Hot stuff!!

Was at my dealer today for inspection of my 2016 Cali T for track certification for Laguna Seca this Saturday. This is for the Ferrari Challenge which will be the first race for the 488 in North America. Apart from the 488 racing we allowed to track our cars.
They did a brake flush which is track required if last brake flush was more than six months ago.
While there I asked to drive a 2017 Cali with the HS package. On the drive I found that the car does handle better and sound way better. Lots of pops, barks and burbles. Shifts were noticeably faster albeit hard/harsh and I just couldn't make them much smoother. I did not think that it was faster than my car from an acceleration standpoint.
While on the drive the sales manager mentioned that Ferrari is now selling and installing the HS exhaust system on cars without it. This really surprised me as I had been told by two Ferrari reps in the past that a retro system would not be available. It will be installed on Thursday so that I can have it for the track day at Laguna Seca! Cost is $4,450 including parts and labor. I'm very excited about this and can finally stop trying to find ways to enhance the exhaust sound.

 

That is a very good deal. The stiffer suspension would be very good for the track or just spirited driving. I think more people with the CaliT should go for the upgrade. Like the original Cali, I think Ferrari just plainly overdid the GT idea with the earlier CaliT.

 

The way you smooth out the shifting is by running in normal mode. It's going to shift fast in sport mode but I like that anyway. It's not as hard a shift as it seems but this isn't a luxury car, it's a sports car so that is better IMO. It's cool you can get the exhaust now because it does sound great.

 

Yes, it is just the exhaust and not the suspension mods.
I'm well apt in shifting, as I did not have this issue ever with my Cali T or two other Cali's I drove in the past. I'm only trying to point out that it is a different shift pattern which is far more pronounced in Sport than in my other cars in Sport when running in normal traffic. My car shifts with a bang when punched which I dearly love. I guess I'm trying to say that anyone thinking of buying an HS model should test drive one first.

 

Sorry my bad, I misread your earlier message because I already knew the sport exhaust was always available as an upgrade and it's only been the full HS Pack retrofit that was in question. You can put upgrade mufflers (and exhaust systems) in any car.

Hopefully, Ferrari can offer a full retrofit at a later date. However, the price of $4,500 parts+labour is still a decent deal for the sport exhaust. You do get a small HP (around 5HP?) bump, plus better sound.

 

Per my dealer and Ferrari reps I spoke with at the factory in March and in Geneva no portion of the HS package, including exhaust system, was ever going to be available to be retrofitted on non-HS cars. I am pretty sure I have seen other posts here to that effect. My dealer says this is all new and that I am only the second car in Northern California to receive the HS exhaust system with the specific Ferrari part number. Plus, there is no adverse effect on the Ferrari warranty. Had this been available earlier I would have done it earlier. I really don't expect any discernible power boost.
But, who knows? Maybe Ferrari saw the HS option on new cars becoming popular and decided it would only make sense to offer the exhaust system to non-HS cars or maybe they decided quite a while back to offer it and just waited for some reason. Hard to tell as they always play their cards close to their chest. Fact is, I really don't care as I am now getting the sound enhancement I have been wanting and with no adverse warranty impact.
I am having the work done today and will post impressions tomorrow.

 

Over a year ago, while I was still shopping, I was told that for the Cali T there was no factory sport exhaust option but that usually Ferrari offered it later in the life cycle. I think the sales person I spoke with told me there was a OEM Ferrari sport exhaust option for the Cali 30. So this makes sense that they would eventually beef up the sound from the factory. Porsche does the same.

 

Yes, I think they do that type of approach also.
Someone thinking of buying the HS model, like me, due to exhaust sound reasons might go ahead with the purchase after being told Ferrari will not retrofit the non-HS cars as opposed to staying with their existing car and doing a retrofit if being told it can be done.
Just two months ago I asked my dealer (general manager and service manager)
if they would install a Forza exhaust controller and they demurred saying it was not a Ferrari part and it could impact the warranty if a subsequent problem could be traced to the Forza. At that time no mention was made of this new exhaust offering and I think they would have told me about it then had it been available. As an aside, I am going to keep all of the removed parts in storage.

 

Steve, I understand your not wanting to introduce any upgrade that Ferrari might possibly deem to affect your car's warranty.

The introduction of HS model for the CaliT was different from the way the HS Pack option for the Cali30 was introduced. In the CaliT's case, the CaliT HS only differs from the earlier CaliT in having the HS performance enhancements, whereas the Cali30 was an upgraded Cali that was offered with an HS Pack as an option and the Cali30 was only available for 2 years.

I suspect Ferrari would like to retain the unique attraction of the CaliT HS over the earlier CaliT while the CaliT HS is still in production. Many owners of earlier non-HS CaliTs who want sharper performance aside from better noise would certainly be interested to upgrade to the CaliT HS. So a full retrofit of all the HS features would likely not be in the factory's interest, at least at this time.

