Ferrari California T Debuts With Turbo V8

Ferrari has revealed its latest supercar, the California T, a new grand tourer with a more powerful engine and a retractable hard-top. Packing 70HP more than the previous California, as well as being up 49-percent in torque despite trimming fuel consumption by 15-percent, the new V8 3.9-liter turbocharged engine puts out 560HP and the sort of engine noise Ferrari knows buyers expect, thanks to what the Italian company says is a new turbocharger design that also virtually eliminates lag.

It's down to what Ferrari is calling Variable Boost Management, and it's borrowed from the company's F1 research. The twin-scroll turbines have very low inertia, for instance, which means swifter response when you stab at the throttle, while the soundtrack is ensured with a specially designed two-stage process incorporating both the intake and exhaust.

The result is 557 lb-ft of torque and a 0-62mph time of just 3.6 seconds, despite dropping emissions by a fifth over the old model.

Meanwhile, there's a new steering box, new suspension, and 50-percent faster Magnaride dampers for less roll and pitch; Ferrari also outfits the California T with its latest iteration of F1-Trac traction control, and there are carbon-ceramic brakes.

Inside, there is seating for four – though the back still looks a little on the snug side if you're bigger than a child – with everything wrapped in Frau semi-aniline leather. There's a luggage opening between the rear seats, for skis and such, while the main controls are on the wheel for easier access.

New is a Turbo Performance Engineer (TPE) display on top of the dash, with a touch-sensitive surround to page through data from the engine. A 6.5-inch touchscreen controls the updated infotainment system. The hard roof drops in 14 seconds.

No word on pricing or specific availability at this stage, but we'll probably know more when Ferrari officially debuts the 2015 California T at the Geneva Moto Show in March.