Ferrari California: Sometimes roofless, never toothless

By Rory Reid on 06 October 2008, 12:31pm

5Pages

1
2
3
4
5

Ferrari has just unveiled its latest stunner, dubbed the California. It's a coupe-cabriolet, or in layman's terms, it has an electrically operated roof, which retracts in under 14 seconds. Remember the Transformer-like Ford Focus CC-3? Well it's like that, only a million times sexier.

Hard facts are thin on the ground, but Ferrari has confirmed some interesting tech. The California will feature an integrated iPod connector and a hard drive-based satellite navigation system, which promises better responsiveness than most DVD-based systems. There's no word on whether the hard drive can be used for MP3 playback -- as seen on the Peugeot 207 GTi -- but it should at least come with an MP3 CD option that can accommodate a couple of hundred songs per disc.

The California uses a 4.3-litre V8 engine producing 460 horsepower and 358 pound-feet of torque. This allows for a 0-60mph time of under 4 seconds, while still achieving fuel economy of 18mpg. It's this last statistic that Ferrari hopes will convince customers that the California is a car that can be driven every day -- never mind the fact the default model comes with a shelf instead of a back seat.

There's no confirmed price for the California, but we'll eat our hats if it arrives for less than £150,000 -- and that's before you start adding options. We'll bring you more details as we get them. In the meantime, look at the pics over the page. -Rory Reid

(Photo credit: CBS Interactive)