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Ferrari California T Brings Its Turbos to Geneva

This is it ladies and gentlemen, the moment when Ferrari returns to the turbocharging religion. This year’s edition of the Geneva Motor Show marks the forced induction comeback in the Prancing Horse’s range, with the designated model being the California T.
Ferrari California T 35 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Robert Kah
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We are talking about a heave revamp for the California and we will get to that in a moment, but, for now, we want to focus on the engine itself. Ferrari treats us with a 3.9-liter, direct-injected V8 that allows the driver to play with 560 HP at 7,500 rpm and 557 lb-ft (755 Nm) at 4,750 rpm. In translation, the unit now delivers an extra 70 ponies. More importantly, you get 49 percent more torque.

For the record, Ferrari works with IHI turbochargers, which are placed on the sides of the engine, not between its cylinder banks - they’ve chosen this position in order to power the gravity center of the engine.

While such a layout may lead to turbo lag, Ferrari assures us that its California T knows no such evil: “This is also the first time virtually zero turbo lag has 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.”

Another concern would be the soundtrack, but Ferrari once again assures us that things are under control. They even went as far as explaining that the California T will offer “the most exhilarating soundtrack any turbo has ever yielded”

Of course, we can’t help but wonder how closely related the new Ferrari engine is to Maserati’s 3.8-liter twin turbo V8, which is being built at Ferrari’s Maranello site.

At the moment, it’s too early to tell, but we can report that the 0 to 62 mph sprint time has gone from “under 4s” to 3.6s and the top speed climbs from 310 km/h (192.5 mph) to 316 km/h (196.3 mph).

At the same time, the forced induction sees emissions and fuel efficiency decreasing by 15 percent. Ferrari’s California T NEDC figures bring a fuel efficiency of 10.5 l/100 km (22.4 mpg) and emissions of 250 g CO2/km.

Like we said, this is part of a heftier California facelift. This also sees the entry-level offering in Ferrari’s range being gifted with revised suspension and steering, as well as new ceramic rotors and grabbers.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
Andrei Tutu profile photo

In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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