Why so much Cali hate?

...... coming soon to a bumper sticker near Santa Monica Blvd!

 

Hey, everybody!

My opinion counts for double, or triple, or ten times as much as anyone else's because, well, I'm me, and I'm better than the rest of you!

And if you're a San Francisco hairdresser and I'm not, then I'm better than you. And if you ever buy non-automotive related items with a Ferrari logo and I don't, I'm better than you. And if I've toured the factory and you haven't, I'm better than you. And if my car is newer than yours, I'm better than you. And if my car is older than yours, I'm better than you. If I've raced and you haven't, I'm better than you. If you have a Ferrari and I'm too smart to fall for their lame marketing ploys, I'm better than you. If you're American and I'm not, I'm better than you. If you like the California and I don't, I'm better than you. If you don't like the California and I do, it's because you know nothing of the grand history of Ferrari and the now-eroding (or corroding) status of the marque, so I'm better than you.

Or maybe Ferrari has been dead for thirty years and is only kept alive by the artificial resuscitation devices of cute boutique items. So that makes me better than you.

Whatever opinion you take, I can say the opposite - and insult your intelligence, heritage, and lineage in the process! Whoopee! It's almost as fun as politics!

I can be more insulting and dismissive than you. I can put down your opinions as worthless, while asserting without cause or justification that mine have more validity. I can be more obnoxious, which makes me better than you.

Yeah, that just makes this board a whole lot of fun. . .

Peace on Earth and Good Will to All.

 

You guys rip it up one side and down the other. All valid complaints. But you are still missing the big picture. What other front engined, rear transaxle, direct injected flat plane crank V8, manual transmission, hard top, 2+2, convertible can you buy? None. Correct me if I am wrong, please.

About that hard top: Look, I love my Mondial t Cab, but I really really wish that there had been a coupe for sale during the brief moment when it was possible for me to buy a Ferrari. Why? Well, here's the deal: When the road and the weather are perfect, the sweetest driving I have ever done is at the wheel of my Cab with the top down. Pure bliss. But the rest of the time it is not so much fun, and then I wish I had a coupe. Only if i did, I would miss out on those perfect moments. Dilemma.

With the Cali, dilemma solved. You get the best of both.

Well, I guess that depends on the execution of the concept. We'll see, but I am hopeful, fake scoop notwithstanding.

The only way that the Cali could be better would be to sacrifice the convertible by making it a coupe and rip out all the luxo crap to lighten it up tremendously. That would be really, really fun.

 

don't worry I'm sure the cali lightweight stradale is just around the corner

 

Hmmm. A Mondial owner touting the Cali........

 

Sounds to me like you hate ferrari's so you might consider selling yours and join a skoda site.

 

Ha ha we all know that will never happen.

It comes down to this, for real world driving, and drivers, all that is left is Lotus, too small, and well used, very well used Ferraris. I don't want something that doesn't have a trunk or some room inside to cart junk around. I like to drive my car every day. The berlinnettas just don't have any practicality. My dream car is a lightweight Ferrari sedan made on the layout of the Cali. That's just around the corner too. Hey, I may get even defect and get one of those panameras, if you can get it with a decent tranny. See, I wouldn't even look at anything else if you could still get an Alfa Sedan that was a true sports sedan, but they stopped making those so long ago that it's a joke. Still, even if I did get the Panamera, I would miss the Ferrari engine, so having gone full circle, I come to the conclusion that the Cali is it! The best compromise between what I want and what people make.

Is that clear?

 

That is becuase Enzo oversaw the 355 design. The newer Ferraris just don't have the "look".

 

God Forbid, I hope Ferrari doesn't listen to you........

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, Korr, but you don't have a Ferrari. That's okay, you can still have an opinion.

Now, about the "Skoda." Isn't that the far better constructed, more reliable, prestigious Trabant?

 

Nope, Enzo died in '88. I think the F40 was the last Ferrari he oversaw, and the 328 and Testarossa were the last production cars.

IIRC, Luca di Montezemolo took over during the 348 run and the 355 was his attempt to fix what he saw as the shortcomings of that model.

 

+1

 

Don't worry - LOL!

 

A few comments...........

Why doesn't anyone who finds the "fake exhaust" tips objectionable mention the phony front grill on 348's and 355's?

How many of you that are so critical have actually seen a Cali in the flesh?

How many of you critics actually have the financial wherewithall to seriously consider buying one?

Enzo originally sold his road cars to people he approved of....i.e. racers, Hollywood stars, royalty and the mega rich. Perhaps he was building the brand even then. They have been status symbols since the beginning.

Many models were clunkers in the looks dept. The original 330GT, C4, how about the Mondial 8? In the 60's, 4 seaters outsold 2 seaters. Enzo was never the "pure" sportscar maker so many now think. Like it or not, Montezomolo took a cottage car maker on the ropes and made it the huge, successful brand it is today. For that he gets my respect.

Dave

 

enzo didn't give a rats ass unless it made money

 

Hairy chested Ferraris are what made the company. This car's chest has been waxed.

