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The new
Ferrari California sports car received its world
première in Maranello last night, a fortnight ahead of a
appearance at the 78th Paris Motor Show where it will be
shown in public for the first time; it was presented on
Thursday evening in front of more than a thousand guests
by Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo and former F1
driver Michael Schumacher, who has led the technical
development. At the same the new California was unveiled
during a second ceremony, this time being held in Los
Angeles, while the evening's unfolding proceedings at
Maranello were, for the first time broadcast live over
the internet.
As the many
guests streaming into the brand new assembly building,
that was also being inaugurated at the same time,
Montezemolo was in very upbeat mood about the new sports
convertible. "This is a fantastic car, we have tried to
put all our capabilities and technology into it. I'm
proud and pleased to be here with all our clients here
and to be in contact with California. My heart is very
close to the United States. This is a new car, it's
beautiful, you can use it in many different conditions."
Also
attending last night's extravaganza were the Scuderia
Ferrari F1 drivers' Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa.
"It's a very good car for someone who wants to have fun
and also comfort," commented Massa, "it's a fantastic
compromise," added the Brazilian driver, who has won
five grands prix so far this season and is currently
lying second in the F1 points standings, just one adrift
off the top."
Ferrari F1
Team Principal Stefano Domenicali was in attendance and
keen to stress the close links between the grand prix
team and the firm's road car division. "The interaction
with F1 and the things you seen on the road car side is
important," he said, highlighting specific parts such as
the road car clutches and many lightweight components
that are a follow through from F1 experience. "We are
the same family, we are the same group, we are
emotionally together," added Domenicali. Also in
Maranello last night was the Scuderia's test driver Marc
Gené, "I've seen the car, sat in the car but I've never
driven it, though I've spoken to the engineers," said
the Spanish driver, who expressed his enthusiasm for
convertible cars in general. "For sure it will be a good
car for the Spanish market," he added.
The lights
went down, and to the booming soundtrack of The Mamas
and the Papas 'California Dreamin'', Schumacher drove a
glittering red example of the California onto the stage,
with Montezemolo alongside him. The German, who won an
unprecedented five F1 titles for Ferrari between
2000-2004, commented on how he had been involved in the
California project since its inception, unlike the 430
Scuderia, where he had provided input once its
development had got underway. He also talked about the
many 'synergies' between the F1 and road cars at
Ferrari. "We have succeeded in how close the road cars
have come to the F1 cars," said Schumacher, before
adding: "it was a big challenge for us to create a
Ferrari that anyone can use any day, all the emotion is
implanted into a complete new strategy."
Then it was
time for Montezemolo to introduce the California to the
guests, the Ferrari President kicking off by saying that
he had a special bond with the foundation of the
exclusive carmaker: "I was born in the same year as
Ferrari, I feel more close to this fantastic company."
Enthusiastically he went on: "when we present a new car,
its like a child," before paying tribute to Ferrari's
many partners worldwide and its client base, many of
whom were in the assembly hall for the unveiling.
There were
three vital factors in creating a new sports car,
reckoned Montezemolo, "Firstly a beautiful car, this is
a beautiful car," he said. The second fundamental was
technical innovation, while the Ferrari President, who
has recently completed a four-year term as boss of the
Italian employers' federation, Confindustria, added,
"Thirdly is the emotion of driving, when you drive a
Ferrari you have to feel unique." Montezemolo, switching
briefly to the firm's F1 team, many members of which
were present, added that all Ferrari's efforts would be
behind Massa's late-season push for the 2008 F1 title;
they would "put Felipe in a position to win," he
promised. He also paid tribute to a former Ferrari F1
World Champion pilot who died at the end of last month,
"I want to remember Phil Hill, a fantastic driver of
Ferrari."
The
California, said Montezemolo, was a result of the
"passion and capability of our people, inside this car
are the best partners to put in the extreme innovation
and technology. The design, I think it's very
beautiful," he added, before enthusing about its
practicality," if you want speed, handling, you buy this
GT, you use it to go for dinner, for ski, golf, many
different possibilities." The California, which features
an innovative folding hardtop arrangement, "is a tribute
to the United States, and California," the United
States, Montezemolo was quick to point out, is "our
largest market since the 1950s."
Montezemolo,
who has been Ferrari President since 1991, turned his
attention to the new production building which was also
being inaugurated last night, a facility designed to
build the California model. It was an opportunity to
"open the new assembly lines," said Montezemolo who
added that when "we won the best workplace in Europe
[award], was fantastic. This assembly line is unique, he
continued, "with more than 100 trees inside the factory
[building]. Next week we get 120 bicycles [for
employees] to go around the factory."
Finally, it
was time to Montezemolo conclude last night's glamorous
presentation of the new California in Maranello, "I
respect our competitors," he said, "but there is one
difference between us and our competitors, we have 'hot'
technologies."
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