Paris Show: Ferrari California HELE gets Stop- Start Tech, Emits 23% Less CO2

Visitors to the 2010 Paris Motor Show may have noticed a rather innocuous looking, black-topped Ferrari California on display at the automaker's stand. This is the Ferrari California HELE, which stands for High Emotion Low Emissions. Think of it as a Ferrari for the environmentally conscious.

Featuring a host of technological jiggery including intelligent fan and fuel pump control, adaptive gear shift and "electronically controlled variable displacement"...air conditioning, the California HELE is said to reduce CO₂ emissions by 23% over its non-HELE sibling.

That's 270 g / km down from 299 g /km. The California HELE also features a stop / start system that can restart the car's engine in an impressive sounding 230 milliseconds.

Ferrari is also introducing some new two-tone finishes - no doubt for the 599 GTO wannabes - and water-resistant leather for its California range. There's no word on pricing or launch dates, or in what markets the California HELE will be sold. No doubt buyers will pay a premium over the non-HELE base model.

By Tristan Hankins

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Novitec Rosso Slaps a Supercharger on the Ferrari California

Have you ever thought “My 460 horsepower Ferrari just isn’t quick enough. You know what it needs…over 600 hp. That’s the ticket.” If so, you’re in luck. Novitec Rosso, the gods of Ferrari tuning, just developed a supercharger kit for the new Ferrari California. It’s no simple power bump either – the 4.3-liter front-mounted V8 in the California jumps from a solid 460 hp – more than enough for most – to a whiplash-inducing 606 hp. Torque grows from 485 Nm to 603 Nm too, which means you’ll be burning through some serious rubber if you’re not careful.

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VIDEO: Ferrari Scuderia Spider, California and 599 GTB HGTE Tackle the Goodwood Hill Climb

VIDEO: Ferrari Scuderia Spider, California and 599 GTB HGTE Tackle the Goodwood Hill Climb

One of the most popular events at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed is the Sunday Times Supercar Run which sees some of the fastest and most powerful cars in the world race up the 1.16 mile hill climb. At this year's run that was completed on Sunday, June 5, Ferrari showcased three of its latest supercars - the limited run 510HP F430 Scuderia Spider 16M, the new California hardtop-convertible that's moved by a 460HP V8 and the 599 GTB Fiorano equipped with the HGTE sport package.

Below you can watch all three Prancing Horse models at the Sunday Times Supercar Run through an inboard video camera while we've also added an additional "over-the-shoulder" film of the California. According to the Italian sports car maker, the Scuderia Spider 16M was the fastest of the bunch completing the Goodwood hill climb in just 59 seconds.

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Ferrari California

Ferrari California

Following last Friday’s announcement, Ferrari proceeded to the release of the first official photographs of its all-new California GT model. The Italian thoroughbred that had been dubbed as the GT, California GT and Dino in spy pictures over the previous months will be offered exclusively as a 2+ seater (whatever that means) coupe-cabriolet with an electric folding hardtop.

The California is powered by a 4.3-liter V8 engine that features direct fuel injection and a “flat” crankshaft, generating 460 Hp at 7,500 rpm. The V8 which is mounted for the first time in the marque’s history in the mid-front position supplies power to the rear wheels via a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission. Ferrari says that the California sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4.0 seconds…More Supercars >> Read more…

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