The Big Changes to The Ferrari California T

The 2015 Ferrari California T offers luxury car buyers and GT sports car enthusiasts many significant changes from the previous California Ferrari models. The California has managed to attract a whopping 70% of first-time buyers into the Ferrari fold and has undergone some changes that should only make the car even more attractive to buyers looking to own their first Ferrari.

The car might have changed, but the Ferrari driving experience still promises to be more of the same. A new power plant, upgrades to the interior and body as well as improved handling are all ready to be embraced by buyers looking for much more than a typical sports car.

The major change is under the hood of the rear wheel drive car.

The “T” in the California T

The biggest change to the Ferrari California T is the new 3.9 liter twin turbo engine that gives the car 552 horsepower and the capability of topping out at 196 mph. The new engine manages to add 70 horsepower to the 2014 model’s 4.3 liter engine, while offering users a surprising 26.9 miles per gallon in fuel economy. The efficiency of the new engine can also be measured with CO2 output that has been improved to 250 g/km from the 299 g/km readings from the old engine.

For those worried about any turbo lag, the new engine propels the California T from 0 to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds, reaching 125 mph in just 11.2 seconds. This new engine produces 410 lb ft of torque under normal driving conditions with the torque increasing along with revs and the capability of producing 557 lb ft of torque in seventh gear. This gives the car the feel of a normal turbo at lower revs, while taking on a character all its own when dropping down in gears.

The Looks

Ferrari wanted to make sure that people could tell the model was revamped and they wasted no effort in making more than just subtle changes. Every panel of the car is essentially new and even the tail seems to be drawn down closer to the road while not standing as tall. The exhaust tips are horizontally placed rather than vertically stacked in the more pronounced rear diffuser. Other changes are mostly subtle, but they all add up to give the California T even more Ferrari character.

The Chassis

Chassis calibrations are all new and the ride has received rave reviews. The steering rack is 10% faster and the springs are 12% firmer, allowing the car to glide over less than perfectly smooth roads. The suspension is more responsive with three vertical accelerometers and shocks that reduce friction by 35% which in turn cuts the response time in half from the previous California model.

Interior

The new California T comes equipped with a new satellite navigational/entertainment system that will eventually add Apple CarPlay to its functions. There is a new dashboard and seats that look good and distinguish it from previous models of the car. Turbulence with the roof off seems to have been reduced. The interior is elegantly finished with the use of fine aromatic leather providing it with not only a distinctive look, but also a distinctive feel.

There is a new device called the Turbo Performance Engineer that provides readouts for the turbo response and efficiency to help drivers understand how to get optimal performance from the turbo. The steering wheel is new, allowing drivers to select driving modes and elect to soften the damping by selecting a button for sport mode.

The Steering

About the only complaint with the new Ferrari California T is steering that seems to be a little too too quick. The quick steering makes the car feel light and leads to more jabs and corrections on sweeping turns and a fair degree of self-centering that is required to keep the car straight. It has a bit of understeer too, but all criticisms aside the steering does allow drivers to experience the fine handling and terrific chassis.