New Ferrari F149 (Dino/California) The most achievable Ferrari, ever!

[newguy]

looks like a pontiac solstice

[MickOpalak]

Originally Posted by Zinhead

The car is the least hardcore entry level Ferrari in quite some time. Some of the detailing looks funny in the pictures, but it should be a big hit with the McMansion crowd.

I'd say that the only hard core car that Ferrari offers is the Scuderia. The rest are pretty big, cushy and luxurious.

[texige]

It will certainly be an awesome car. But the whole Ferrari cap/red Puma club, let the dealer rape you on a couple of used Ferraris before you get the secret handshake that allows you to buy a new car later is just more hassle than it's worth. I would feel like a chump if I had to pay a secret handshake member an extra $100,000 over purchase price just to join up. I'm not whinning. It's just hard to get too excited over another great new Ferrari because of all the baggage attached.

[jayhart71]

Stacked exhausts look like those on the new Lexus IS-F. And the extra tips on those are fake. Probably not the case here, but still

Not a fan of this design -- but I don't like the style of most newer Ferraris (Scuderia aside), at least in pictures.

And I think it's lame they're building an SL clone, but it will probably be mega-profitable for them. If Porsche can get away with building an SUV...

[boxerman]

Originally Posted by texige

It will certainly be an awesome car. But the whole Ferrari cap/red Puma club, let the dealer rape you on a couple of used Ferraris before you get the secret handshake that allows you to buy a new car later is just more hassle than it's worth. I would feel like a chump if I had to pay a secret handshake member an extra $100,000 over purchase price just to join up. I'm not whinning. It's just hard to get too excited over another great new Ferrari because of all the baggage attached.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I have owned the same ferrari for 15 years, and its not red. I tried once or twice to put a deposit on a new one and just wait. The deraler just wants to auction the spots.

There are two types of ferrari owners, drivers and poseurs, although there is a little bit of crossover with some being poseurs and drivers.

It is really sad that some people feel owning a ferrari confers some type of status upon them. In the past when ferraris were more drivers cars and not just airconditioned pimpmobiles for the hedge fund managers the status was maybe one of someone who really understood.

That mantle is IMHO now bestowed upon lotus owners. A lotus is a car for pure driving pleasure. Frankly it is a bit of an embarrasment to say you own a ferrari as in most peoples eyes you are now seen as a flashy pimp, midlife dentist, or inadequate somehow and creating self esteem through a possetion, sad really. Most new ferraris are bought by people who have them essentialy as a fashion acessory. Although the same could be said of many harley owners.

That all being said, even the newer ferraris which subscribe to the cartoon school of design are still great products and cars, its just the stigma and dealer experience that makes them truly negative. There are also some real ferrari owners and drivers out there, they are just the minority.

My money goes to Lotus, a viusit to the factory in hethel will clearly indicate that these are cars made by driving enthusiats for drivers, couldnt find a brand manager anywhere.

To put it in context, while I might be able to afford a new ferrari, the dealer would never sell me one unless I prostrated myself and paid well over the odds, kinda like standing in line to get into some lame club.

I prefer to have a lotus.

[knucklehead]

From Evo magazine:

Ferrari California
The secret’s out! Ferrari has revealed the first images of its new Grand Tourer, the California

13th May 2008
Ferrari California

Marketing of the California was originally planned via a viral website, launching teaser images and details as the countdown to launch progressed. But the these images and details appear to have side-stepped the site.

The model will be available exclusively as a convertible with a folding hard top. Both chassis and bodywork are aluminium, in line with the rest of the current range. The California will be powered by a new 4,300 cc V8 engine, mounted for the first time in the marque’s history in the mid-front position. Power is 460hp.

As per the traditional Ferrari transaxle layout, the engine will be coupled to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. It'll be equipped with the exclusive F1-Trac traction control system which made its debut on the 599 GTB Fiorano and has been further honed to suit the typical driving conditions expected for this new GT. Brembo brakes featuring carbon-ceramic material disks as standard will guarantee brick-wall braking.

New images and details will be revealed prior to the model’s official launch at the Paris International Car Show.

[shay2nak]

saw pics on Ferrari's website. man that car is ugly. Says 4.3 V8, i thought it would be the 3.6 V8.

[IamBatman]

sounds like its based on the Maserati

[IamBatman]

looks like badge engineering to me