Who has coupled an FF with Cali T?

Joe I wish I could answer your combo question but I can't because I only own one Ferrari and it's the Cali non T version. However I believe Ferrari V12 engines like the one in the FF are the state-of-the-art in terms of superior exhaust sound and sensations and once you educate your hear to this kind of symphony anything else you hear and experience will certainly sound inferior. I've never driven the FF or the Cali T but I've heard them both with great attention several times and in terms of exhaust sound these two cars are really very far apart from each other. I can tell you that with my Cali I experience the sensation of having two different cars because you can switch from a closed coupé to an open convertible in just 14 seconds. The Cali with the top down is capable of giving great sensations while driving in the countryside or in the seaside because you can hear and feel everything around you - the air outside, the smell of the flowers in the fields, the natural sound of the exhaust. The Cali's back seats are really tiny and only small children are able to travel there. Because you are 6'3 you'll have to have your drivers seat pushed all the way to the back and when that happens there isn't any space left for the legs on the back seat immediately behind.

If the pointed drawbacks are no problem to you in my modest opinion I would say the Cali is probably the most versatile complementary Ferrari car for someone who already has an FF.

 

How old are your children? If they're past the age where they're riding in car seats, it's tight back there, even for kids.

This is our 30 lb "child" in the back of our Cali. And, that's behind the passenger seat. My wife is about 5'8". I'm 6'2" and it'd be even less space behind me.



Same dog, in the back of my 911. More room!


I'm biased, because I'm also a big Porsche fan, but perhaps add a 911 to the stable to give yourself a different driving experience from the FF?

T

 

I'm pretty sure Rick Lederman has ... I'm sure he'll chime in.

 

You should be able to get a dealer to show you around the Cali T and go for a test drive too.
Bring your kids to try out the seating

 

I am an ex-Porsche guy (including PCA Time Trialing for a few years) and love the brand. I will likely buy a Panamera Turbo or Turbo S next year as they have finally fixed the exterior -- especially the rear - for 2017.

I bought a 2016 California T and I must say it is spectacular. I cannot believe I ignored the brand for this long given the experience. I chose the Cali T b/c it had more of the classic / GT design that I like and still performed like a beast. I think Car and Driver stated "the car is unbelievably / surprisingly fast" and clocked a few 3.3 sec 0-60 runs. That was plenty of speed for me.

Life with the Cali T has been really fun. You get noticed but perhaps more in a good way than the 458/488 Spiders. Most people don't know what the brand of the car is until they get closer and I like the uniqueness and classic lines of the T exterior. With the top up, it is very comfortable and often gets mistaken for one of Ferrari's V-12 models (599/f12/etc).

The sound is still amazing and, per a GREAT post and info from JosTex, you can get outrageous sound in the aftermarket (that is fully adjustable with a keyfob remote) for about $5k installed. Amazing.

I really like the stock sound but may some day go for "the upgrade".

If you are ordering a 2017+ model you can also choose the new Handling Speciale package that adds a lot of value for the dollar (in my book).

The magneheteriological shock system is on my car (non-HS) and it is awesome. The transmission is excellent and the engine seems to have endless power once the turbos are spooled -- which happens very quickly.

The most shocking thing to me is how EXCELLENT THE STEERING IS. I love my Porsches but DAMN the Ferrari has fantastic steering.

Net-net -- great car. Easy to Daily Drive. Still gets most of the same Ferrari attention that is fun (mostly). Drives incredibly well. Sounds great stock but is easy to really crank it up in the aftermarket.

The only downside is it is not really a track-able car (not in the pure sense -- it would do fine on the track).

But that is why I ordered a Cayman GT-4.

Good luck.

 

I have a California T. It does not carry kids in the back unless they are small and the drive/passenger are small.

I had a friend drive last week who is over 6 feet. With the top up he was a little tight.

 

I'm on my third California, started with a very early '10, put around 30,000 miles on it in 1.5 years and traded up to a '12 and traded up to my T last October. I also have had a '12 FF and now have a late '14 FF. The T is a perfect addition to the FF. The T seems almost as fast as the FF which can do 0-160-0 in about 4,200 feet. I just haven't pushed the T that far yet. The only thing missing from the T is the intoxicating V12 sound. The T sound is Ferrari V8 and really sounds great in its own right.

Which do you drive? Since I drive them both all year in NW Ohio, putting SottoZeros on them both in the winter, it really depends on the weather and temps and which one I washed last . Today for example, drove the T to work since it was about 70 out and the sun was hidden behind clouds. At lunch the sun came out and I put the top up on the T, and if my FF were here (it is in for maintenance) I may have gone home and traded cars. If the weather is bad, rain or snow then I drive which ever car is dirtier .

I'm 6'1", 226 lbs and am comfortable in both. Lately I've been taking full size glider flying lessons from a school about 2.5 hours drive one way and although the FF is a bit more comfortable I've been driving the Cali since it gets over 22 mpg on that long, steady state drive. Plus the front tires are not quite as prone to damage as the FF and Michigan roads SUCK. (Driving from near Toledo Oh to Ionia MI).

I think all of the rear engine Ferraris are uncomfortable to drive, no place to put your left foot like in the GT cars.

Both the FF and the T are amazing cars, they compliment them each other. My wife owns a Porsche Cayenne Turbo and it is crap compared to the Ferraris. I've also owned three 928's, amazing cars in their time but crap today compared to these. And I'm still a PCA member, over 31 years.

Reading your last post, I have had kids in the rear seats, even adults, but not for long! The only exception was competing in a R/C glider cross country contest in a US National event with me as driver, a pilot, and spotter, all adults and all about the same size, covering 70 miles while flying the glider. I had to scrunch the driver's seat WAY forward and tilt it almost straight up, and did that for many hours just to win the contest. The winning part was fun, the driving was not. So, I'd consider the T to be a very seldom drive with more than two people car.

Hopefully that all helps.

 

Have you sat in a 458 with race seats? They leave a lot more headroom than the normal seats when they are in their lowest position. They are also more comfortable in my opinion. I'm 183 cm and 75 kg, so I'm slimmer and a shorter guy though. The 458 will provide a really different and fun experience as it's a mid engine sports car. Both the Cali T and FF are heavy GTs - there's only a 10 kg difference but the Cali T has a lot less power than the FF as well.

As some have said, with your height and unless your kids are toddlers or amputees, they're not going in the back comfortably. The FF is about as much fun as it gets for the whole family.

A question to Rick.

You say your Cali T is less prone to tyre failures due to the poor roads in your area. I take it you're running 19" rims on it?

 

My winter tires on the Cali are 19" which were what came on my first Cali. My T has 20" summer tires but still have not destroyed a wheel nor a tire with 11,000+ miles since last October. My FF has 20" for snow's and summer tires and I've broken three wheels and 5 tires on potholes both in summer and winter.

 

I warn everyone that all it takes is driving an FF (or F12 for that matter) and you will sell your existing cars, your house, your dog, your wife, and your kids just to get your hands on a modern Ferrari V12. Very intoxicating . However, you can't put the top down and that is where the T comes in .

 

Everyone harps on the looks of the FF, but I cannot recall anyone on this forum decry its driving characteristics. And, this is why I refuse to test drive an FF until I am serious about buying one. I would never sell my dog for an FF, but I'd sell the wife's car & the mother in law in a heart beat, although I'd doubt anyone would take the latter off my hands. 😀
T

 

Don't know if I mentioned it in this thread but my first Cail's went KaPOW when I shifted above 3,000 rpm and foot was in it ... the T just goes POW , just as loud, not quite as long a note but still wakes the dead and echo's great between the buildings in the little town that I am in.