About to switch to 458 from cali-anyone make the switch?

you are comparing apples to oranges. While they are both Ferraris the Cali is entry level and a touring car. I too found the performance very average compared to the Porsches I previously owned but loved the sound of the Cali. With the Cali you have a trunk and the option to put 2 sets of golf clubs through the trunk and the middle and another person. I overlooked the performance and enjoyed the pleasant driving experience, sound and the attention (I like how people want to take pictures of my car)

The 458 is a true supercar. You can only put another person and very little luggage.
If you don't like the attention you get with the California you will hate the attention you get with the 458 as it is more. It will give you the performance you find lacking.

I find it funny that I never thought I would spend $ 180 + on a car/toy then I bought a California. After 2 years of loving the driving of it I had rationalized the extra money to upgrade to a 458 was no big deal. Amazing how owning a Ferrari does that to you......

You can't go wrong with either car.......

 

I do not find that the comment entrey level is apprapo, my car cost about the same as a 458, however they are 2 very different cars. The Cali is a true daily driver. One is a track car which could be used on the street and the other is a street car which could be used on the track. I do not find the 458 as nearly as versatile. I go on the track perhaps once a year, but drive on the streets daily. If you are focused on track, the 458 is certainly a wonderful car, however when I want to throw my sons in the car and drive, I can do that in my Cali. BTW my Cali T is just as fast as a 458 !

 

I agree with your daily driver comments and versatility. I say entry level because of cost of entry, I can buy a 2013 California 30 right now with low miles for $ 160 ish and a 2013 458 coupe will run you $ 220. I did not mean to offend but was commenting on cost of entry.

 

I just wish i could afford either !!!

 

I could find several 458 for less than my California T. It's not a cost issue. I bought a California T, because I wanted something that was not too loud. If it looks too much like a race car my wife would not ride in it. I wanted to performance. The California T is right in the mix. Sounds great, but not too wild. It gets a lot of attention, more than my wife likes.

I might buy a 458 some day, but only because I love the way it looks, Its a beautiful car. I don't see this as an step up, its just a different car.

Can't go wrong with either car.

 

I think you're somewhat confused.

If you don't like attention you will hate the added attention from the 458. What are you thinking?

How do you drive your Cali? The Cali30 is as fast as the 458 up to 40 mph and stops better than it. The Porsche 997 Turbo puts out max torque by 2000 rpm and the F136 engine in your Cali will feel like a Toyota Prius at 2000 rpm.

Flat-plane Ferrari V8 engines need to be revved 4000-7000 rpm to get the car into its proper operating environment. If you didn't know that you need to go back out in your car and get used to high-revving flat-plane engines that love to scream.

This is why most people buy Ferraris, for their high-revving screaming engines.

Perhaps you have very long or short thighs. You don't say what exactly you mean by "uncomfortable". I don't find the Daytona seats in my Cali30 very comfy either but they feel OK even after driving non-stop for 6 hours.

The 458 has its engine where the back seats are in the Cali. How often and how far will you drive a 458 and what kind of driving are you looking to do in your Fcar?

Like I said above, if you don't like the attention, the 458 will just make that worse. Even with my car you get people chasing you on the road to get a better look. Strangers come up to you in your car and ask you "what do you do for a living? or "how much did you pay for the car?"

 

I hate it when they ask the latter. How do you respond without sounding like a jerk when I feel like saying "it's none of your damned business"?

 

I think you are missing the point that there are simply no alternatives to the California in the current Ferrari line-up. Someone who is looking for a front-engine (more roomy) full convertible that converts to a great-looking less boy-racer sports coupe will not buy a 458/488 or an F12/FF/GTC4 Lusso.

It's the silly journos who like to say "entry-level" as if they actually have the cash to buy any of them based on what they can afford. Many journos also call the 488 "entry-level" as if there is any Ferrari alternative to the mid-engine 458/488 except an LaF.

