Inside the New Ferrari Coupe

Movie cars generally need to talk—or at least morph into robots—to become big screen icons. But in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder steals the show simply by having its mileage reversed. It’s been more than 40 years since a California last rolled off the Mara­nello line, so Ferrari is hoping next year’s revival of the name plate inspires the same level of lust. Not to say the newest prancing horse is a retro roadster, since it’s packed with Ferrari firsts and innovations cribbed from the brand’s F1 program. But its gorgeous Pininfarina-penned lines still hark back to the masterpiece Ferris’ buddy Cameron smashed into oblivion.

1. The Engine
The placement of the next-gen 4.3-liter V-8
marks the first time Ferrari has positioned its power plant in the midfront of a car—a perch that’s less than ideal for a track demon like the 430 Scuderia but fine for a road-friendly GT like the California. Of course, friendly is relative; the engine harnesses 460 hp at 7,500 rpm and gets the car to 60 mph in less than four seconds.

2. A Quick Shift
The folks at Ferrari HQ tell us the California’s new electronic seven-speed direct-shift double-clutch gearbox, adapted from the company’s F1 cars, will guarantee a shifting time equal to zero. While you manual-shift purists are whining, we’re just wondering how Ferrari managed to bend time and space. An F1 traction control system will adjust handling on the fly.

3. The Drop Top
The fully automated hardtop—yet another first for Ferrari—folds adorably into the trunk. To keep the weight down, engineers spec’d an all-aluminum body, even for the roof (these are generally steel). F1 racer Michael Schumacher advised on the multilink rear suspension configuration—to keep ’er glued through the twisties while the wind whistles through your skull.

4. The Look
Ferrari freaks will recognize design cues cribbed from the original California, like the air intake scoop on the hood and triple brake vents at its sides. An even closer look reveals traces of the new car’s more recent sibling, the 599 GTB Fiorano, in its crosshatch grill and pinched headlights. In back the California’s ample rump gets punctuated by stacked exhaust tips.  

5. The Interior
Ferrari’s usually spartan controls get swanked up with an in-dash entertainment/info interface. Posh leather sport seats will make long Sunday drives at 180 mph extremely comfortable, and there’s even trunk space left for a few man-bags with the top down. A so-called 2+ seating layout, however, may leave anyone shoehorned in “back” cursing his pesky legs.