Last week, two of THE COLLECTION Ferrari customers traveled to Modena, Italy to attend the worldwide première of the new 2015 Ferrari California T. This event was held at a very special location that any Ferrari die-hard would love to visit, the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari.
The museum includes the house in which Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari was born, as well as an automotive design gallery. The gallery is a dazzling new structure topped with a curving roof that resembles the hood of a racecar and is painted the same giallo-modena yellow that Enzo Ferrari chose as the background for the Prancing horse on his famous logo. Inside is a multimedia display of pictures, unpublished films, and precious mementoes of Enzo Ferrari’s life as a man, driver, and car-maker throughout the 20th century. There are also, of course, many shiny cars that are mounted and exhibited like works of art on design platforms. Check out the video of the worldwide première, here: http://california-t.ferrari.com/en/multimedia/video/f8d722c9-b9a0-4104-aba0-3c2d5565d14b.
The California T epitomizes elegance, sportiness, versatility and exclusivity: characteristics that have distinguished every California model since the 1950s.
The California T boasts striking standards of innovation while retaining signature features such as the successful 2+ concept, a refined semi-aniline leather-trimmed cabin and, of course, the retractable hard top which transforms it from a chic coupé into a sleekly sophisticated spider in a mere 14 seconds.
The T in its moniker refers, of course, to the development of a new 8-cylinder turbo engine. Maranello’s engineers have created an entirely new power unit which delivers absolutely superb levels of performance, blistering pick-up and the most exhilarating soundtrack any turbo has ever yielded.
This is also the first time virtually zero turbo lag has been achieved on an engine of this type, guaranteeing instantaneous response to commands and, as with naturally-aspirated power units, a torque curve that increases constantly across the rev range thanks to Variable Boost Management.
The California T also delivers the most exhilarating soundtrack any turbo has ever yielded. The engine produces a powerful, engaging sound during both the intake and the exhaust phases, becoming even more potent as engine speed increases.
The lovely city of Modena is 90 miles north of Florence, in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Auto aficionados have been coming in from around the world for years, and now dedicated foodies have been making the trip to go to Osteria Francescana, a must if you are in the area and can get a reservation. This Michelin Three Stars gem is the best restaurant in Italy, and arguably the world. If you go, make sure to get the signature “Five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano in different textures and temperatures” dish, which uses the famed “King of Cheeses” in a cream, a foam, a mousse, a gelato and a wafer, hot, cold, and at room temperature, with cheeses from 24-40 months of age.
I am planning to attend the Geneva International Motor Show in March for the auto show unveiling of the California T, but today you can admire this incredible vehicle online at http://california-t.ferrari.com/en/ in its two launch colors: Rosso California, an intense, deep new red inspired by classic Ferraris, and Blu California, which underscores the versatility and elegance of this new model.
