4 Days With The Cali: Impressions & Infatuations

My slightly (barely) used red/tan Cali arrived on Thursday. It had 217 miles on it after sitting in a collection for a year. It is a brand new car, with the exception of those miles and a clear bra covering the entire front end. I spent the weekend trying to double the mileage while heeding the owners manual cautionary note to keep the revs under 5500 rpm until 650 miles. Here are my thoughts:

Some insight into my perspective first: My daily driver is an Audi S8 V10 (same basic architecture as the Bentley Continental, but with the Lamborghini-derived V10). It was $110k new, and is supple, supremely comfortable, and plenty fast when needed. It seats 5 and is AWD which is important here in Colorado. The S8 is so satisfying that I sold my 997 C2S as I had begun to dislike its jittery, unsettled ride and hollow exhaust note. I like the S8 so much that I will take delivery of the new 520-hp version when it is released this fall.

The California is a completely different world. It has a ride (mine has magneride) that is sublime and glass-smooth...every bit as cosseting as the huge S8. Yet it has a delicate lightness to it that few cars possess, as if it's teetering every minute on the edge of its seat, waiting for a romp through the twisties. When cranked into a corner it sticks beautifully, with amazing balance. It looks like a big car, but doesn't feel heavy at all, perhaps because of the very light steering. I personally like how light the steering feels - it is lithe without the harsh steering feedback of the 430 or 997 (or even my S8, which is both more isolated AND harsher on impacts like potholes and expansion joints).

The California's engine is simply astonishing. Like Clarkson once said about the F430, Ferrari is just in a different league altogether. The engine is amazing - smooth yet angry, delicate yet Herculean. It accelerates with a frantic urgency, almost frightening at times but subdued just enough to avoid sheer terror. (I have driven 4 Californias, and this one seems faster than the others I have driven - probably the 'checkbook' phenomenon, finding something superior once you've paid for it). It pulls strongly from down low, and unleashes a gorgeous fury beyond 5000 rpms. I find myself not caring about gas mileage in the slightest. The smoothness and pure controllability of the engine is simply intoxicating. And the variable exhaust seems to read my mind. When I want it to be loud, it howls for me. When I want it to shush, it calms down. With a quick stab of the pedal it screams at the neighborhood kids, hooting at me as I drive past.

It is a beautiful car from many angles. I don't like the front 1/4 much, probably because of the excess wheel clearance. With the top up, it looks mean. To me, the rear end looks particularly aggressive. Nearly everyone stares and gawks at this car. I've had Mustangs and a Tesla try to chase me down - and I've also had someone seemingly very pissed off, behind me in a parking lot, peeling out and yelling at me as he roared past in his Pontiac. But overall the experience has been positive. The bright red exterior sometimes is a little too loud. Other times, it feels great.

The 20" wheels are awesome, and I love that they don't get brake dust. Those CCBs, however, can be irritating because of the intermittent squeaking under light braking. Hopefully that will go away with use. (?)

The Cali would be every bit as good a daily driver as the S8, if not for the godawful stereo system and small backseat. I have had 2 kids (7 and 9) in the backseat repeatedly, and it's perfect for that. Move the drivers seat forward a bit and the kids are plenty comfortable. That takes a little too long to be useful on a daily basis, though. The interior is a place of sensual beauty. The leather is buttery soft, unlike any other car I've owned (although the semi-aniline leather in our new Infiniti QX56 is a good imitation). The yellow tach looks special. The voice-activation is actually pretty good, and Bluetooth phone connection as good as most modern cars. The Nav is fine albeit a bit simplistic and outdated (duh). It sort of feels like Ferrari is subtly saying, "please just enjoy driving and don't be fussing around for the I-drive controller." Here is this car's main flaw: the stereo is so bad, so thin and shallow and tinny, that it's painful to listen to (again, this is compared to the Bang & Olufsen which was a $7000 option in my S8). I'm not one for aftermarket crap, but it may be necessary in this car. Shame on you, Ferrari.

Ferrari really hit its target with this car. I now understand the mystique surrounding the marque. There is something alive about it. The smell and feel of the interior and the musical engine note and the liveliness of the chassis...it is something every car lover should experience. I can already see myself moving up to a 458 or 620 next, or maybe an FF. Congratulations, Ferrari. You have me.