THE FERRARI NEW CAR

THE FERRARI CALIFORNIA T

The concern is that this may dampen that high-revving Ferrari madness we all love, while adopting a dollop of bothersome lag. And the 3.8-liter twin-scroll turbo V-8 seen here forms the basis for upcoming models, including the 458’s replacement. It’s a sign of the times: Naturally aspirated motors will in the not-so-distant future become extinct, thanks to fuel mandates around the world.

So this motor’s success is important, and Ferrari has been working on it for years. The eye-watering statistic is that it boasts 49 percent more torque than the outgoing California, complementing its 560 prancing ponies with 557 lb.-ft. But there’s an asterisk with that. The full 557 is only available in seventh gear. In lower gears, it’s artificially limited — not to spoil the fun, but to feign a lack of turbos. By regulating torque, and fiddling with the mapping to match Ferrari’s desired torque curve, it offers the sensation of requiring high revs to extract its full potential, making it feel like the 7,500 rpm redline is higher than it actually is.

And 7,500 rpm is sky high for a turbo motor. But even still, from behind the wheel, you do miss those extra revs (the 458 tops out at 9,000 rpm). Fuel efficiency jumps 15 percent compared to the outgoing model, which is the whole point of this experiment anyway.

Driving the car, you immediately sense the lack of body roll, thanks in part to the engine's compact size and 30mm lower center of gravity, as well as an 11 percent increase in shock stiffness. It feels poised and together, something the previous Cali did not. It's also blisteringly fast, shaving two tenths off its 60 mph sprint time to 3.6 seconds, while hitting 125 mph in just 11.2 seconds.

Talking of speed, the steering rack has been quickened. It’s precise and agile, but the power-assist does feel over-boosted — a little light and floaty, especially on center. Much of this is by design. A California buyer doesn’t want a screaming track-carver. They want a comfortable cruiser with those Ferrari traits embedded within.

Arriving in September for around $198,000, the Cali finally does justice to the Ferrari name. But what about the engine? While I do miss those extra few revs, the artificial tinkering makes it feel as naturally aspirated as possible – which is to say very good. And while this does foretell the future, we all know what will ultimately become attached to these turbo rigs in around five years or so: An accompanying electric motor, which will eliminate all turbo lag and replace it with thumping, instant torque. For a million dollars, you can buy a car like that now. And when the technology cheapens to the level where it trickles down to lesser models, all this concern over turbo lag and keeping the revs high will be irrelevant.