GT California. Like/Dislike.

Here are the pictures coutesy from my dealer.
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I'll have to reserve judgment until I actually see a California in person, but so far I like the M better too.

 

I like it. It takes getting used to like the 612 (IMHO), but overall it has the appeal of a "Ferrari" and that's makes it special.

 

This California looks just like a current Mercedes wearing a different badge. The Maserati would get my money, great looking car, pretty much the same underneath AND great badge too.

All you guys that like this car are just badge struck ... very sad. Enzo used to laugh at some of his customers, funny to see the tradition continue. Why Ferrari don't just purchase somebody elses production car and glue on their badge is beyond me ... make a fortune .
Pete

 

Yep badge struck .

Any purchase should be considered on merit ... not just on brand name IMHO.
Pete

 

haha, I thought Enzo put Ferrari badge on a bunch of Alpha Romeo race cars to start his business? I agree with you though, the convertible Maserati GT with true 4 seater capability is more appealing to me than the California at this point. The GT is a better looking car than many Ferraris on the lot.

 

No Scuderia Ferrari raced Alfa Romeos, badged as Alfa Romeos. He put his companies/teams shield on the sides, that is all.

Read up on what Enzo thought of his road cars and you will understand what I meant. No great love of them, they were a necessary evil to finance his racing. He thus (especially in the early days) made them as cheap as possible and sold them at the highest cost. Some were even old flogged out race cars rebodied. He treated his road car customers with contempt ... and because of that they thought he was somebody special and craved his attention. Clever man.

This still works today, people fall over themselves to own a Ferrari because they think the rest of the population will suddenly think they are more worthwhile as a person than they were before ... people who are comfortable with themselves buy a car, others buy the badge. I suspect that badge buyers massively out weigh car buyers with new Ferraris ... thus does it really matter how ugly (my opinion) the new car is?
Pete

 

Thats sex on wheels and so is the coupe. Cant say the same for the Cali.

 

Just exchange tires, the rest impressive

 

Length: 4.56 m
Width: 1.90 m
Height:?

 

To be honest, both Maserati and Alfa Romeo models look better than some recent Ferraris. I do like the F149. However, technically all of these cars are Fiats with shared engine platforms. Since the demise of the Dino-platformed 360, Ferrari has been a truly shared and borrowed car as Alfa and Maser use similar if not some of the same components. It's like an exotic version of what General Motors has done since it's inception. Fiat is the "General."

And with the emergence of blatant labeling of clothes and computers and soap and whatever else, Ferrari is really an advertising venue whose focus is no longer only on cars. Whether this is "good" or "bad" is up to the individual to decide. But the prancing horse might as well be the Nike "swash" or Coca-Cola's "curve." You see it, you buy it like a trained dog.

 

Can you say Mondial? (Sorry Mondial fans) What will the Cali's be worth in 20 years? The tops start to break, they get neglected from owners who can't afford the services, etc.... we'll be looking at $40,000 Ferrari's.

The styling is really bad. Those rear quarter panels are horrendous. I like the Maser better, but I don't care for it much either.

- Bill

 

I'd rather get the Maser or the Alfa 8C, when it gets here...but then I am no in the situation to buy any of the three! I would be happy with a Cali, if any Fchat members grow tired of thiers and feel like donating theirs.

 

Manual tranny is definitely a must in the California!

But hopefully an option for this car is a carbon fiber trim.

IMO, it makes the interior 'stand out'

 

1.308 m

 

I could not disagree with you more. Modern Ferrari's are so much better in all repects than the cars from the 70-90's. Drive and compare! Also drive any Maser or Alfa or Fiat and compare that with a 430, 599, 612!

There is no comparison. Ferrari's have gotten so much better. They are not getting distracted or diluted. They are changing. This is hard for people who dont like to change with the times.

 

An forget soul and history with impersonal models.Look the vintage price and you ll undersand which one make Ferrari.Today,it s just up to date product and everybody ll forget this new california but not the original...(for the 430 & others actuals Fcars, it ll be just the next generation),