Vehicle Description
It's what many consider to be the quintessential Italian sports car
and for good reason. Ferrari has been known for automotive
engineering excellence for decades, producing some of the most
inspired rides to ever hit the street. This jaw-dropping 2011
Ferrari California is a great example - a world class head turner
that's in super sharp condition and packs outstanding power under
its hood. Lightly travelled over the past decade plus with only
24,361 miles on the clock, regularly serviced at Ferrari of Tampa
Bay, and presented in about as close to "like new" as you'll ever
see in a 12-year-old car, this California is an incredibly rare
find. All that power, all that style, and all the panache that
comes with it - all for a fraction of the original price.
Ferrari has always occupied a singular niche among the exotic car
manufacturers, combining cutting edge, almost futuristic styling
sensibilities with a great sense of refinement. With its Grigio
Titanio Metallic exterior still in top notch condition, this Type
F149 California has a magnetism that few other cars could even
approach, and it's as clean as can be. Take as long and close a
look as you'd like - which in this case is likely to be VERY long
and VERY close, and you won't find anything to detract from this
iconic sports car's celestial curb appeal. It's one of Ferrari's
most memorable modern models, but in reality it was only around for
about seven years in its First Generation livery, and another three
in the 2nd Generation California T iteration, but it took the world
by storm as Ferrari's highly-anticipated 2+2 hardtop convertible.
The California was radical new design for Pininfarina, developed to
attract new buyers to the brand with its grand touring personality.
It did just that, although classic Ferrari fans loved it too, with
a slightly higher ride height than some of it's more
difficult-to-drive sibling, along with durable and sporty,
state-of-the-art Scaglietti chassis underneath. The California was
truly a landmark car for the brand, ushering a number of concepts
that were roaring successes, including the first front-engine V8,
first 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, first hardtop convertible
with a folding metal roof (aluminum for that matter), first
multi-link rear suspension, and the first engine with direct
gasoline injection straight into the combustion chamber. With less
than 25,000 miles, everything within exterior view presents
exceptionally well on this Silver Bullet, with nary an imperfection
to speak of. In fact, we could only find a couple microscopic nicks
to report, but they're barely visible on the car's clear bra, and
the finish underneath remains in excellent condition.
With the Grigio paint, the only real choice is black leather, which
has that wonderful, sinister look that only the Italians seem to
have mastered. Supportive bucket seats up front (of course) are in
fantastic condition with essentially no wear on the seating
surfaces, and the suede insert accents and bright red stitching
boasts the top-flight, hand-made quality that makes all the Italian
exotics stand apart. As a true 2+2 front-mid-engine car, there's
actually space for your more diminutive friends out back, and the
front seats are heated in case you want to be the first person to
ever take this grand tourer out in the cold. Gorgeous black carpets
and a red-stitched dashboard continue the elegant theme inside and
a few flashes of carbon fiber trim remind us that this is a
lightweight performance car at heart. The fat wheel has thumb nooks
and the big tach is mounted front-and-center so that it's the first
gauge you see when you glance down through the spokes. Essentially
every option Ferrari featured in 2011 is available in this "like
new" cabin, from the great-sounding infotainment system, to the
dual-zone air conditioning, to the space-age center console, and
the floppy-paddles behind the steering wheel that control the
incredibly fun 7-speed dual-clutch automatic below. The aluminum
top retracts in seconds for open-air cruising and as a
front-engined car, you actually get decent room in the trunk.
Raise the boot and you'll be transfixed by the sight of the
Ferrari-Maserati 4.3L V8 engine sitting inside. While its
outstanding output - 453 horsepower, enough to propel the
California from 0-60 in under four seconds - is its main calling
card, its presentation in this setting has to be seen to be
appreciated. The engine compartment is in showroom condition,
allowing the powerplant's matte black and red components to really
stand out. For a naturally aspirated engine to output 106HP per
liter is downright amazing, as other manufacturers use
superchargers to reach those kinds of numbers. The California's
low-profile, road hugging stance combines with the substantial
downdraft Ferrari engineered in - as well as Ferrari's
revolutionary F-1 Trac system, which varies the distribution of
torque to the wheels based on steering angle and lateral
acceleration - allowing for great stability and performance in
roadway turns and resulting in an increase of 20% in acceleration
when exiting curves when compared to traditional traction control
systems. And if you've ever heard this quad-exit exhaust system at
full bore (or at idle for that matter), then you've heard one of
the greatest symphonies a car has ever produced. Brembo 4-wheel
carbon ceramic power disc brakes feature gigantic, heat-dissipating
rotors bring the car to a stop on a dime, magnetic fluid-filled
shocks react instantly to changing road conditions and driver
inputs, and this performance icon creates excitement on its
downright sexy set of 20" stock Ferrari wheels outfitted with
staggered 245/35/20 front and 285/35/20 Pirelli P-Zero tires.
Whether the barometer is world class performance or world class
looks, this Ferrari California stands out in very select company.
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