Stick shift option for Ferrari California
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So, is the upcoming 2009 Ferrari California going to be a cruising machine purely for posers? That’s the worry coming from some quarters of Ferrari fandom. And they might have a point: since when has a hardcore driver’s car had a retractable roof?
The answer seems to be: since now. Not only will the California be able to hit 60 mph in three-and-a-bit seconds from standstill, but the suspension has been honed by none other than seven-time world Formula One champion, Michael Schumacher. The California will also be available with a manual gearbox, which should really please the purists, and the HGTC pack that features such track-friendly features as a tightened suspension and carbon-ceramic brake discs. The car also gets a set of lightweight wheels.
With a 4.3-liter V-8 (set in the front of the car, as opposed to being mid-mounted like many Ferraris) and developing 460 horsepower that drives the rear wheels, the California looks like it has plenty of go to back up the show. It should reach the dealers next spring.