Ferrari presents the California T: the turbo arrives in Geneva

Major news from the Italian house. Ferrari presents its refreshed California, which is now named California T, in reference to its new turbo engine.

A host of novelties that Ferrari will bring to the Geneva Motor Show, which takes place next month, and which we review with you in this article.

Design

The design is what changes least in this new California, which keeps the basic lines of its predecessor. We could speak more of a deep restyling, as the most obvious changes are found in the bumpers, the light clusters and the wheels, although the body dimensions do not vary from its predecessor. The hard-top roof convertible is also retained, which folds away in 14 seconds, one of the fastest times among hard-top convertibles.

The exhaust tailpipes also change, adopting a more conventional position, as previously they were stacked one above the other, something that did not fully convince the followers of the prancing horse brand.

In the interior the changes are also minor. The upholstery improves its finish, and a new multimedia system with a 6.5″ touchscreen also debuts. One of the most striking details accompanying this new California T is the so-called Turbo Performance Engineer (TPE), a small TFT screen located between the two central air vents, which provides occupants with all the engine information in real time, allowing them to analyse driving and technical parameters.

Technology

Undoubtedly, this is where Ferrari has pulled out all the stops in the technical section. The California T debuts a completely new V8 engine, whose main novelty is the inclusion of turbocharging.

It is the first time since the F40 that Ferrari has fitted turbocharging to an engine intended for a road car. With a displacement of 3855 cc, this V8’s output rises to 560 CV, with torque reaching 755 Nm. This gives a really high power-per-litre ratio of 145 CV/L, the highest in its class. Performance is very impressive, with 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 3.6 seconds, reaching a top speed of 316 km/h.

According to the engineers of the Italian brand, this twin-turbo V8 is one of the most advanced in its class, since thanks to variable-geometry turbos and intelligent torque management it practically eliminates turbo-lag -the delay of the turbo-, resulting in a feel very similar to that of a naturally aspirated V8.
Another of the most striking points of this engine are its consumption and emissions figures, homologated at 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres and 250 g/km on the combined cycle, the lowest figure in the brand’s history.

The braking system has also been renewed, capable of stopping the California T from 100 km/h in 34 metres, one of the lowest figures in its segment.

Ferrari places special emphasis on the exhaust system, of which they say “it still sounds the same as a naturally aspirated engine“. It is certainly a bold claim, but it is true that the brand has worked very hard so that this California T keeps the feel of any Ferrari with a naturally aspirated engine.

This model will be unveiled at the Geneva Show, but there will still be a wait of several months before the first units reach dealerships.

Source: Ferrari