Ferrari does not make redundant models that compete with each other so none of them are actually an entry-level to some other Ferrari model. They all appeal to different needs but if a buyer is confused or not properly informed, they might think an F12 should appeal more to any novice Ferrari buyer than a California. If I did buy an F12 I would still have to buy a California to have all my driving needs met.

If someone actually wants an F12 but buys a California because of costs, I feel sorry for him/her. What a waste of money. When you spend $300k+ (in Canada) for a Ferrari California, you better make sure you really want it and are not settling for what you perceive to be an "entry level model".

Of course, buying Fcars in the used car market is a different matter, because cost *is* often a primary factor for many but not all buyers. Buy and drive what you really want, never settle for what you perceive to be "entry level".

 

"How much did you pay for the car?"

"Don't know. It's...my dad's, my wife's, my husband's, a demo" (with a silly grin)
"Too much... but it was worth it." (with a sigh)
"It's not for sale." (smiling)

 

There are certain car classification concepts that have lasted through the years and I'm sure they'll help to demystify your question in a very easy manner. The Ferrari California is classified as a GT (Gran Turismo / Grand Tourer) which was an Italian designation for "a performance and luxury automobile capable of high speed and spirited long-distance driving". The Ferrari 458 has a completely different classification SPORTSCAR which according to the British is a car with "high maneuverability and minimum weight …..which may be equipped for racing…………….having a low center of gravity and steering and suspension designed for precise control at high speed".

This is sufficient to conclude that you are trying to compare the incomparable………..

 

Love the last one!!

 

Or the old standby, about 3 months salary...

 

I went from a red F430 to a grigio titanio California 30 ... in the F430 I had kids filming the car alongside me at 80 mph on the freeway (that is unnerving), attracted idiots in Hyundais and Scions who wanted to race, had guys in pickups and on motorcycles revving their engines at me and the car generally drew a crowd. In the dark silver California, no one notices me except for the occasional car enthusiast who gives a thumbs up at the light. Definitely under the radar, and my car does have shields.
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I went from a Nero Daytona 2010 California to a 458 Spider. I didn't need the back seats and enjoyed driving the Spider more. It was lighter and had more of a go-kart feel on city streets as a daily driver. Driving the Spider was more of an "event" and the attention was marginally more than the California, perhaps because of the Grigio Titanio color. Certainly a small fraction of the attention I received from my Verde Mantis Huracan which was unnerving as a daily driver because of the color. I think color makes a big difference, pick a more subdued color and your 458 spider should be a pleasant daily driver as was mine.

 

Right. So you know the drill. Just make sure road conditions allow for the exercise.

FWIW, the 997 GT3 RS develops about 245 ft-lb by 2700 rpm and maxes out at 317 ft-lb at 6750 rpm. At 2700 rpm, the F136 engine develops about 260 ft-lb and maxes out at 358 ft-lb at 5000 rpm but the Cali also weighs 350 kg more than the RS due to the roof mechanism and bigger engine.

So you should maximize the available torque from the F136 by revving to 5000 rpm and beyond (the F136 torque is still around 350 ft-lb at 6000 rpm. I rev to near 7000 rpm (300 ft-lb) so that when I shift up, engine revs fall back to within the 5000-6000 rpm power band. The Cali30 has higher max torque at 361 ft-lb.

By comparison the 997.2 turbo develops 490 ft-lb (max torque) by 3200 rpm.

If you're curious, the Cali T F154 engine develops 405 ft-lb in 3rd gear at 3200 rpm, 440 ft-lb in 6th at 3200 rpm and 516 ft-lb in 7th at 3200 rpm. Max torque is 557 ft-lb at 7500 rpm in 7th gear.

Using launch control (PS) also helps. Sometimes I just hold the car with the brakes, apply throttle a split second to "wake up" the engine before I release the brakes and that's enough to deliver a satisfying launch.

