2009 Ferrari California local sales debut

By George Skentzos | June 06th, 2009

The newest addition to the Ferrari stable has officially made its Australian sales debut with deliveries to the first owners starting this month.

The California originally made only its second worldwide appearance at the Australian International Motor Show last year, beginning the tentative wait until its arrival in local showrooms.

Local specifications have remained relatively on par with the rest of the world, boasting a 4.3-litre V8 engine developing maximum power of 338kW at 7750rpm and 485Nm at 5000rpm.

This is mated to a new seven-speed dual clutch gearbox with the now traditional steering wheel-mounted F1-style paddles.

The Ferrari California takes less than 4.0 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100km/h and delivers a blistering 310km/h top speed.

“The Ferrari California does not extend the Ferrari range up or down the market,” explains Kevin Wall, General Manager for Ferrari in Australia and New Zealand. “Rather, it broadens the appeal of Ferrari within its existing price sector. Thus Ferrari now has two aggressive sports cars, the 599 GTB Fiorano and the F430, complimented respectively by two grand touring cars, the 612 Scaglietti and, now, the Ferrari California.”

Designed to complement the 612 Scaglietti at the lower end of the price scale as a grand tourer, it also offers fuel consumption and emissions that easily comply with the toughest Euro 5 standards – consuming just 13.1 litres per 100km combined with carbon emissions of 305.6g/km.

The Ferrari California carries a price tag of $472,000 before statutory and delivery charges.

Shak

still not sold on the looks,but the car as a whole is okay.
Wheelnut

$500K for a convertible which like most other convertibles will spend as much time with the roof down as most 4x4s spend actually going off road.. yeah its worth it!
Captain Mainwaring

Front looks great, until you get to the windscreen, then everything aft of that looks naff, mainly thanks to the heavy hindquarters necessary to accommodate the pansy-pants folding metal hardtop.
That sort of overweight, over-complicated and over-troublesome hardware should be reserved for Peugeot, who started it.
Shame on you Ferrari, I’ll have to settle for a 599.
Tony

ferrari haven’t made a real blockbuster since the 430 and that’s based on a 360

599/612 all look odd and so does this

i’d rather a 430 scuderia
Alex

Yeah I don’t think it looks THAT great either. What really gets me about this car is that you can get an Aston Martin Vantage Roadster for half almost half the price and that would be just as prestigious, just as rare, much much cooler and there would be considerably less chance of things being thrown at you while the roof is down because people respect Aston Martin drivers that bit more. Probably less chance of it being keyed as well; I like to think that even vandals have enough taste to not want to destroy an Aston Martin.
I know what I’d buy.
http://Antilag.com Joe

Wasn’t the California supposed to be a “cheap” Ferrari? It’s no less than an F430!
Alex

Joe, it was never meant to be cheap, it was meant to be easy to live with.
SpeedO

This car is a girls car. Where is the spirit of Ferrari? And what’s up with the name ? Forget it.
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autogyro

I think it looks a lot better with the hardtop on:

http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/ferrari_california_blue_04.jpg
Left Lane Lover

It’s gorgeous,when did you see one in the flesh.No,you all look at pictures and then assume you could do better.Tell you what,go and get a job as a car designer,or maybe draw a car and submit it to C A,then we can slag off your efforts.
Anyway,none of you could afford one of these,and you sure as hell couldn’t handle one.Where the hell could you drive one on the crap roads that we have to use anyway?????????????
Wheelnut

Autogyro: “I think it looks a lot better with the hardtop on”

Most coupes do. I am yet to see a coupe that looks as good as a convertible – as it does as a hardtop…. not one

Mind you you don’t see that many covertibles on the road with their roof down these days which makes you wonder why the owners paid the extra premium for it
Wheelnut

Is it just me or does the front of this thing look like a Mazda 3 or RX-8 that’s been stuck in a wind tunnel for too long?
No Patience For Idiots!

Left Lane Lover Says:
June 7th, 2009 at 7:59 pm

It’s gorgeous,when did you see one in the flesh.No,you all look at pictures and then assume you could do better.Tell you what,go and get a job as a car designer,or maybe draw a car and submit it to C A,then we can slag off your efforts.
Anyway,none of you could afford one of these,and you sure as hell couldn’t handle one.Where the hell could you drive one on the crap roads that we have to use anyway????????????? ”

Another that forgot to take his medication today !
Left Lane Lover

Took my medication thanks,patience,its a virtue by the way,you should be kind to strangers you know.
Overtaking lover