 

You're right Jon, 1988 is when Enzo passed. I don't why I thought it was the mid 90's?

 

I think it's more about expectations. Ferrari have produced some of the most bite-the-back-of-your-hand stunning cars ever made. I don't think the CA is ugly at all, but it's like the prettiest girl in high school at a party with all the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models.

There's a Ferrari exhibit at the San Diego Auto Museum. I was there last weekend, and I was also over at Symbolic this week chatting with occasional FChat'er Bill Noon. So far this week I've seen two original Daytona Spyders, two Lussos, a 275 GTB, a 250 TR, an F40, and the list goes on. Hell, I get home and even the 328 GTS in my garage -- which, with bias, I think is the best looking modern-ish production sports car -- feels kind of normal.

So, it's not like the CA is another Pontiac Aztek/Toyota Solara/Lexus SC kind of mess, but in comparison it's not what it could have been. Ditto the 599. I don't cringe when I see it, but when I see the AM Vantage or the new Alfa 8C I just don't think it's up there.

With regard to Hardtop Dave's post, the answer is yes, I could buy a new CA if I sold the 328 and diverted other savings to my toy car cash fund. Would I seriously consider it? No, even if I loved it I'd wait till market values settled. I agree that it's hard to have a final verdict till I see it in the metal. But I'd say it's likely that when the CA drops to $100K in the used market it's still not likely to be on my list.

The Z4 looks better than the current one, IMO. But we're talking about basically an upscale daily driver type of car. Different criteria for most of us, I'd guess.

 

Someone else said it here earlier. How many people who have contributed to this thread have ever bought a new Ferrari? Not many I guess.
Opinions about the Cali from anybody are valid, but the only opinions that matter to Ferrari are those of real prospective buyers.
I am not partial to modern Lambos for a whole slew of reasons, from the fact that they are badge engineered Audi's with a cartoonish body to the the reality that their history as a company is spotty at best.
I am unlikely to ever purchase a new Lambo. Therefore my opinion, to Lambo, is essentially meaningless.

Ferraris on the other hand are right up my alley. I love the company, I love what LDM has done with it and I love that new Ferraris are reliable and exclusive cars that I can use everyday if I choose.
The Cali is looking better and better every day, especially as I read positive reviews in journals I admire, like Car Magazine.
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Ferrari-California-2009-CAR-review/
I use my 599 often, and I use it as a regular car, on real world roads and park it in shopping center parking structures and carry things in the trunk.
The Cali will do all of that and be a convertible as well when I want it.
I still recall the venom spat out at the 599 when it was first introduced, probably by the same people attacking the Cali today. The 599 is simply the best Ferrari ever built and I believe the Cali will continue along the same path.

For those who don't agree, that's fine. I 'm sure the Ferrari company will continue to exist quite nicely without them as customers for the Cali.

 

+infinity

For the price of a Cali, I could get two of those, two years sooner.

 

Yes you could. And for your money, you would have 2 cars that are:
1. Better looking
2. Much slower
3. Don't handle as well
4. Don't stop as well
5. Etc....

While I am not a fan of the California's styling, by all accounts, it is a very good enthusiasts car. Since it (California) doesn't seem to have ANY of the nasty traits of the NUMEROUS POS Ferraris built in the 1970's/1980's/early 1990's, I guess it must be smacked around as a poseur/girl car/gay car by all the manly Ferrari ENTHUSIASTS (what a laugh). The same people that bemoan the loss of the air cooled, drop throttle oversteering to the point of death, Porsche 911.

Most of this thread revolves around how current Ferrari's LOOK, not how they perform, which leads me to believe that all of these experts have never actually DRIVEN a modern Ferrari (or any other Ferrari for that matter). The reality is that the BEST Ferrari's EVER made are the cars being made today. Why do you think Honda made the NSX in the early 1990's? Because they looked at the 328/348 Ferrari and said "This is it? Hell, we can do better than that on our FIRST try in the mid-engine derby." And they did. Ferrari saw this hand writing then and corrected their issues. Too bad the British car industry didn't do the same 15-20 years earlier. We might still be able to buy a modern British roadster (oh wait....we can...it's called a Mazda MX-5).

Jimmy

 

The engine is crap compared to any Ferrari V8, much less the Cali's. Aston Martin is so over. Sad, but true. Maybe when Ford finally finds a buyer they can restore the Marque's glory.

 

It's funny, but so true in a lot of ways. I relate to when I was about to buy my Mondial t. I got all excited about this 400i I found at a price I could afford and it had a real 5 speed. I mean, wow, a real Ferrari 12 cylinder, right! But then I looked at the numbers. The 400 was a lot heavier to the point that the Mondial has a better power to weight ratio. Add to that the service costs, and I had no problem going with the more modern t. More modern compared to the 400. Well, I am very happy with the t. Purists can scoff all they want, my Mondial t is one of the best all around cars ever built by anybody. Tradition is all swell, but have to keep things in perspective. My perspective is that the Cali is going to be a very forgiving and tossable high performance delight. It'll be at least 3 years before I can afford one, but I am patient. (It's pretty easy with the Modi in the garage. )