CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' ALMOST OVER FOR ME!

+ Click to Enlarge WATCH THE SERVICE CHARGE: The new Ferrari California has a V8 engine - a lovely 4.3-litre aluminium unit that's much cheaper to service than a V12.

October 7, 2009
By James Martin

What were you doing this time three years ago? I can't recall what I was up to three weeks ago, let alone three years, but my Ferrari dealer recently called to tell me that the new California on which I placed a deposit in late 2006 will soon be ready for delivery.

If you went to buy a new Fiesta and they made you wait three years, you'd be pretty hacked off; at Ferrari it's clever marketing. You see, the boys in Maranello value exclusivity over popularity: Enzo Ferrari famously said there should always be one fewer of each model than the market demands.

By making you wait so long they ensure that by the time you get your new car there's a newer Ferrari people are clamouring for, thus keeping the buzz alive. Back when I placed my order the 599 was only just starting to hit the streets and this was a concept car referred to as the "new Dino". Now it's here the big buzz is about the 458 Italia recently unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show.

See how it works?

In the past, buying a Ferrari fresh off the factory floor was a mixed pleasure for me; I've had better luck going second-hand. My first was a new 360 about 10 years ago, a fine car until the left bank of the engine committed seppuku. Ferrari repaired it but life in the old girl was never the same - and I had a big tax bill pending, so she had to go.

Next was a used 355 (predecessor to the 360) and one of the best cars I've owned. It wasn't quick by today's standards - a modern Vauxhall Astra could probably blow it away - but it worked all the time, wasn't expensive to run and was great fun to drive. I sold it after three years for the same as I'd paid. Not bad, I thought.

The new 599 I tested in 2008 was truly amazing - I drove it from Italy to Provence - but I'd never buy one. It's a V12, you see, and the big V12 Ferraris drop like a stone in value, as a quick flip through Auto Trader will show you. The 550 from the late 1990's now goes for about £25 000 and you can find an equally old 456 for £17 000.

The reason? Servicing a V12 Ferrari is shockingly expensive - you never actually own one, you just keep it alive for the next skint owner, as a mate of mine will soon find out. He's just picked up a nearly-new 599 for a "bargain" 50 grand less than the sticker price. Going down...

Luckily, none of that applies to this new California, which has a V8 engine - a lovely 4.3-litre aluminium unit. It's the first V8 to be mid-front mounted in a Ferrari road car. I didn't know any of that when I put my five grand down to be put at the top of the waiting list but, 1027 days later, here it is in my driveway (not the actual one I ordered but the media test car).

It also has a matching baby safety-seat on the options list.

First impressions?

The profile, with its slippery lines and high rear, reminds me of the 599 - but the"smiling" mouth makes it more Maserati, to my mind. Or maybe I mean more Fifties? It was inspired by the classic California 250 GT Spyder, after all.

STICKY WHEN CHARGED

At £140 000 (about R1.7-million), it's not cheap, and the options on mine nudge it closer to £155 000. You definitely must have the Magneride dual-mode suspension, which uses a special magnetic fluid instead of oil in the shock-absorbers.

This changes from runny to sticky when an electric charge is applied, allowing the ride-quality to be computer controlled, millisecond-by millisecond. It really feels different; more comfortable than the normal Ferrari ride.

With 345kW and a tornado of torque (three-quarters of it available at 2250rpm), the car's race towards its 200km/h+ top speed is hugely urgent but feels far less aggressive than I was expecting. There's also better visibility and a better driving position than in most Ferraris, adding to the feeling of command rather than battle.

I love the digital rev-counter (borrowed from the Enzo) and the seven-speed paddle gearshift, which is now down to, in effect, zero delay. It's the best paddle-change I've ever tried, on any car.

FINE IN TOWN, TOO

Whizzing along the twisting Hampshire lanes was brilliant fun - the F1-Trac traction control system gives optimum grip coming out of corners. Ferrari claims it's 20 percent better at it than similar systems (I'd like to say I could tell but I'm not that good).

The California is fine in town, too. Its back seats provide enough room for two big suitcases and fold down so you can load skis through from the boot. Unless you have the roof down, it's got the same boot space as a Golf.

For three days I drove it everywhere and when I handed it back I found myself wondering what might be missing. Every element of this car is better than Ferrari has come up with before, except one: the adrenalin charge. Whereas a Porsche wraps you in cotton wool, a Ferrari usually set your pants on fire - and I was left with my boxers only singed

I love it, don't get me wrong - and as it's a V8 I could own one without waking each morning knowing it's losing me £150 an hour - but, with the 458 just out, it's no longer the newest, coolest Ferrari on the block.

Should I sell my place at the top of the queue and stake a claim on a 458 instead? That's the thing with Ferraris. When you love something this much, it's actually fun to spend your whole life waiting. - Daily Mail

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 4.3-litre direct-injection V8
Max power: 345kW at 7,750rpm
Max torque: 485Nm at 5,000rpm
Top speed: 300km/h+
Fuel consumption: 14 litres/100km.
CO2 emissions: 305.6g/km
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch semi-auto
Standard features: 19" forged alloy rims, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, F1-Trac stability/traction control, tyre pressure and temperature monitoring, retractable hardtop, ejectable roll bar, 6.5"n touchscreen HD satnav with voice activation
Options: 20"n wheels, manual six-speed gearbox, adaptive lighting, carbon-fibre fascia, steering wheel and door panels, cruise control, run-flat tyres, iPod hook-up, Magneride dual-mode suspension, parking sensors, power seat adjustment with heating and memory, Cosmo Ferrari baby seat.