This is the new California: The California T.

They look great but I think I prefer the black grill...

John

 

All I want from my reviews is information. I look for car journalist to be informative, not entertaining. Honestly, I think reviews should be purely objective and scientific because a video and a reviewer's words cannot even remotely describe the experience.

You can watch a video review of a 360CS and a 458 Speciale and not tell the difference in performance or driving experience. You can then make Porsche Boxster look twice as exciting by just adjusting the camera angle and moving the microphone. Without actually driving a car, next to nothing can really be understood by watching a video and as such I say drop the rhetoric and spit out the facts.

I'm not saying his review was good, but I don't mind at all that it wasn't exciting.

Car reviews are becoming nothing more than ambiguous rhetoric that sounds recycled. I bet you could substitute any car name and the reviews would be accurate still.

 

Thank you! First time I've noticed the difference between the full and partial chrome grill. Kind of liking how the vertical slats pop on the full chrome.

 

Which wheels are on the Rosso California? They look likes wheels off of the outgoing California.

 

Very nice to read review, content-wise as well as entertaining:
Ferrari California T: Review - PistonHeads

 

Agreed, and thanks to this and Prior's review, i am likely to make this my next car.

 

Nice review

 

Probably you can't go wrong! Enjoy!

Which color are you planning to buy?

 

I understand and share your interest in objective information.

However, the nature of "free" information is that someone has to pay the bills so journalists need to be entertaining as well as informative to attract readership which feeds advertising revenue. Very few people who look at such reviews really look for objective empirical information because humanity itself only produces a small percentage of people of that persuasion, not that it is always a bad thing. Most people like cars and like to be entertained.

The other aspect of being entertaining is that you attract and maintain the viewer's attention. If you are boring and monotone, human nature dictates that it becomes more difficult for people to pick out the important tidbits from what you are communicating and their minds eventually wander, looking for better stimulation.

I think this is why the better journalists are entertaining, as well as informative. Their heart, as well as their minds, at least come across as being involved in what they are doing. Those successful people are also more credible when they say and show you something, therefore you tend to have more trust in their reviews. It's the same thing when you go for a bite to eat, would you prefer a confident person who smiles and livens up your day as well as provide interesting menu uggestions or just someone who just hands you the menu and rattles off their special of the day?

As for videos, many people are visually-oriented and being shown something works wonders for them. I guess that's why we have TVs and Microsoft eventually caught on to the concept of windows and a graphical interface.

I think the really good journos combine entertainment with substance. I didn't find either of that in Prior's review. I mentioned some of the most important technical features and improvements of the California T that were not properly reviewed.

 

They look pretty good in that picture. Definitely an improvement.

 

Single color looks great, but as mentioned previously the grille does not suit the chrome treatment.

 

Yes, they look like the old diamond wheels.

 

Thanks for the link.

Well, Harris is doing his usual magic, in text. Since he projects a very consistent and opinionated personality one can easily frame his comments around his lively character.

I recall his put down of the original '09 California (I have the video somewhere). While I feel it was not entirely fair it was not unexpected given his personality and what he looks for in Fcars. As I said before, I am also ambivalent about the "too-happy" California front end but I understand the retro design and appreciate its place in Ferrari's design repertory. To be honest, one can also find issues with the front ends of all the more recent Fcars, including the T. It's like something the factory has developed a habit of doing. I also suspect Harris is secretly using this opportunity to patch up his overreaction to the original California but that's also part of his character and plays well into his role as an entertainer/car expert.

He does an excellent job of pointing out and explaining the car's important technical features. Granted his is a written review vs. Prior's video review but Harris writes with the self-confidence of an expert driver who doesn't have to feel he has to overcompensate by putting down the (softer) convenience features of the T.

As for his comments about the (lack of) noise, like the car's new looks I will have to defer till I drive one. However, I think the factory always wanted to retain the noise as much as possible so I would disagree with Harris's going along with Felisa for quieter FFs and other future Fcars. You only have to think about the lack of noise in F1 to understand that. No, I think this is more like a reluctant surrender than something the factory wanted. There's nothing wrong with Fcars that can turn on or off the noise, at their drivers' whims and hopefully the factory will continue to overcome that challenge with future turbocharged cars.

 

Video review by Auto Express:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_0_F4wiHgw

Sounds like this video gets it closer to redline.

 

this is not good sound

 

In a bit of a predicament. There still are some 911 50th aniversary models left here in Germany, that i really fancy. However, if i am to trust the reviews and wait to see if i like the T, it will be to late for the 50.
I was at the Geneva show and imagine the car will look best in silver or grey.

 

I've been contemplating Rosso Corsa, Rosso California, or white myself...

 

You can't go wrong with any of those (as long as the white is Bianco Fuji - Bianco Avus looks a bit boring IMO). But check out Rosso Mugello, Rosso Barchetta, Rosso Maranello, Rosso Fiorano, Rosso Formula Uno and Rosso Fuoco too.

 

Is the green color in offered a solid or metallic ?

 

Not a big fan of rosso corsa on a gt like the california t. But the Rosso California is very nice, although I like the Blue California or Azzuro California better on this car.

 

Whatever floats your boat as long as you can pay for it.

 

+1000000

I only watched Autocar's videos featuring Sutcliffe and Jamie. But now Jamie is Head of Product (jeeez) at McLaren and Sutcliffe lost all the credibility and reputation he has built up after his P1 rambling and ridiculous comments.

Stick mostly to reading Evo and CAR - pretty balanced crowd at both publications. Never read anything written by Prior, so I can't comment on that. But there must be someone at AC who's better in front of the camera than he is. Look at evo, plenty of the people who tend to be a bit boring on camera (David Vivian etc.) are rarely used in video reviews. Their writing is alright so let them do that whilst someone else does the big writing/video shoots.

 

Not quite. The turbines physically muffle the exhaust note. Even if this year's F1 cars revved to 18K RPM, they would still sound more silent than their predecessors.

 

…hey, that's my car's colour you're dissing!

but seriously though, I think bianco avus looks great on my car. Solid whites look more "functional" and gives the car a chunky and sporty character. Whereas pearlescent colours on the Cali might make the car look a bit "too fussy" if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I believe the upgrade price for bianco fuji is quite outrageous and the service guys warned me that matching pearlescent paint if you need to touch up… can be a nightmare. You're better off to order a bianco avus car and then wrap it if you really feel pearlescent white looks better.
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Absolutely, I'm not saying it looks bad, it's just not my taste. It's a good thing that people have different tastes - think about all the beautiful Ferrari's that aren't red!

I've seen several Bianco Fuji cars delivered at my local dealer. They look stunning in all lighting conditions. For me, it's definitely worth the premium. Wrapping the car, even in the correct type of wrap, doesn't look the same. The cars often end up having a very "plasticy" look, even though the tone and shading is somewhat correct.