It's pretty hard to hate on a Ferrari, but boy did I when the all-new California made its debut only years ago. Being the first Ferrari hard-top convertible and first F car with a front-mounted V8 motor, it boasted the legendary California nameplate. It seemed sacrilegious.
Of course the original, vintage auto was a boy's dream. The all-new one simply wasn't with its ungainly appearance, stacked exhaust and meh interior.
At the end of the day, people snapped them up like mad and the good news for the prancing horse was that these buyers weren't the typical Tifosi. These were folks that were new to the brand. Nothing's more satisfying for an automaker than a conquest sale.
While these new buyers were in bliss, the folks who had known and adored F cars for sometime were less than impressed. Yes, the vehicle got the job done but left something to be desired. Well, it appears Ferrari took the hint and really overdid it with the new version of the car, the California T.
Now it boasts a significant power upgrade thanks to a turbocharged motor and its styling has been dramatically improved with all-new body panels — excluding the roof. On paper, this vehicle is a stunning revamp but how's it translate in the real world? We turn to Autocar's Matt Prior to fill us in.
**Check out the review in the video clip below!
The Ferrari California T is the new and improved version of Ferrari's folding hard-top grand tourer. It's had a sizeable facelift but the most significant change is the adoption of a twin-turbocharged engine. Matt Prior puts it to the test in Siena, Italy.