A voluptuous, front-engined 4.3 V8, alloy-bodied convertible costing about ?150k in standard guise (although Ferrari fitted another ?52k?s worth of options onto the one they lent us), its capacity to get to 62mph in under four seconds is questionable in traffic and its 192mph top speed is entirely redundant.
But trickling along King?s Road ? where every other car seemed to be a Bentley, Porsche or Maserati ? it was almost entirely at home. Its other claim to city friendliness was apparent every time the car was stopped in traffic ? the engine cut out and restarted when the throttle pedal was squeezed. This is thanks to an optional stop/start system, which while it doesn?t make the California a rival to the Prius, does shave about 20 grams of CO2 from every kilometre it covers.
The car?s low-slung driving position, thick pillars and broad, curving bodywork are less urban-friendly, but the ride is pleasingly un-knobbly and the steering light and accurate. Take the California to the country on an open road, and the thing howls like a banshee and becomes lithe, indecently rapid and engaging without feeling skittish, and our car?s seven-speed, twin clutch transmission aided this by being ultra speedy either in automatic or paddle shift mode.
Back in town, few drivers were keen to let it out at junctions but the California seemed to produce smiles and impromptu camera phone filming. So as a city car it proved to be a pleasure.??????????????
Top speed: 192mph; 0-62mph: 3.8secs
Emissions: 270g/km;
Combined fuel consumption: 24.5mpg;
Price: ?152,116.
On sale now
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