–Ferrari aficionados were a trifle worried about the 2009 California.

Developed with the intent of expanding Ferrari's market beyond the highly focused V8 mid-engined F430 and the classic V12 front-engined 612 Scagliatti and 599 GTB, would this "user-friendly" 2+2, featuring the marque's first front-mounted V8, first twin-clutch transmission and first folding hardtop be less of a Prancing Horse and more of Mincing Pony? A trophy car for trophy wives? Would it be a real Ferrari?

Allow me to answer those questions. No. Most likely. Hell, yeah.

Prodding the California's throttle delivers eye-widening forward thrust accompanied by a wail from the flat-plane-crank 4.3 L V8 that could wake the dead – and have them cheering. Added to this is a symphony of snaps, crackles and pops while flicking through the gears of the fast-shifting seven-speed box.

Nothing sounds like a Ferrari, and with the hardtop accordioned after its 14-second ballet, you'll feel you're getting every penny's worth of the $262,000 you'll have to spend.

The all-aluminum California is a striking car, and here in been-there-done-that So-Cal, the red specimen I drove with optional 20-inch wheels was mobbed at every stop.

The raked snout and large grille are pure Maranello – the side vents and functional hood scoop recall the 1954-64 California 250 GTs from which this car gets its name.

The back end is a tad, er ... voluptuous, but its girth is pretty well disguised by the sweeping fenders carved into the rear flanks. This car literally has a lot of junk in the trunk – the roof and its hardware, the twin-clutch transaxle, the fuel tank and a useful cargo area with a pass-through (339 L roof up, 240 L roof retracted).

Swathed in finely stitched leather, the interior is unmistakably Ferrari, especially if you go for the classic tan hide. The beltline is high, and even with the roof retracted, backing up is tricky due to the elevated rear deck.

The back seats are pretty much unusable, so if you don't need to carry small children or circus performers, the no-cost parcel shelf option seems a good idea.

A large central tach dominates the gauge cluster and the rotary "manettino" switch on the steering wheel calls up a trio of dynamic presets that adjust the stability control, transmission shift maps and, if so equipped, the optional Magnaride active dampers ($6,900). Comfort is the most relaxed, with Sport loosening the reins on the stability control, firming up the suspension and delivering faster shifts at higher revs. The third setting disables the stability control.

None of the test cars I drove had the active dampers, so I can't comment on that system, but the standard suspension strikes a commendable balance between ride comfort and body control.

The Getrag-built seven-speed transaxle can be operated in fully auto or manual mode, with large column-mounted paddle shifters doing duty. For those who like to abuse their machinery, launch control is standard.

The jewel of the California lies underhood – a revised version of the F430's 4.3 L DOHC 90-degree V8 featuring Ferrari's first application of direct injection. Horsepower is down slightly to 453, but torque increases 15 lb.-ft. to 358, with 75 per cent of that twist available from 2250 r.p.m. It's above 4000 r.p.m. where this puppy comes alive, pulling maniacally to its 8000 r.p.m. redline while spitting out that sublime soundtrack. The California scoots to 100 km/h in less than four seconds and tops out at 310 km/h.

The front mid-engined layout and rear-mounted transmission give this 1,735 kg drop-top a 47/53 front/rear weight distribution. This makes for a well-balanced package, and indeed, with its multi-link rear suspension, the California showed poise and impressive grip on the twisting bits of our test route.

It's not all sunshine in the California, however. The standard carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes squeal, the transmission gets jerky in stop-and-go traffic (the Porsche PDK and AMG Speedshift MTC seem to handle this task better) and the seats are pretty hard yet don't offer a lot of lateral support. The steering could be better too. It's somewhat numb on-centre, overly assisted and doesn't deliver the expected feedback.

Fortunately for Ferrari, most California buyers won't have spent any time in a Dodge/Chrysler/VW minivan, so they won't recognize the infotainment unit. Yup. Same one as in the VW Routan I recently tested.

But those niggles seem to fade away when the California is in its natural environment – blasting top-down along a winding inland road in (where else?) sunny California. At speed, the engine and transaxle work in perfect harmony, and the urge to drop a gear just to bask in that aural magic is answered by a simple flick of the left wrist. You'll be seeking every tunnel and underpass in this baby.

Folks looking at the California could easily be tempted by the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, which boasts a stonkin' 518 hp V8, a retractible hardtop, a clever seven-speed transmission – and a $151,000 price tag. Or how about the $131,300 BMW M6 Cabriolet with its racy 500 hp V10? Both these cars offer similar performance, top-down fun and a chance to save more than a hundred grand.

More likely, buyers will cross-shop the $238,500 SL65 AMG, the not-yet-priced Aston Martin DBS Volante, or the $285,000 Bentley Continental GTC. All fabulous cars in their own right, but none carry that intangible Ferrari mystique that shoppers in this snack bracket are happy to pay for.

Oh, and there's another thing that makes the California a true Ferrari. If you're lucky enough to get on the waiting list, you'll be drumming your fingers for at least eight months.

Travel was provided to freelance writer Peter Bleakney by the automaker. pebleakney@sympatico.ca

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