Thursday 16th February 2012

Ferrari California Handling Speciale

Plus 30hp, minus 30kg and a suitably pretentious suffix for sharpened Ferrari California

---

Chances are Ferrari wasn't imagining hammed-up Latin gesticulation and a faux Italian accent when describing its new package for the California but 'Handling Speciale' it is.

This slightly odd appellation describes a new upgrade available alongside a 30kg weight loss and 30hp power gain being introduced for the updated California debuting at Geneva in a couple of weeks. Not facelifted of course. That would imply it wasn't already perfect, which would of course be inconceivable.

Tweaked California is 'Speciale'

Revised Californias are already in production ahead of the formal show debut in a couple of weeks, the 30hp boost to 490hp deriving from software tweaks to the ECU as well as more traditional tuning methods such as new exhaust manifolds. The resulting 490hp is the headline figure, but Ferrari is also promising improved flexibility and a more accessible torque curve. The peak figure also climbs from the 357lb ft of the current car to 372lb ft.

These changes mean Ferrari's official 0-62mph claim of 'less than four seconds' for the California has now been clarified as 3.8 seconds. Either way, seriously rapid for a car apparently intended as the 'accessible' Ferrari.

The optional Handling Speciale pack meanwhile brings a number of detail chassis mods, including faster Magnetorheological (try that in your Italian waiter's accent...) dampers with a halved response time, stiffer springs and a quicker steering rack.

'Modern interpretations of classic colour schemes' and an expanded range of two-tone and three-layer paint finishes are also part of the update, first deliveries of the updated California starting in Europe.

[myhandle]

It already drove very well, but it still suffers from 612-syndrome of awkward styling.

[marmite monster]

looks like a peugeot

[s3fella]

Weird, these are my favourite Ferrari in the current range.

[IAJO]

s3fella said:

Weird, these are my favourite Ferrari in the current range.

me too.

[kaliber]

Handles like a golf...

[Jimbo_vx]

looks like a boat.

[AA355]

Jimbo_vx said:

looks like a boat.

Hmmm at least it dosent look like a golf....

[stuckmojo]

marmite monster said:

looks like a peugeot

Definitely.

I really don't like the latest Ferrari style. (save for the 458, which does not look like a smiling basking shark)

[FourWheelDrift]

If I was looking at one in a showroom no matter how good it was I would always be thinking about the fake exhausts.

[Hellbound]

This is probably the all the Ferrari I'll ever need. In fact I'd say it's far more than that. Personally I prefer it in the metal to how it looks in photos.

If I was in the market for one of these, no amount of criticism from forums like this would stop me from seriously considering one.

[kaliber]

FourWheelDrift said:

If I was looking at one in a showroom no matter how good it was I would always be thinking about the fake exhausts.

http://kereta.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/FERRARI-CALIFORNIA-EXHAUST-321x400.jpg

fail

[sherbert90]

I think it looks pretty good from the front, but the back...

I can't help but think that if it was my own money, I'd take a Maserati Granturismo. One of the best looking cars ever for less money

[ali4390]

Article said:

faster Magnetorheological

I'd buy the car just for that. Sounds exciting!

[Whiters]

I appreciate weightloss can have huge advantages, but 30kg in a 1600-1700kg car? Really?

If you can feel the difference/benefit then you probably have a problem with your nervous system and should seek medical advice. I dropped not far off that earlier this morning and I don't feel any wieldier.

[TaylotS2K]

another +1 for Peugeot look-a-like. Very RC-Z with the blue/silver roof combo.

[E38Ross]

Whiters said:

I appreciate weightloss can have huge advantages, but 30kg in a 1600-1700kg car? Really?

If you can feel the difference/benefit then you probably have a problem with your nervous system and should seek medical advice. I dropped not far off that earlier this morning and I don't feel any wieldier.

agree, you won't feel 30kgs difference, but a combination of -30kgs and +30bhp should be a tad noticeable.

i suspect all of the handling differences will be in the damper changes, not 30kgs off of a reasonably heavy car

[Gorbyrev]

Like the 612 or 550 this is a Ferrari you could use everyday. By the way, much kudos to the petrolhead who kept his '98 550 Maranello parked on the road in St Andrew' s. Much appreciated! Perhaps all the Fezza you need on paper.

[Whiters]

E38Ross said:

Whiters said:

I appreciate weightloss can have huge advantages, but 30kg in a 1600-1700kg car? Really?

If you can feel the difference/benefit then you probably have a problem with your nervous system and should seek medical advice. I dropped not far off that earlier this morning and I don't feel any wieldier.

agree, you won't feel 30kgs difference, but a combination of -30kgs and +30bhp should be a tad noticeable.

i suspect all of the handling differences will be in the damper changes, not 30kgs off of a reasonably heavy car

But still, just do the power increase and chassis mods (which I agree will make a difference) and don't bother with such a token weight reduction.

On an Elise special, it's not a terrible figure (Club Racer was not far of 30kg lighter). Even Bentley managed to get over 100kg out of the Continental with the Supersport.

30KG at this weight slaps far more of marketing than any genuine desire to influence the car's behaviour. One options list tick and a large breakfast will have their dieting work undone.

[KenC]

Whiters said:

But still, just do the power increase and chassis mods (which I agree will make a difference) and don't bother with such a token weight reduction.

On an Elise special, it's not a terrible figure (Club Racer was not far of 30kg lighter). Even Bentley managed to get over 100kg out of the Continental with the Supersport.

30KG at this weight slaps far more of marketing than any genuine desire to influence the car's behaviour. One options list tick and a large breakfast will have their dieting work undone.

I'm sure Ferrari could also get 100kg out of the California if it was to produce an additional model though I doubt you will see a California CS/Scuderia because that is not the type of car the it is. Bentley still produced the heavier car alongside the SS. At least all Californias will share the benefits of weight loss, however small they may be. If you want a lighter Ferrari buy a 458/ Scuderia or CS.

[f328nvl]

Gorbyrev said:

Like the 612 or 550 this is a Ferrari you could use everyday. By the way, much kudos to the petrolhead who kept his '98 550 Maranello parked on the road in St Andrew' s. Much appreciated! Perhaps all the Fezza you need on paper.

I had a 550. You could only use it everyday if you had a very wide parking space and never used any other car park. The doors are both long and wide. In most places you simply cannot get out of them, and I was relatively skinny back then.

The California is so good it is just boring, which rather defeats the object of a Ferrari. Maybe this tweak will make it more exciting, but I'm not holding my breath.