California -- the new Ferrari

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This is the latest car from the Prancing Horse, the 2009 Ferrari California. It’s a two-seater with a folding hard top, a 4.3-liter V-8 engine that develops an impressive 460 horsepower, a seven-speed gearbox and a zero-to-60-mph time of under four seconds.

Beneath the sleek body of hand-formed aluminum are plenty of other examples of race-bred technology and instead of the often-seen Ferrari mid-engine layout, the California has its powerplant at the front, but set as far behind the front axle as possible for an optimum weight balance.

This is a resurrection of the California name. One of the most famous earlier incarnations was the 1958 250 California Spyder depicted in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The new car makes its official debut at the Paris motor show coming up in October. PCH is waiting.

-- Colin Ryan