Ferrari California hardtop convertible revealed.

posted on May 14th, 2008 by Kleo in Ferrari

Ferrari California hardtop convertible revealed
Ferrari this morning released the first three photos of its new Ferrari California. The exotic grand tourer will be on display at the Paris International Car Show in October. The hardtop convertible is powered by Ferrari’s 4.3-liter V8, producing 460 horsepower.

It’s not known if the car will be marketed as simply “Ferrari California,” or as “Ferrari F430 GT California,” as a recent trademark filing suggested.
The all-aluminum California is the first Ferrari to feature its engine mounted in the mid-front position.
The car can hit 60 mph in under 4.0 seconds, according to the Italian automaker. A new seven-speed dual clutch transmission debuts in the California, and the F1-Trac traction control system which was first offered with the 599 GTB Fiorano is also included.
“The Ferrari California is aimed at owners who desire a car which embodies everything the Prancing Horse represents in terms of sporty design and innovation, but also seek a car with greater versatility than ever,” the automaker said in a press release.
Interestingly enough, the new Ferrari model actually started out life as a Maserati, according to our sources. The new model was developed under the codename M139 — M for Maserati — and was intended to complete Maserati’s current lineup — giving the Italian Marque the Quattroporte sports sedan, the GranTurismo coupe and a hardtop convertible. But after Ferrari’s 2005 split from Maserati, Ferrari decided to keep the M139 program entirely for itself. As a result, the California rides on the GranTurismo platform.