Automotive

Ferrari's new turbo V8 California T pops its top in Geneva

Ferrari's new turbo V8 California T pops its top in Geneva
The Ferrari California T flipping its top
The Ferrari California T flipping its top
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The Ferrari California T's boot can be accessed through the back seats
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The Ferrari California T's boot can be accessed through the back seats
The Ferrari California T interior
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The Ferrari California T interior
The Ferrari California T's new turbocharged engine
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The Ferrari California T's new turbocharged engine
The Ferrari California T's cockpit
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The Ferrari California T's cockpit
The Ferrari California T can seat four
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The Ferrari California T can seat four
The Ferrari California T's profile echoes classic Ferrari's
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The Ferrari California T's profile echoes classic Ferrari's
The Ferrari California T has an all-aluminum body
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The Ferrari California T has an all-aluminum body
The Ferrari California T with the top up
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The Ferrari California T with the top up
The Ferrari California T with the top down
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The Ferrari California T with the top down
The Ferrari California T's body puts the emphasis on aerodynamics
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The Ferrari California T's body puts the emphasis on aerodynamics
The Ferrari California T has a slightly lower grille than the previous version
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The Ferrari California T has a slightly lower grille than the previous version
The Ferrari California T has new alloy wheels
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The Ferrari California T has new alloy wheels
The Ferrari California T infotainment system
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The Ferrari California T infotainment system
The Ferrari California T's boot space
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The Ferrari California T's boot space
The Ferrari California T stitching detail
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The Ferrari California T stitching detail
The Ferrari California T interior detail
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The Ferrari California T interior detail
The Ferrari California T has a new audio system
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The Ferrari California T has a new audio system
The Ferrari California T's new engine
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The Ferrari California T's new engine
The Ferrari California T punches 560 bhp (412 kW)
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The Ferrari California T punches 560 bhp (412 kW)
The Ferrari California T can do 196 mph (316 km/h)
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The Ferrari California T can do 196 mph (316 km/h)
The Ferrari California T Human-Machine Interface
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The Ferrari California T Human-Machine Interface
The Ferrari California T's Turbo Performance Engineer
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The Ferrari California T's Turbo Performance Engineer
The Ferrari California T flipping its top
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The Ferrari California T flipping its top
The Ferrari California T's boot
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The Ferrari California T's boot
The Ferrari California T's control console
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The Ferrari California T's control console
The Ferrari California T's new engine
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The Ferrari California T's new engine
The Ferrari California T's boot access
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The Ferrari California T's boot access
The Ferrari California T interior
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The Ferrari California T interior
The Ferrari California T's cockpit
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The Ferrari California T's cockpit
The Ferrari California T comes in a variety of liveries
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The Ferrari California T comes in a variety of liveries
The Ferrari California T has an F1-derived gearbox
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The Ferrari California T has an F1-derived gearbox
The Ferrari California T has variable boost Management
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The Ferrari California T has variable boost Management
The Ferrari California T's body and engine have been redesigned
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The Ferrari California T's body and engine have been redesigned
The Ferrari California T requires a 20-percent larger radiator
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The Ferrari California T requires a 20-percent larger radiator
The Ferrari California T channels air to the cooling systems
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The Ferrari California T channels air to the cooling systems
The Ferrari California T showing grille and vents
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The Ferrari California T showing grille and vents
The Ferrari California T rear view showing diffusers (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T rear view showing diffusers (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T exhaust detail (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T exhaust detail (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T at the Geneva Motor Show (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T at the Geneva Motor Show (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T has variable boost Management (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T has variable boost Management (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T at the Geneva Motor Show (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T at the Geneva Motor Show (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
Wheel detail (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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Wheel detail (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T's body and engine have been redesigned (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T's body and engine have been redesigned (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T requires a 20-percent larger radiator (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T requires a 20-percent larger radiator (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T channels air to the cooling systems (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T channels air to the cooling systems (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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(Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
Front light detail (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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Front light detail (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T at the Geneva Motor Show (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
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The Ferrari California T at the Geneva Motor Show (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
View gallery - 57 images

Last month, Ferrari gave us a glimpse at its new mid-front-engine, retractable hard top berlinetta California T. Now at the 2014 Geneva International Motor Show, the legendary Italian car maker has taken the cover off the new grand tourer, which the Ferrari Styling Center, in collaboration with Pininfarina, has completely redesigned to both reflect Ferrari's heritage and to get the most out of its new turbocharged engine by Maranello.

Drawing on its experience designing and building the Scuderia F1 single-seaters, Ferrari has retained the original dimensions of the California T while giving it a major design overhaul and introducing Ferrari's first turbocharged production car since 1987's F40 hypercar. The design riffs off Ferrari classics like the 250 Testa Rossa and has touches like a lower and slightly more aggressive grille, but the general philosophy behind the not overly ambitious styling focuses on aerodynamics and feeding air to the souped up engine and brakes.

The California T's transaxle architecture mounts the mid-front engine and all the other major components inside the wheelbase with a 47-53 front-to-rear weight distribution and the engine sitting 40 mm lower than in the previous California for an improved center of gravity. The chassis and body are made out of aluminum using 12 different alloys developed by Ferrari for light weight and high torsional rigidity.