In retrospect, the availability of the CaliT HS exhaust system is probably a compromise offered to current CaliT owners who just like to have better sound and help to maintain the resale value of non-HS CaliTs.

 

The new exhaust is installed and one word comes to mind:

SHAZAAM!

On warm start, it is not purring like usual at idle rpm.
It is is tumtumtumtumtum....
Sounds like a 458 from the rear.
On revving, it is burley with lots of pops and burbles.
On driving, when letting foot off accelerator just a little or a lot there are pops and burbles every time. When accelerating there is more noise than before although on hard acceleration the sound is much like before when shifting.
This really makes my car to my liking.
The Ferrari part number is 70003624.
The part is called Sport Exhaust.
No mention is made of the HS system.
To me, this exhaust sounds even better than on the Cali T HS car I drove two days earlier.
The service manager agrees but this may just be a subjective experience.
The service manager said this is brand new for the Cali T and the service invoice states that the part costing $3,550 is a "Special Promotional Sales Price".
I cannot be happier.
I will repost this with a new thread title so that more people may see it.
It includes new tips which are blacked out on the exterior but have contrasting grey lines on the inside. Looks great.

 

^ Gonna need audio files uploaded! [emoji6]
Congrats on the new mods.
T

 

...Ferrari is headed in the right direction.

 

Many thanks for posting this. Will get just the HS exhaust for my Cali T as I don't wish for harder ride or snappier gear changes. Plus I personally prefer the rear fins/splitters look of standard T to the grey plastic almost Lexus look of the HS rear end


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Hi there. Great review & feedback but if the part number fitted to your Cali T was 70003624 then it wasn't the Handling Speciale sports exhaust kit as that is PN 70004106 which I assume is a recent addition?


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Since been told that the HS Sports exhaust kit is identical to parts for Cali T Sports exhaust kit so same part, same great result!


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Hi guys
I’m a new CAlifornia T owner- I have the regular “sport exhaust” and I’m extremely disappointed. It doesn’t sounds like a true Ferrari should.

I order a fabspeed exhaust and waiting for it to arrive but in the meanwhile I just learned that Ferrari may void the warranty if I install it.

So I’m thinking to cancel it and buy the HS exhaust system - but before I would like to make sure it will be a significant change and much louder than stock.

Please share your thoughts and a sound or video clip will be awesome.

Thanks.


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also NOT true

 

So I’m confused,
Your saying that the HS sport exhaust is the exactly the same exhaust as the “sport exhaust” that comes on the standard no HS California?

Some one else wrote over here that the “sport exhaust” option on a non HS car is only exhaust tips and not a real exhaust system.

Please clarify.

Thanks.

 

Easy to be confused on this.
When ordering the car as new there is an option for "Sport Exhaust".
I recall it costing around $900 as a factory option.
This is nothing more than the exposed tips of the pipes at the rear.
It is not a different exhaust system as has been pointed out several times before.
It does nothing to impact/enhance the sound.
I don't know anyone who ordered this as its purely cosmetic.
On the other hand, you can add the sport exhaust system of the HS model as a dealer ordered item to be installed after you have the car.
It does not include the HS suspension and remapping items.
I have added the sport exhaust at my dealer and am very happy with it.
Cost was about $4,500 installed.

 

Thanks for the input.
So I want to do the exact same thing just tell me in your thoughts how much louder is it than your previous exhaust?

10% 50% louder....

 

I recently added this to my Cali T as well. It's significantly louder. They also installed the novitec valve controller. It's a must! If you have the sports exhaust and valves open the car is uncomfortably loud at idle. It's nice to have a button to push to quiet things up when needed.

 

Have a listen to my HS in a cold start video I made after I first bought the car. In my opinion it sounds perfect, not too loud but not muted like a lot of turbo engines do with a stock exhaust.



OK, I see you already found the video on another thread. The things that add to the sound and feel of the HS package are the faster shifts and the ability to switch to the softer suspension while still in the sport shifting and engine map using Magneride. One of the things that I really like about the hard shifting on acceleration is that you get a loud blip/bark if it's done over about 5k rpm, when the first red LED lights up on the steering wheel. Who says that wheel isn't useful? I can't really speak to just the exhaust.

 

It is much more burly I would say.
It is definitely an improvement.
Not just louder. I get snaps and pops at just about all speeds, unlike stock.
I just love it.
You don't need a controller to make it quiet as suggested by someone else and the factory part and dealer install does not include it.
I also like this since it does not include the remapping with the full HS package as the shifts with that are somewhat harsh at low speeds and I like the stock shift pattern just fine as is.

 

Hi there!
Someone else suggested to install the valve controller because “its too loud when engine is running in idle”. What is your opinion about that? Dont want to shock my wife when she Will drive the car Hope to hear from you. Thx!