Why so much Cali hate?

Nice, but these guys do the one thing you should absolutely never do in a video that will be posted in a "why does everyone hate the California" thread - back it up past the last Ferrari that everyone loved.
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"Saddle Up."



Let me get my Manolos on.

As a 612 owner, I'm delighted by the distraction afforded by the California. An enthusiast friend recently suggested that I purchase a Bentley Continental as a "tender" for my 612; I'm sending him your photo of the Cali.

 

Actually, there was considerable criticism of the Daytona when it came out, especially by the self described enthusiasts. It was heavy, too luxurious and not racy enough like the 250 series. Boxers received similar criticism.

Dave

 

Don't know where you get that at all, the criticism of the Daytona was it wasn't mid engine response to the Miura, Road and Track had the cover 173mph fastest road Ferrari ever it praised, there was never a doubt it was a real Ferrari, the Boxer was an instant hit worshiped by the press and Ferrari enthusiests I was a kid it was my ultimate dream car, the Cali is a bad joke in comparison not even close to these cars neither were ever referred to as ugly or cartoonish looking aka Pokemon

 

So, I have to put in some attitude at this point in the discussion. Over and over the biggest complaint of anti-Cali crew has to do with the car's looks. Yes, there are other complaints, but the top of the chart is about the car's appearance or styling or lack thereof. And you call yourselves enthusiasts! In other words, in case you don't get the point, WHO GIVES A **** how it looks? Hopefully you buy a Ferrari to DRIVE! Hello? Any drivers out there?

From all that is reported the Cali is, BY FAR, the best driving normal street car ever built by Ferrari. Sure, sure, sure, if you really are Schumacher class talent, you would probably be able to take advantage of the last bit of ultimate handling ability that a 430 provides. Not to mention the ultimate performance of an Enzo or F40. But I dare say that for the rest of us, and I am 99% certain that includes every last one of the anti-Cali posters here, you would be faster from point A to point B in a Cali than just about anything else ever made by any company. Front-engined cars are simply more predictable for ordinary humans and that allows said ordinary humans to use more of the car's ability with their ability. But even that is not really the point: the real point is that I know without a doubt that no matter which car you were actually fastest in, the car that, if you had the honesty to admit it, to yourself, if to no one else, the car that would put the biggest smile on your face while performing such an experiment, that car would be a Cali!!!

*whiny voice* "Oh noes!" "They'll think I'm a girlyman!" "But it's so ugly!"

And you consider yourselves enthusiasts - what a joke!

OK, now resume the styling critiques...

(reminds me of women in a dress shop)

 

Michael Mann was unavailable to direct that day!

BTW anyone know the song or singer that is in the background?

 

That's a great point. Looks are only meaningful to the poseur crowd - you're all busted, poseurs!

In truth, when I'm in any Ferrari (and I've been in lots) the only thing I really care about is how it drives. The way it looks is meaningless, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder anyway.
So to all of you Cali haters, avert your eyes when I drive by. It won't take too long because the Cali will smoke just about any other Ferrari out there.

 

I do agree that the cali does not have a GREAT back view, but the profile pic of the red one looked amazingly like the 575! Maybe you guys who don't like this car also don't like the 550/575, I don't know but to me this seems like one of the most useful Ferrari convertibles ever made! I would LOVE to have one some day! I had hoped it would be in the under $200k range but that does not seem to have happened... How unfortunate for those of us mere mortals, we will just have to wait a few years and find the good used ones I guess!

I can't wait to see one live and in person and maybe even turn the wheel in one sooner rather than later!

Best,
James

 

Yep! The used ones will be out there in a few years. Start saving now.

Only thing I'm worried about is how hard it will be to find one with the 6-speed. That DSG sounds pretty amazing, but I have to have my pedal.

For some years now, what I've thought would be the best deal of all would be to have a clutch pedal control the clutch, but to shift with the paddles. You could probably modify a DSG car by adding a pedal, master cylinder, and slave cylinder (or two!) to control the clutches. But then you would have to hack Ferrari's DSG software, which, unless Ferrari gave you the source code, (that would never happen), would really be a task. Maybe. Or maybe it's not that tough, or you could piggyback it like some ECUs I've seen.

 

SF badges, six of them.

 

The "Daytona" doesn't do it with anti-spin stability control, power steering and an electronic steering differential, antilock brakes, automatic trans, and traction control.

It's not a video game: Only drivers need apply.

