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Ferrari prepares for two new car debuts, automaker's new London retail location opens

James Raia

Ferrari prepares for two new car debuts, automaker's new London retail location opens 1Ferrari markets its brand well, but it isn’t necessary. Ferrari enthusiasts arguably watch and wait for the carmaker’s every move with more zest then any other manufacturers’ fans.

Which is particularly good for Ferrari lovers right now. The luxury Italian automobile and its Prancing Horse logo are represented in three new ways — two new cars and a new upscale retail store selling Ferrari paraphernalia.

The new Ferrari offerings include the Scuderia Spider 16M and the Ferrari California.

The Scuderia Spider 16M will be elusive and the fastest convertible Ferrari has ever offered. Only 499 will be built and its price has not been announced. But it will cost more the Scuderia Spider coupe priced at $277,000.

The Ferrari California will debut as the automaker’s attempt to make the brand more accessible to the “general public.”

The Scuderia Spider 16M is available two new color schemes: the standard version is black with grey trim, while a three-color option is also available as part of the special offering. Its exclusivity is designated with a special plaque on its rear grille commemorating Ferrari’s 16th Constructor’s World title. The “limited series” plaque will be positioned just above the air vents at the center of the dashboard.

Other exclusive features include a roll-bar with carbon-fiber outer shell and a specific new generation audio system that can be combined with the removable customized Ferrari iPod Touch 16 GB with central dock just in front of the dashboard. Acceleration in the standard 0-60 mph test is 3.7 seconds, and the car’s top speed is 195 mph.

The Ferrari California, which reportedly has a two-year waiting list of buyers, as the “Everyman’s Ferrari,” costs around $185,000 and will be available exclusively as a convertible with a folding hard top. Both chassis and bodywork are aluminum. The California will be powered with a V8 engine mounted for the first time in the marque’s history in the mid-front position.

The new model also features several innovations. The California’s 4,300cc V8 engine features direct fuel injection and a “flat” crankshaft. It generates 460 CV at 7,500 rpm with a torque curve that enhances vehicle dynamics. The Ferrari California does the 0-60 mph tests in less than four seconds, and it has a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The Ferrari California is also equipped with the F1-Trac traction control system which made its debut on the 599 GTB Fiorano.

For Ferrari fans who can’t afford the cars, there’s always a visit to a Ferrari retail store, including the recently opened, two-story location in London.

The first British store selling Ferrari products recently opened in grand fashion with the  ribbon-cutting ceremony by Formula One driver Kimi Räikkönen.

Set in a stone building in the heart of London, the 5,705-square-foot store will have all the usual Ferrari goods, including spaces devoted to car and F1 products, such as clothing and model cars.

Räikkönen, the team’s most recent world champion in 2007, signed the counter — the now-traditional way Ferrari breaks in its new outlets.

The store will be managed by the Percassi Group, an Italian retailer which also owns the Ferrari store in Milan. There are other Ferrari stores in Rome, Venice, Barcelona, San Francisco, Miami, Abu Dhabi and Macao (China).

Ferrari plans to open more than 40 stores around the world in the next three years, as it continues to capitalize on the brand’s considerable cache with car fans.

Article Last Updated: May 12, 2009.

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