Ferrari is a sportscar maker, and that does
not mean four-door cars, emphasized its
President, Luca di Montezemolo, at the
Paris Motor Show unveiling of the new
folding hardtop (two-door) California. His
words sounded almost like an admonishment for the likes of Lamborghini,
Porsche, and Aston Martin, companies
that make no secret of their enthusiasm
for the potential of four-door models.
“We will never do a four-door,”
stressed di Montezemolo. And Ferrari will
not be doing any more manual gearbox
cars after the California either. The
California comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch system or a six-speed manual; di
Montezemolo’s preference is clear.
Any Ferrari is inevitably a transport of
technology, and the California is no exception, with a new direct-injection V8
engine, a new suspension system, carbon ceramic brakes as standard, and a
further evolution of F1-Trac traction control, plus the aluminum retractable hardtop that puts the California in the
coupe-cabriolet category.
But as with every Ferrari, it’s the engine that is the star. It is the first V8 to be
front mid-mounted in a road-going production Ferrari. An all-aluminum 4.3-L, its
use of direct fuel injection marks a first
application of the technology for Ferrari,
and variable valve timing for intake and
exhaust help it meet Euro V and LEV2
requirements. CO2
emissions are 306
g/km, and fuel consumption 13.1 L/100
km—both ECE combined figures.
Power output of the 90ยบ V8 is 338 kW
(453 hp) at 7750 rpm, and maximum
torque is 485 N·m (358 lb·ft) at 5000
rpm, aided by a 12.2:1 compression ratio.
Performance figures include a 0-100 km/h
(0-62 mph) time of 3.9 s and a 310-km/h
(193-mph) top speed. Ferrari emphasized
its focus on achieving the requisite aural
signature, particularly in the cabin with
the roof raised or lowered.
Shell, a long-time technical partner of
Ferrari (it started with Enzo Ferrari in the
1930s and powered the first Ferrari out
of the factory gates at Maranello in
1947), was involved for two years in the
development of the direct-fuel-injection
system for the California. As the first
Ferrari to feature such a system, the
California is a major step toward the future for the manufacturer, which has
pledged to improve fuel efficiency by
2012. Shell provided technical expertise,
fuel mapping information for use in computer modeling, and the supply of
V-Power fuel and Helix Ultra oil.
The California’s engine drives through
either a six-speed manual or a new rearmounted, seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox offering automatic and manual paddle control. The paddles are fixed in position and do not rotate with the steering
wheel. The engine front/gearbox rear configuration makes for a front:rear
weight bias of 47:53.
Aluminum is the chosen material for
chassis and body shell. Both extrusions
and shell casts are used. Torsional and
flexional rigidity are described by Ferrari
as being “better than average” for a
Spider body design. Curb mass is 1735 kg
(3825 lb). The car is 4563 mm (179.6 in)
long, 1902 mm (74.9 in) wide, and 1308
mm (51.5 in) high—on a wheelbase of
2670 mm (105.1 in).
Suspension systems include double
wishbones at the front, and there is a
new multilink system at the rear. A magnetorheological suspension damping control system called SCM is optional.
The California also gets Ferrari’s established GT Manettino, with steeringwheel-mounted control to integrate gearbox, stability, and traction control systems
(CST and F1-Trac), with Comfort, Sport,
and CST-Off settings, the last turning off
all electronic chassis support systems except ABS. F1-Trac’s capabilities include
The Ferrari California’s V8 engine produces
338 kW (453 hp) and 485 N·m (358 lb·ft).
providing maximum grip on corner exit.
According to Ferrari, F1-Trac offers a 20%
improvement in acceleration coming out
of corners with respect to a traditional
traction and control system.
Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes measure 390 x 34 mm (15.4 x 1.33 in) front
and 360 x 32 mm (14.2 x 1.26) rear. Tires
are 245/40ZR19 front, 285/40ZR19 rear.
A tire pressure and temperature monitoring system is fitted.
With its racing expertise, Ferrari has
massive aerodynamic engineering capability to achieve the required Cd (0.32
with roof raised) and downforce. The
company claims a desire to achieve “perfect balance” between vertical load and
drag, influencing the shape of the rear
diffuser and the spoiler integrated into
the front bumper. Drag is some 10% less
than that of other Ferrari models.
To help keep the center of gravity as
low as possible, the folding hardtop uses
aluminum panels and has a cast-aluminum weight-bearing structure. Cycle time
for opening or closing is 14 s. Trunk capacity is 340 L (12.0 ft³) with the roof up
and 240 L (8.5 ft³) with it retracted. Fuel
tank capacity is 78 L (20.6 gal).
Safety systems include popup rollover
bars behind the backrests of the rear
seats that deploy in 190 ms if needed.
Airbags include door-mounted systems,
and adaptive headlights are optional. The
car comes as either a two-seater or a
2+2, with the rear bench having seating
for one or two passengers and a folddown capability. With the pursuit of
weight savings a Ferrari constant, magnesium framed front seats are fitted.
Analog and digital instruments are
fitted, with the round analog rev counter
dominant and a secondary multidisplay
screen.
Although the California is set to become a sales success, di Montezemolo
said at Paris that the company would
keep production below 7000 next year.
As for new developments, he did not rule
out turbocharging and said Ferrari was
exploring a spread of technologies that
might be used in future road cars, including energy recuperation technology depending on results from F1 development.
“We are always looking to see how
we can transfer our technology from racing to road cars—as we have in the last
10 years,” he said.
Ferrari is a sportscar maker, and that does not mean four-door cars, emphasized its President, Luca di Montezemolo, at the Paris Motor Show ...
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