Gear -- 14 days ago
Words: Charlie Thomas
When you think of Ferrari it’s hard not to imagine the howl of one of their naturally aspirated V8s or the trademark scream of a larger V12. Whilst far from the be all and end all, their engines typically define their cars; such is the power, urgency and sound that they produce. It’s unsurprising then, that for a number of years Ferrari have stubbornly veered away from the turbocharging trend that manufacturers like McLaren, Mercedes and Porsche have used to improve performance in their high-end supercars. It’s been such a long time in fact, that the last forced induction car that Ferrari produced was the F40, a quarter of a century ago.
With the increasing pressures of CO2 emissions and a myriad of other regulations, Ferrari have given in and produced the California T. Whilst the engine size has been decreased from a 4.3 to a 3.8 litre capacity, it’s power is up by 70bhp over the original California, increasing the grand total to 552bhp. Of course, with the contemporary way that turbos can be utilised, Ferrari ensure that there’ll be zero lag, so you can expect an instantaneous throttle response and all of the power available to you immediately, as it would be with a naturally aspirated engine.
Well aware of the impact that turbocharging can have on engine sound, Ferrari have made a number of tweaks to the exhaust system, ensuring that plenty of personality remains. Unlike this year’s Formula One cars, the Maranello boys have aimed to keep all of the noise and drama that is associated with a high-revving Ferrari engine. As a result, you can expect a complex burble at low revs and a symphonic roar at the top end, where the V8 really comes into its own.
Ferrari have gone with evolution rather than revolution when it comes to the exterior design of the California T, but this is by no means a bad thing. What was once the floppy, overweight sibling of the range is now a mature and rather pretty thing. It has accepted and grown into its GT role, but it’s far from soft. The elegant lines are pleasantly infused with elements of aggression; namely from the large rear diffuser and purposefully angled headlights. These good looks, combined with the increase in power and fuel consumption, bode well for Ferrari and will contribute to what is set to be another hugely successful year for the Italian marque, in terms of their road cars at least.
By Charlie Thomas Twitter charlieacthomas
