The Ferrari California, the most anticipated new car to be launched in Australia in 2009, has arrived and with deliveries to the first owners starting this month. The California takes the legendary super car maker into a whole new area of the market, providing it with its first ever front mid-engined V8-powered grand touring car, broadening the appeal of Ferrari and opening the marque to a new generation of customers.

“The Ferrari California does not extend the Ferrari range up or down the market,” explains Kevin Wall, General Manager for Ferrari in Australia and New Zealand. “Rather, it broadens the appeal of Ferrari within its existing price sector. Thus Ferrari now has two aggressive sports cars, the 599 GTB Fiorano and the F430, complimented respectively by two grand touring cars, the 612 Scaglietti and, now, the Ferrari California.”

However, despite its role as a grand touring compliment to the F430, the new California is still, in every respect, a true Ferrari. “Cutting edge technology in every area enables the California to not only fulfil its role as grand touring car, but also, when the need calls, to offer all the performance of a true car from the house of the Prancing Horse,” says Kevin Wall. “The new V8 engine not only provides true super car performance, at full throttle it makes the expected Ferrari noise that guarantees to make hair on your neck stand on end. The gearbox is easy to use, but when called upon can change gears in a time that would have out a Formula One car to shame just a few years ago. The chassis is refined and comfortable, yet at the same the California can be hustled around a tight race track as quickly as any other V8 Ferrari. But what most obvious example of the twin characters of the California is its roof, on one hand it’s a traditional hard top coupe or, at the press of a button, it’s a full open top car. In essence, a Ferrari that does everything!”

The Ferrari California is the first ever front mounted V8 Ferrari, though, to be strictly accurate as the engine and drivetrain sit entirely between the axle lines, it is as much a mid-engined car as the F430. The mid-front mounted V8 engine, although built to the classic 90 degree V8, is all new and features direct fuel injection, cutting emissions. Also new for Ferrari is the dual clutch gearbox that effectively reduces gear change times to zero, the folding metal roof and the multilink suspension that blends traditional Ferrari handling and adhesion to the road with a new level of ride quality and comfort.

But, regardless of the comfort and luxury, the California is still a Ferrari and a 0-100 km/h time of less than four seconds and a top speed in excess of 310 km/h where the law permits, means that the California remains a true super car. The Ferrari California has a recommended price before statutory and delivery charges of A$472,000 and deliveries started in June 2009.