Regular readers may experience acute déjà vu right now. After all, we first tested the Ferrari California nearly a year ago, and the 2011 version, that you see here, is pretty much identical. It still makes 453bhp, hits 100kph from standstill in 4.0 seconds and will eventually crack 310kph. So what gives?
Actually, there is a difference. Albeit a minute one. This has a little button on the folding metal roof, which triggers the HELE (high emotion, low emissions) system. No, the car doesn't break into tears every time you change gear, it's Ferrari-speak for a stop-start system. And it works like a charm.
OK, the engine cuts off with a slight judder, but the gentlest nudge on the right pedal fires up the 4.3-litre V8 with minimal fuss and in a blinding 230 milliseconds. As a result, with the system activated, this Cali spews fewer carbon dioxides — 270g/km — and delivers better fuel efficiency. But more interestingly, since the ancillaries sap less power, it frees up an extra dollop of torque — 25Nm, to be precise.
It's a clever system too. It won't, for instance, shut the engine when you're waiting at a roundabout. Or merely trying to get out of an underground car park. The electronic brain monitors a host of parameters, such as steering angle and throttle input to decide when you're really at a red light. It's uncannily accurate. So no unintended and potentially embarrassing stops in the stop-start Cali.
It's still as sharp to drive, although in its quest for frugality, the seven-speed transmission has developed the propensity to leap to the highest possible gear with irritating alacrity. The obvious downside is that the tranny takes a fair few moments hunting for the appropriate gear when you put your foot down, which sullies the driving experience in auto a tad.
Incidentally, this is also the first Ferrari to get electric power-steering — the old hydraulic system siphons off too much power for eco-minders' liking. It's unexpectedly light and weights up somewhat as you gather pace, but not nearly enough. The old system was much more talkative.
The direct-injected flat-plane crank V8 also gets minor tweaks, but you still get the stomp-and-go response you'd expect from a naturally aspirated Ferrari engine. And it sounds fantastic, especially when the double-clutch gearbox swaps cogs and a tidal wave of torque courses through the system, jolting the drivetrain just so.
The V8 is snuggled up to the firewall while the gearbox is mounted at the back for better weight distribution. It shows in the car's predictable road manners. However, you'll be disappointed if you're expecting the Cali to be overtly sporty.
This baby Fezza is built for a different purpose. It's for transcontinental thrashes and cruising down fashionable boulevards. Drop the metal folding top and belt along some coastal roads with that glorious V8 working its way up to the 8,000rpm redline, punctuated by the snap and crackle of gear changes and it all begins to come together. It's all very, very dramatic and supercar-like. Just a bit smoother around the edges. Want a sporty Ferrari convertible? Buy the 458 Italia Spider (page 12).
Verdict
Let's face it, the HELE system is merely a novelty item. Largely because it can only be activated when the AC is turned off. And that renders it purely academic for about 300 days of the year in our region. In the end though, it's a Ferrari and it looks, sounds and feels magnificent. Everything else is just a bonus.
Specs & ratings
- Model California
- Engine 4.3-litre V8
- Transmission Seven-speed auto, RWD
- Max power 453bhp @ 7,750rpm
- Max torque 510Nm @ 5,000rpm
- Top speed 310kph
- 0-100kph 4.0sec
- Price Dh770,000