RE:Open Season: Ferrari California

[Pork]

Life Saab Itch said:

Was it originally meant to be a Maser?

Interesting.

I didnt like the above at SS, I thikn the carbon spoils it and I thought the usually special interior looked bland.

In the right colour, in the flesh, the look superb.

[mikEsprit]

SleeperCell said:

To me, the California is just one of those cars that you see and you just know the owner is very unlikely to be an enthusiast or much interested in cars beyond posing.

I don't know. To me, it's the most understated F car. Without the horse in the grille, most people wouldn't know what it is.

[russy01]

PhantomPH said:

And to my mind, the one option that SHOULD have been chosen, has been missed off - the 20" diamond alloys. The things on there look shocking!

I actually really like the California - but that individual car does less than nothing for me. There are some lovely ones doing the rounds (see the classifieds for example) but that is definitely NOT one of them.

Bang on.

[fatboy69]

Saw a similar specced California in Solihull last weekend in a stunning deep red. It looked fabulous if you ignored the black door handles & fuel filler cap.

Made the car look a little 'cheap' & it ruined the look of the car. The car on display had a price tag of just under £180k!!

Quite how it got that high is beyond me & i'm not sure that it is worth that amount of money. Unless of course you can afford it & you dont actually have to consoder such mundane things!

[mc_blue]

I think judging by feedback on this thread I'm the only one who likes the colour combination on this California? I think it looks great tbh.

[Tadite]

Life Saab Itch said:

Was it originally meant to be a Maser?

Interesting.

I've always wondered that! First time I ever saw one my thought was "look at the new convertible Maser!" I just don't understand why they made it look so much like a Maserati! Why not give it more of a 458 nose?

Just look at it!






That sure isn't a whole lot of difference. Most I can see is some minor changes to the rear and that the California looks just a bit smaller.

Edited by Tadite on Thursday 3rd February 22:44

[Stuart]

There is really quite a marked difference in size when you compare the two cars side by side. The Maser is closer to a proper 2+2, whereas the Fezza is only really a four seater if you happen to have two children without any legs.

[Oggs]

I prefer the Maser

[Stuart]

I really like the Cali, I think it looks stunning in the pic above ^ and the last press car I drove was a lovely spec (white with brown leather interior). I also think that F355GTS has a lovely spec (Rosso with tan IIRC).

I just don't think that the colour scheme of the car we borrowed this weekend does it any justice, and clearly £65k in carbon extras is only going to appeal to a certain sort of consumer...

A great car though, no doubt.

[Pork]

This thread touched on the California/Maserati rumour.

On that thread isuk said:

The California is a great GT car and I love driving mine. Here is the proof that it started out as a Maserati. Having had a couple of GranTurismos I'd doubt if it would have turned out to be anywhere as good to drive though had Maserati brought it to market instead of Ferrari.

Edited by isuk on Sunday 2nd January 17:04

Link to thread here

[GravelBen]

BarnatosGhost said:

The cheapest-looking expensive car on sale?

I honestly thought it was a budget kit-car imitation when I saw the first photo.

Edited by GravelBen on Thursday 3rd February 23:54

[Civpilot]

Carfiend said:

This car is the Emperors Finest!

Gotta ask... where was that taken? It just looks random with the (what looks like) waste ground in the background and temp fencing

[PhantomPH]

Stuart said:

I really like the Cali, I think it looks stunning in the pic above ^ and the last press car I drove was a lovely spec (white with brown leather interior). I also think that F355GTS has a lovely spec (Rosso with tan IIRC).

I just don't think that the colour scheme of the car we borrowed this weekend does it any justice, and clearly £65k in carbon extras is only going to appeal to a certain sort of consumer...

A great car though, no doubt.

Absolutely - I've seen a couple 'in the flesh' and they are gorgeous - the rear doesn't look too heavy when filled with the 20" alloys and also from eye-level. It's just that car is missing the mark for me. I also see what you mean about the wheels and the winter tyres.

Is the 'back seat' as much of a shocker as it sounds? The ones I saw were spec'd without it (bench only). I always wonder what options people like me (with a couple of young kids) would have in that market place. How does the back seat of a Mazzer GT compare to a 911 turbo or a California...actually, I see the potential for a different kind of group test, there! Ha ha. If anyone from EVO is reading, I will volunteer myself and my 8 and 6-year old girls to test all the 2+2's on the market.

P~

[mc_blue]

Would be interested to find out an actual breakdown of the options cost to inflate the price so much.

[MonteV]

Thanks for the story, Brett. I need reads like this in the winter sleet.

[MonteV]

dvance said:

For a moment I thought the carbon fibre sills were some sort of wrap to protect the body for the winter

Wish I had a drive/ride in one of those...

Me too.

[y2blade]

Stuart said:

All those carbon bits add a lot of options. Having seen it in the flesh at Sunday Service, I must say that those bits aren't for me. I'd prefer the car without - more than one person remarked that it looked as if it needed to go into the spray shop to be finished off...

+1

saw it at Sunday Service..the carbon Extras look GASH, so much so that they actually detract from the visual appeal of the car

I thought it looked good in silver otherwise

[Mannginger]

Great story / write up. Less sure on the car I have to say and the discussion about it being a Maserati originally is very interesting indeed

[djon]

Good write up.

Shame you didn't head another 40 miles North of Aldeburgh to California in Norfolk, there are some great locations for photos.

This is the only picture I can find from a few years ago right now but there are many others at home so apologies for poor quality!

[wackojacko]

Love the California I passengered in 1 before Xmas and what really amazed me was it's split personality , comfortable cruzer whilst also being epicly fast on a B road / track.

Seemless Gear changes are addictive !