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The new Ferrari California has broken cover. The California is powered by a V8 engine mounted in what Ferrari describes as a “mid front” position – behind the front axle-line – with drive supplied to the rear wheels via a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission. The body is made from aluminium and ‘2+’ seating means it will be far more practical than the company’s mid-engined offerings. It also features a folding metal hard-top.

The Ferrari California’s power comes from a 4.3-litre V8 engine...Read the full article

Wow, really nice.  A new dream car.  The exhaust pipes are a bit too Lexus IS500 though!!

I want one. Wow !

It's a Ferrari SLK.

They've made a Ferrari for girls.

 

Quite nice though. 

So it’s not too bad from the side. It’s not similar looking, but the side strakes and slashes and things remind me of the Lexus LF-A concept for some reason.

From the front. Worse. They’ve stolen the lights from the last MR2 and the grille from the lastest Peugeot design ‘theme’. And that’s never a good thing, even on the Pugs. And it reminds me of the old AC Ace too or the old Austin Healey 3000.

And the back is a mess. It looks as unfinished as the Noble M15, lights pinched from the 599GTB, stacked quad exhausts from the Lexus (again) IS-F. It’s a mess.

Looks like the 456M remains the last of the gorgeous-looking Ferraris. WE just won’t mention the FIAT Tipo switchgear.

 And, as a friend has just pointed out to me elsewhere, the rear haunches are surprisingly Alfa 8C-esque
 

You are aware that the open mouth styling treatment on new Pugs is modelled on Ferrari don't you?!!!!

 So they should abandon it because some mass market car copied the idea?? 

 I wonder the roof up will look like, I hope nothing like the BMW 3 Seires which looks bloody horrible!

Wow! Looks good but i still prefer the look of its in-house rival, the stunning Maserati Granturismo. Either way, with these 2 cars the latest Merc SL and 6-Series looks even more ungainly. Only the the DB9 and Jag XK look as good at the Italian duo.

What's the bet Lambo reacts with a modern day Espada! 

 

Er, does anyone else think that the rear looks very 'dumpy', especially above the wheel arches, when viewed from a 3/4 angle? Still, the tech spec looks impressive and its performance figures make the Aston DBS seem very slothful, thirsty & CO2 corpulent. Indeed, is Aston ever going to produce cars that match or beat their rivals' performance & fuel efficiency?

Nice job Ferrari. I think it looks like it has the rear of a 360 Spyder and front of a 550 Maranello when viewed in the side profile, head on it looks like Elise/F599 and from the rear it looks like a combo of the 8C and the F599.

Not 'feeling' the love for the concept of 'exotica' at the moment, as I've said in the recent F149 thread, but that's mostly about the concept of these as 'real world' cars rather than just objects of beauty and raw passion.... so I still expected something to stir with the arrival of a new Ferrari, but oh my! I have to say that is such a disappointment, it's really horrible that air scoop on the hood, those tail pipes and something else I can't pin-point; it just doesn't work for me. And why oh why try and claim it's a 2+2!? You'd have to be a dodgy Austrian to confine children (no adult would fit) in those +2 seats.

Its interesting. I just clicked back into the Autocar homepage and next to the pic of the Ferrari California was an advert for the Alfa Spyder. They both look gorgeous but one is £125k+ and the other £25k+. Hmmm.

 What about the 8C Spyder? Now that's a properly good-looking car. Perhaps there's a reason it's limited production only...