It looks like a fish at the front!? lol
Alex

Well lets see Left Lane Lover, what can I write…
To start with, I have seen the California in the metal and NOBODY wrote that they thought that they could do a better job. Just because one doesn’t like the look of something doesn’t mean there is an immediate challenge for that person to do better.
However, I do believe that Ferrari’s designers could have done a better job. I like this car as a car but my problem with it is that it was designed around the engineering, not the other way as a Ferrari should. Like it as much as you want but you can’t deny that the back wouldn’t have been less bulbous if not for having to accommodate the hard top.
And what does being able to afford one have to do with anything? I could afford one, it only costs about a quarter of what most houses cost but that doesn’t make me fall in love with it and want one.
As for not being able to handle one, well we probably could considering how both Ferrari and any reviewers of this car have gone on about how easy to drive it is. In fact, one of the reviews that I read said something about it being a Ferrari that your Grandmother could drive. Doesn’t sound that hard to handle in other words.

We are entitled to our opinions. Some write that they don’t like it, you write that it’s gorgeous (which is fine) but then invent a story where everybody said that they could design a better looking Ferrari and that nobody’s seen one in the metal and because of this our opinions are worthless.
Think and write as you want, just don’t be so pretentious about it in the future and don’t write baseless thoughts on other commenters. How do you know that people here can’t afford them? Perhaps we’re all millionaires with free time to comment on Car Advice. I doubt it, but you don’t know, so don’t tell us we can’t. And to a larger extent, how do you know that everybody here hasn’t seen it in the metal? It’s not that unlikely.
Wheelnut

^^^^^^ I agree Alex ^^^^^^ Well Said ^^^^^^
Left Lane Lover

Alex,Wheelnut,you both really need to get a life.
Wish I could snag fish as easy,HA fkn HA
Bavarian Missile (.)(.)

There are fish where you live…….wow I didnt think there was air on your planet .
Left Lane Lover

Now now German car lady,although at least you are funny.
Can you lend me one of your cars for a week soon,you seem to have some good ones.
Liked your comment on the old Lambo the other day,no-one bit though.It is a strange looking car,but so are some Beemers these days. I would have any BMW over Alexs’ go cart though.
Marcoz

I am a DIE HARD TRUE AND TRUE Ferrari TIFOSI (FAN) But i just cant cant cant bring myself to like this car, their is just something or somethings just not right about it…
Give me 430 Scuderia anyday or 599 GTE
Pious

Dunno. I recon it looks like a maserati (sp?), which would be fine if it didnt cost twice as much (probably twice as good, though). I’d take the 2010 XK-R 5 litre at around half the price, coz I’m a penny pincher. My kids would have to kneel in the back seat coz there is no legroom, but I’d just have to live with that.
Left Lane Lover

Hey Bavarian chick,

On my planet,we all have crystal balls.

Oh yeah,we can see into the future too !

Pee-ing now
Alex

Um, Left Lane Lover, I’m just having a bit of trouble understanding what many of your comments actually mean. What do you mean buy Alex’s go cart? I don’t have a go cart I have a Range Rover along with many other cars but no go cart.
As for the previous comment aimed at BM, well, what?
Bavarian Missile (.)(.)

Who knows what this guy is on Alex! He’s still learning English .
Alex

And considering you keep insulting everyone, why not tell us what you drive and give us a chance to get you? And if your going to lie, make it believable.
Wheelnut

Isn’t it obvious Alex? he owns a Ferrari – however; I suspect its a $40 1:18 scale model from Bburago or Maisto
Left Lane Lover

B M c’mon now,what’s this about learning English.
Also,how good is your memory? Have you not mentioned crystal balls at all recently ? Duh
And to think I defended you earlier( on another subject if anyone is paying attention here !or can your attention only be given to one subject at a time ? )

Alex,see-ing as though you are in need of keeping to the facts,can you please remind me where I have insulted
EVERYONE ?
Like erm,would that be everyone in the world,wowee I didn’t know I was that good,lighten up Alex,or light up,good job they invented barbless hooks eh?
Left Lane Lover

Mr nut,good evening,I cannot believe you are making things up about me,how dare you,blub blub blub
Left Lane Lover

And some more things Alex and Wheelienuts,how come you guys think its ok to make things up, assume and insult?
Talk about pretentious.
If I’m going to lie make it believable,have you any idea who I am ?
Have you any idea what I can afford?
Grow up eh?
Alex

Well unless you had unfortunate parents who actually named you Left Lane Lover then no, I don’t know who you are. Am I meant to? You’ve never written what your real name is so I don’t know how I could.
Now why don’t you entertain us all by telling us who you are and what you can afford. I could use a laugh.