 

Funny, I have owned a few modern 911s and just picked up the 2017. I prefer the Cali for seat of the pants driving and overall driving experience... I just can't take it to the grocery store.

 

Sorry I miscalculated; the Cali30 actually develops a maximum of 369 ft-lb torque.

 

Have you spent some time behind the wheel of a 991 GT3 or GT3RS? My GT3 drives like a go-kart, it's fun for daily driving on city streets. Just need to keep the revs at 5000 rpm. The active rear-wheel steering and rear differential with torque vectoring that came from the 918 contribute to a unique driving experience.

I really liked the Cali as a GT.

 

I refuse to.
Too many cars, not enough willpower.

 

I had an '11 California that I used as a GT/near daily driver. It handled well, and was fast enough that it was no trouble keeping up with other Ferraris on spirited drives, yet rode well, and the top down experience was great.

But, I also found that the power/torque curve that made it a decent DD also made it a bit less exciting than one might desire. The gearing seemed tall, and the power/torque curve so flat that one could easily drive around in second gear all the time. Or third, or fourth. If you wanted to get that Ferrari sound, or rev it up in around town driving, you would almost need first gear. Going up and down the gears seemed pointless, as the sound would change, but it more or less felt the same. While it was fast, it didn't feel fast. There wasn't all that much excitement when passing other cars, whether on a country two lane or on the freeway. You could do it by dropping down a gear, but to get a real push, you needed to drop down two, maybe three if you were cruising in seventh.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago when I traded my real DD, a very high performance sports sedan, for a 911 turbo. I quickly found its torque, power, and driving characteristics much more enjoyable than the Cali's, so much so that I found myself driving the Porsche much more than I had intended or expected.

As a result, the Cali tended to sit on a battery tender a lot, all the while depreciating at a seemingly alarming rate, so I sold it and got a 458 coupe. Actually, I did that in reverse order, which is another story.

The 458 has a different power and torque curve and at least seems geared differently. It's much more fun to click through the gears, even in around town driving. You get more of a rush as the revs climb the scale. The 458 (of course) corners flatter, and the steering and handling are sharper. I don't use it as a DD or even near DD, but I can see it being relatively practical, as the trunk is a useful size, and if you have the front lifter option, you don't fear driveways or parking lot speed bumps much.

The 458 gets more attention than the Cali did, but surprisingly, the Porsche also gets way more attention than I ever thought it would. People would get out their cell phones and take pics of the 911 and Cali at about the same rate (the Cali was Silverstone and the 911 is Sapphire Blue). I dislike the attention, which in part is why I got the 911, figuring I'd blend in with the myriad other 911s that have been made over its 50+ year history and mostly look the same; wrong. Anyway, to keep the attention level down, I got the 458 in TdF.

Bottom line: my Cali was a good GT car, but the 458 is a great sports car. As much as I like the 911 turbo, the 458 is way more fun and involving to drive. The 458 is much more able and fun than the 911 on the track, too, which I suppose ought not be a surprise, but was to me, given how on paper, the performance specs are so close (with the 911 having a better 0-60 time), and how brilliant the 911 is on public roads. And, no surprise, the 458 is way more fun to drive than the Cali was. Anywhere. Now note that my Cali was an '11. The later California 30, especially with the HS package, is likely to be a better experience, and the T is probably better yet.

 

Need4Speed, I test drove two 2012 Calis before I placed my order for a 2013. When I received my car 5 months later, I was very glad I decided to wait and pay the $80k premium to get a new car.

While your comments about the 2011 Cali reflect personal taste, I had the same impression when I compared my driving experiences with my Cali30 to the 2012 Calis that I test drove before. The Cali30 feels completely different. It's a very lively, noisy and fun car to drive.

I had written about this a few times on Fchat... many months ago. The Cali30 feels very punchy and is pretty loud, especially compared to the original Cali.

I think your comments are mostly accurate, with exceptions. Here's why...