GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Harder, faster Ferrari California

Ferrari will use the upcoming Geneva motor show to unleash a harder, faster version of its California roadster, with the key stats being a kerb weight 30kg lower than the existing car, along with an extra 22kW in the go department.

Due on sale here towards the end of the year, the updated California’s 4.3-litre V8 features new exhaust manifolds and engine mapping, boosting outputs to 360kW and 505Nm (an increase of 20Nm over the current model).

According to Ferrari’s PR bumpf, the 30kg weight saving was yielded via cutting-edge aluminium fabrication and construction techniques without compromising the drop-top’s structural rigidity and performance.

The weight loss and power/torque hike results in a claimed 0-100km/h split of 3.8sec, which trims a handy two-tenths off the sprinting capability of the outgoing California.

In Ferrari’s words: “This heightens its sporty feel without detracting from the mission and character of a car that has won universal acclaim for its performance and exceptional versatility resulting from its retractable hard top and 2+2 seating.”

Complementing the extra straight-line urge is an optional Handling Speciale package that’s claimed to minimise body roll and endow the California with sharper responses.

The Handling Speciale package includes Magnetorheological dampers controlled by a faster ECU (50 per cent faster response time) and stiffer springs for more precise body control, allegedly without compromising on ride quality. The California also benefits from faster turn-in with less wheel twirling, thanks to a new steering box with a 10 per cent quicker steering ratio.

The updated California also comes with a broader colour palette that includes two-tone finishes, three-layer paint technology and modern re-interpretations of classic colour schemes that increase the scope for personalisation.

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