THE FERRARI CALIFORNIA UPDATED ACQUAINTANCE PROGRAM BEGINS WITH THE SIGNING OF DOCUMENTS CONFIRMING THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF THE MACHINE, WHILE DRIVING, WE SHALL BE SHIPPED ONLY. BUT A LITTLE.
Despite some risk and lack of finances sufficient to cover possible incidents, I could not give up several laps on the Dubai Autodrome race track on the brand new model of the legendary automaker, of course I did not have the strength. But I especially carefully began to listen to an introductory lecture and especially the rules of driving a car on a track. After a theoretical driving lesson, incidentally, quite fascinating, the instructors at Corse Pilota Ferrari took us to the track, where we, together, for several hours, revealed the potential and capabilities of the new Ferrari California.
The fresh version of the sports coupe-cabriolet with an aluminum body and a hard convertible top, almost did not change outwardly, with the exception of small details, such as a silver front grille. However, the use of lighter materials in certain parts of the chassis, reduced the weight of the supercar by 30 kg, without affecting its strength and performance. The main changes took place under the hood: the 4.3-liter V8 engine with direct injection power of 460 hp received additional processing, such as an “optimized microlithing” of the exhaust manifold, reduced internal friction of the engine and ECU reprogramming, which added power in 30 horses. As a result, Ferrari California is capable of producing 490 hp. and 505.7 Nm of torque. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission appeared, thanks to which now accelerating a supercar to 100 km / h takes 3.85 seconds. For dynamic, but without excessive extremes, driving comfort, the Handling Speciale option (special processing) was developed, which allows changing the gearbox suspension in a matter of seconds, reducing the ECU response time by 50 percent - to only 5 ms. The kit includes hard springs and magnetorheological shock absorbers, which can go from “soft” to the “hardest” in just 8 ms, which leads to improved response and mobility, reducing the roll of the car body and making it even more obedient to the driver’s commands.
And finally, the new California features a faster steering system with a smaller steering angle, which is achieved through a new steering gear with a ten percent increase in gear ratio. All of these updates certainly emphasize California's sporting qualities ... But at the wheel of a two-seater you feel so comfortable that you get maximum driving pleasure even with an extreme race on the track. After several truly sports “flights” in a closed car with a Ferrari pilot, I finally decided to enjoy a calm and peaceful walk. With a light touch of a button, in just a few seconds, the roof was pushed back, the control was switched to the “automatic” mode and we swept with a breeze. Already not thinking about the right hit in the speed reading at every turn, I began to pay attention to high-quality interior materials, perfectly “molded” sports seats ... everywhere, in every detail of the interior, the beautiful work embedded in Ferrari DNA is felt.
In addition to the technical specifications, a new, wider range of colors developed by Ferrari Styling Center is offered, including a two-tone layer, three-layer painting technology, as well as a modern rethinking of classic color solutions, with the possibility of an exclusive individual approach. Despite the wide choice presented, I nevertheless preferred the classics - the black exterior with a juicy red interior, in my opinion, characterizes Ferrari most closely, although red is considered the main theme of the brand.
After an excellent fast ride, an equally good dinner followed in the company of the Italian team, headed by Ferrari regional manager Giulio Zauner. “Describe in three words your feelings about the model,” he asked.
"Character, style and ... there is no limit to perfection," I could not limit myself to a few words, "how did it occur to me to improve what already seemed perfect?" Perhaps this is the component of the success of the famous Italian "stable" - in constant search, despite the universally recognized perfection of the "breed".
