Owning a Ferrari – any Ferrari, is special. You’ll have availed yourself to one of the finest Italian sports cars in the world, with breathtaking design, a soulfully tuneful engine and of course, a driving experience that no-one else can replicate – and believe us, we’ve seen plenty of cars to know that others have tried and keep trying. Today’s 2014 Ferrari California is a great way to get your Ferrari fix, then. The California was made between 2008 and 2017, and is special because it’s somewhat practical (for a Ferrari). Yes, it’s a car where you can take up to two of your young children with you because it has a small rear seat. It’s also got a retractable hardtop for that open-air vibe without giving up on a proper metal roof. Plus, the California is the first Ferrari with a dual-clutch transmission, the first one with a direct injection engine, the first with a folding metal roof, and a few more firsts.

Exterior and Interior
Sporting a simple black suit, this 2014 Ferrari California is a car for those who don’t want to stick out too much, in the way, say, a red or yellow Ferrari will do. Of course, being a Ferrari with those jaw-dropping Pininfarina looks and throaty wail of its engine will attract some attention. You can’t escape that. The car glides smoothly on a set of 20-inch forged diamond wheels, once again Ferrari signature with those iconic Prancing Horse yellow wheel caps. The two-plus-two interior of this 2014 Ferrari California comes in black, with Daytona-style front seats. You’ve got a carbon fiber Driver Zone with LEDs, a yellow-faced rev counter and dual-zone automatic climate control with air conditioning. There’s also a Ferrari radio with navigation, making this a very useable everyday car.

Engine
The heart of this 2014 Ferrari California is its 4.3-liter direct injection V8. Producing a reported 453hp at 7,750rpm, it’s a real screamer. Torque peaks at 358lb-ft at 5,000rpm, highlighting the engine’s flexibility and ease of use in low-speed town driving. But of course, that’s not where you’ll want to spend a lot of time. No, out on the open road, snicking through the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is where you’d likely prefer.