The Ferrari California T requires a 20-percent larger radiator (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T requires a 20-percent larger radiator (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)

Ferrari points out that the latter is important because since the California T is a convertible, it needs to make up for the structural strength lost along with the fixed hardtop without adding unwanted weight. It also needs to make up for the weight of the mechanism that allows the aluminum retractable hard top to open in 14 seconds.

The Ferrari engineers aimed at a body and chassis design that allowed for less steering wheel activity and less body roll for better control and handling. The emphasis on aerodynamics helps with this, and the underbody is equipped with a semi-cone diffuser in the front for better downforce and feeding cooling air to the brakes. This is aided by a curved dam in front of the front tires. Meanwhile vents in the underbody and in the bonnet feed air to the radiator, and others in the front wings help to reduce internal air pressure.

But the heart of the new California T is the new turbocharged, 3.8-liter, direct-injection V8 engine. Turbos may do a lot for performance, but they're also a bit frustrating, since hitting the accelerator produces the infamous turbo lag while the car takes time out for a little think before taking off. It also cuts down on the maximum revs and makes the exhaust sound a trifle anemic. Ferrari says that it has virtually eliminated turbo lag from the California T by reducing inertia and using an an F1-derived flat-plane crankshaft and twin-scroll turbines.

The Ferrari California T's new engine
The Ferrari California T's new engine

According to Ferrari, this system causes the exhaust gases from the cylinder to optimally pulse into the turbine, which equally spaces the pressure peaks for each turbine scroll. This helps to reduce turbo lag, as does the use of compact turbines and the flat-plane crankshaft to decrease inertia. This makes for fast throttle response, which Ferrari says is the fastest in the California T's market segment.

Another feature of the California T's engine is Variable Boost Management, which adjusts torque delivery to suit both the revs and gear selection, so the torque increases smoothly as the engine speeds up, allowing the use of longer gear ratios in the higher gears, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

The California T punches an eye-watering 560 bhp (412 kW) and 755 Nm (557 ft-lb) of torque. It also means that it needs a 20 percent larger radiator to keep it cool. It required Ferrari to redesign the fan housing to keep the engine cool at both low and high speeds, and to play around with the vents and air flows over and through the body to aim it at the intercoolers.

The Ferrari California T at the Geneva Motor Show (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)
The Ferrari California T at the Geneva Motor Show (Photo: CC Weiss/Gizmag)

Finally, just to show that the engine isn't just about torques and rpms and that this is Ferrari here, the flat-plane crankshaft and the three-piece cast exhaust manifold and turbo housing were designed to make a proper growl as the California T tears down the track.

Behind the engine and catching all that power is an F1 dual-clutch, seven-gear flappy paddle gearbox. Top speed when the horses reach the tires is 196 mph (316 km/h) and it does 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds thanks in part to a weight-to-power ratio of 2.9 kg/bhp.

In the front of the California T is a double wishbone suspension and in the rear is a multilink suspension. There are also new 11 percent stiffer springs, the latest-generation Magnaride dampers, and body motion accelerometers to reduce roll and pitch while providing more precise speeding and a more comfortable ride.

The Ferrari California T has new alloy wheels
The Ferrari California T has new alloy wheels

On the new 19-in alloy wheels are Brembo CCM3 carbon-ceramic brakes with new composite discs and pads that Ferrari claims wear so lightly that they may last through the California T's entire life, yet have enough friction to bring the car to a dead stop from 100 km/h (62 mph) in 34 meters (111 ft).

As far as the interior of the California T is concerned, Ferrari has gone for an ergonomic design as well as trimming the cabin in semi-aniline leather. There's also a lot of boot space, which is surprising in a retractable hardtop, though Ferrari did have to make an entry hatch through the back seats for stowing the golf clubs when the top's down.

Speaking of seats, the new California T has new, lighter seats with "extremely high containment" and new foam shaping for comfort during long journeys. However, Ferrari confesses that though the California T does seat four, the two in the back should be children if you're going on a long trip because legroom is not exactly generous back there.

A highlight of the California T's cockpit is the Human-Machine Interface, which is how Ferrari describes how it's taken off all the steering column stalks and moved their controls to the steering wheel spokes. Even the flappy paddles are set more flush with the wheel. Backlit for night driving, the new controls are designed for faster, more intuitive operation.

The Ferrari California T's Turbo Performance Engineer
The Ferrari California T's Turbo Performance Engineer

Between the air vents, where other cars have little clocks, is the Turbo Performance Engineer (TPE) , which is a touch-controlled display that gives the driver pointers on how to get the most out of the California T's engine.

For those who want something a bit less petrolhead-minded, there's the infotainment system with a WVGA screen, a satnav with 3D mapping, USB ports under the armrests, and a new audio system that pumps 1,280-watts for when tune-cranking is imperative.

Source: Ferrari

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2 comments
2 comments
Griffin
Price?
They take some houses in on trade....
Bob
Looks like a Corvette with a back seat for the kids and a little luggage room. I still regret selling my Corvette because there wasn't room for the kids. A Camaro or Mustang just wasn't quite the same. If a 911 can have a back seat and still be sporty, why can't a Vette at least as an option?