Sweet Emozione – Ferrari California

Sweet Emozione – Aerosmith – 1975

Ferrari. There is no other name in the car world that elicits more Emozione than Ferrari. No other car maker with a more dedicated, almost militant, cult-like following as the Tifosi. As far as brand awareness goes, the Ferrari marketing team can basically sit back. They can relax and get stuck into their antipasti without a care in the world.

never got the whole “Emozione” thing

I must be honest, as much as I enjoy looking at a beautiful Ferrari, or love the sound of one driving past, or even relish the idea of driving one – I never got the whole “Emozione” thing. I mean I love cars as much as the next petrol head. But, getting emotionally involved with a car to the level of a certified member of the Tifosi? It’s just not a concept I have ever been able to understand.

But I suppose, it is much like that other great emotion of man, falling in love for the first time. “Emozione” is not something man can ever fully understand. Until it happens to you.

So when I was handed the keys to a Scuderia Red Ferrari California, I was excited by the prospect of being able to experience another great car. I was not prepared for what followed. As soon as I sat down in the car I realised I was in trouble.

complete loss for words

Here I am, in another fabulous car, sponsored by Gilmour Collection. I’m expected to write a review on driving this Ferrari California and I am at a complete loss for words – and I haven’t even started the engine. Suddenly you realise that the word “Emozione” that gets thrown around so blasé when talking about Ferrari, is pretty much all you can utter when you are surrounded by this much… “special-ness”. Is that a word?

I was struck by the incredible attention to detail bestowed on absolutely every little element of the interior. Not something I was expecting from a relatively low volume manufacturer. Every single control, switch and button has got really satisfying tactile feedback. Everything is beautifully designed to fit into the design of the interior. Nothing looks or feels like an afterthought that was just stuck in there from the parts bin to do a job. Yet despite the entirely bespoke feel of everything you touch, and everything you’ve ever heard about Italian cars, everything feels very well made and solid. Granted we’re not talking about Porsche-levels of quality, but it’s still very impressive. This example has covered a little over 40 000km and the interior doesn’t even show any signs of wear and tear.

surprisingly easy to drive

Once the engine barks into life with the kind of noise that only a flat plane V8 can provide, it settles into a relatively quiet hum. I kept things in Auto mode at first. I slowly started cruising down the beach front, down Seapoint’s Promenade. At low speeds in the city, the gearbox does a fantastic job in auto mode. The changes are buttery smooth and for a car with over 450 horsepower, it’s surprisingly easy to drive slowly and keep in check. It never feels like those Italian horses are running away from you. The carbon ceramic brakes are perhaps a little harder to modulate at slow speeds, as they do bite very suddenly. However, after one or two whiplash stops, you do get a feel for them. Soon you’ll realise that you just have to use them slightly differently to make things as smooth as you like.

the noise is nothing short of biblical

The ride is comfortable enough to do massive mileages in and ground clearance is higher than you would expect. So getting over a speedbump is not as big an issue as it is in some exotics, it’s a very useable car. The engine noise is extremely well judged and is always there in the background, but not intrusively loud. Flex your right foot however, and the noise is nothing short of biblical. Nothing rattles or shakes on the smaller bumpy side streets of Cape Town and the rigidity of the chassis is immediately obvious from the complete lack of scuttle shake.

The California is so relaxed in auto mode, in fact, that at first I thought that this isn’t a very fast car. When you try to push on a bit, the gearbox gives the sense that it was designed or programmed to keep the revs as low as possible, rather than giving the best performance. The Auto mode is really great in the city, but honestly it’s a little hopeless when driving enthusiastically. Which is actually fine, because switch it to the paddles and it is as if the whole car suddenly wakes up.

By passively forcing you to use the paddles, the car also feels more involving to drive. Perhaps not as involved as a 3-pedal manual, but certainly more so than just leaving it in Auto and it takes care of the rest. I actually prefer it this way. The paddles feel great too. They have a very positive action. And, as it should be, they STAY in position rather than moving with the wheel. So they are always where you left them.

Flick the paddle on the right

The throttle response from the engine is instantaneous. The engine noise gets louder, angrier when you push the throttle. And as the revs rise it keeps pulling harder and harder. Then, just when you think “that’s it, we have reached the end of the power band”, it pulls harder still! Flick the paddle on the right and other than the revs dropping and an almighty crack from the exhaust, you can’t really tell that anything mechanical has just happened. Within an instant you are in the next gear and the forward surge just carries on. It is completely addictive.

You can just tell that all that attention to detail we appreciated in the interior moments ago, pales in insignificance when compared to the attention that has gone into creating this engine and gearbox. The California is a properly fast car, but it’s more than that. It has a sense of occasion and drama that goes with the incredibly characterful engine and a cacophony of noises. Even the specific way in which the beautifully made needle sweeps over the yellow rev counter and then flicks down as you change gear, is exciting to look at. It doesn’t just produce acceleration or speed, it is a full scale theatre production of music, drama and visual art.

inspires a huge amount of confidence

Traction, no doubt aided by Ferrari’s first multi-link rear suspension, is fantastic. Even under hard acceleration, the car never feels unsettled. The steering is very direct and inspires a huge amount of confidence despite not being the most communicative helm I’ve ever held. On a slightly more windy road the California seems to shrink around you as it smoothly powers through the bends with go-kart like handling. It certainly feels much lighter and smaller than you would expect, and as is the hallmark of any lightweight car, it responds to every single input instantaneously. On my short drive I certainly didn’t feel like the car was ever being taxed, it just felt superbly capable.

a masterclass in style… and Emozione

The Pininfarina body is beautiful, the interior is a masterclass in style and the performance is far beyond anything you could ever fully unleash on the road. Granted the gearbox is not the smartest in auto mode and the boot is classic Italian function following form, but none of it matters. Not the looks, the performance or Italian quirks. When that door swings open and you step inside, everything else fades like the house lights at the opera. You hit the start button and the curtains open to a stage full of performers. The engine plays its music and crescendos to the most amazing singing voice at high RPM’s. Through the windscreen the drama unfolds as the chassis dances over the road. As you move through each act, crowds on the sidewalks give a standing ovation. It’s the best Opera in the world.

I get it now. Emozione. You can try to explain it, but you really have to feel it to fully understand. Thanks to Carbs and Coffee, I have recently been given the opportunity to drive a range of truly spectacular cars. But somehow, the Ferrari California is better. I can’t tell you why or explain rationally what it is about the Ferrari that makes me want it, but I absolutely get it.

Ferrari is surely the ultimate expression of the art of the car.

If a Nissan GTR is the ultimate expression of the function or engineering of the car, then Ferrari is surely the ultimate expression of the art of the car. That’s probably the best way I can put it. Every part of the driving experience is art. You walk away not admiring the engineering, but utterly infatuated with the way it makes you feel. You can appreciate the GTR, but you LOVE the Ferrari. It’s not perfect, but in its imperfections is where the magic lies.

---

As always, a massive thank you to Gilmour Collection for sharing their toybox with us. This car is currently for sale, for more information, please contact Keith Gilmour on 083 251 4637, or have a look at their website.

If you like the photography in our articles, remember you can now book a photo shoot for your car through our STORE!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•