 

OK, I get the manual transmission model, turn off the anti-spin and traction control, and that leaves what? fancy power steering and anti-lock brakes. So? My Mondial has power steering and anti-lock brakes. Big deal. And the Cali will still dust a Daytona. So what was your point?

 

Jeesh! Go back and argue that Fuel Injection ruined the 308 or how disc brakes have destroyed spirited driving. Look, this car is not for you. Neither was any Ferrari made since 1992. I think we figured that part out already. Get over it and move on.

 

I hate posting here because it prolongs the agony. But I'm not enthused about modern cars either. There's a difference between something like fuel injection, which takes over no real driver functions other than making starting easier and preventing fuel starvation in corners, and a lot of the Intel-inside gadgetry of the California, 599, 612 and most upscale 2009 cars that does the actual work for you.

I don't think it's fair to single out the California as the only car that idiot-proofs the driving experience, but it appears to be consistent with the trend. Again, I tend to find much greater pleasure in older cars, and I would take a Daytona over almost any other car in the world -- not to drag race or set records at the Nurburgring, but to enjoy what cars were like when they were primarily a mechanical experience. Whatever is fastest today will be yesterday's news tomorrow, but the experience of the classic lives on -- and is becoming a distant memory for most people.

I'm not a fan of the California's looks, or the 599s, but as a more interesting alternative to the Merc SL it is relevant to some buyers. So be it.

 

A Daytona is 40 years old. It would be like comparing a 29 Bugatti in performance to it when it came out, looks wise Daytona blows away the Cali in every aspect, Ferraris used to set the bar in exotic looks the Cali looks like the same guy that penned the Hyundai Tiburon did it as well, Ferrari needs to fire Pinninfarina they have lost it and are no longer artists just car designers.
There is no agony in this thread except maybe for Ferrari SPA they probably cringe everytime it pops back to the top but they deserve some payback for badging this homely car Ferrari

 

Oh boy, here come the fashion police again.

 

This is what changed at Ferrari.

Ferrari became famous for being wayyyyyyyyy in front of everyone else on design.

You paid huge bucks $$$ .... part for the performance, and part for the Italian Art

The Cali has the big price tag... but you only get half of what you use to get from Ferrari



.

 

>> famous for being wayyyyyyyyy in front of everyone else on design.

Quite right! Famous with poseurs. Absolutely! (The rest of us, you know, the quiet types, just loved to drive a truly well engineered machine.)

>> [With] The Cali [poseurs] only get half of what [they] use to get from Ferrari

And boy are they pissed! You can hear the screams from Greenwich Village to Hollywood!

 

I apologize to anyone offended, but this thread has become an incredible bellwether on who is a real world enthusast and who is a poseur. Cars are for driving and if you're more obsessed with how it looks or what is appropriately "hardcore", it's terribly telling as to why you're an enthusiast in the first place. Again, I apologize if I'm making enemies here but I've never seen such clear division between two camps as this. The Cal Spider is simply a drivers car for those who drive 95% in the real world. If you live in pricey parts like New York or SF or LA, you need something a bit more well-rounded like a California. That's not a compromise, that's life.

I've driven motorcycles all my life and if you have too, you know full well that in the real-world commute/grocery run/amble-about-town, a cheap everyday Ninja 650R will likely beat a Ducati 1048 every time. Nimble, tractable, simple bikes tend to do better in certain circumstances. If you're on desolate back-roads in the San Diego mountains or on the central coast hill country or perhaps a track, well, that's totally different and a Ducati KILLS there. But that's the difference between a Cal Spider and a 430. It's not "bad" it's "different."

 

Funny a guy with a Mondial one of the slowest least performing Ferraris calling other Ferrari owners who think the Cali is ugly poseurs

 

Alex

I think if you're blind it would be a good car to be driven around in.

Cheers

 

i hate the way it looks. although it looks much nicer in pictures. as soon as i saw it at the L.A. auto show, i was shocked by how ugly of a car Ferrari had produced.

 

Indeed, as has been said: It is every inch a rich dilettante's codpiece/strap-on/implant.

 

Actually, under Enzo's leadership, Ferraris were generally behind others when it came to adopting new technologies or designs. Think disc brakes, mid engines, 4 valves, unit bodies, etc. He tended to pry all the performance he could out of older designs. Under Montezemolo, it's a complete turnaround where he seems obsessed with putting new tech on road going Ferraris before anyone else.

Dave