Ferrari California GT Breaks Cover..!

The newest Ferrari – factory designation F149 – has now seen the light of day with official photos and an official name: the California GT.

The California will in several ways be a landmark for Ferrari, marking several firsts for the company. A folding aluminum hardtop, a twin-clutch transmission and direct fuel injection for its V8 engine are some of the notable technologies set to debut.

Following in Ferrari’s standard practice of putting their cars on a diet, the Cali will use aluminum throughout. Alcoa will in fact assemble the aluminum chassis in Modena for Ferrari. Many body panels, suspension bits and the like will also use the lightweight metal, all in the name of superb driving dynamics.

Now let’s talk aesthetics. There are a few nits I have to pick with this car. Let’s start with the slatted vents on the front fenders. While an obvious design homage to the original 250 California, They just seem incongruous here – too “tacked-on”. The other main gripe, the stacked exhaust tailpipes…what were they thinking?

OK, the griping is over. Bottom line with this GT is that the Ferrari faithful, and automotive enthusiasts everywhere, will be pleased. With an available 460 horsepower, a zero-to-sixty time of less than four seconds, and handling dialed in by Michael Schumacher among others, it will no doubt be an adrenalin-filled drive.

Now if they can just debut a car in something other than that same old Ferrari Red…