Auto News 5

Two years ago, this story would not appear here, in its lead-article, three-page glory. No, driving a bargain-price, 1.5-liter fuel-sipper would have warranted a miserly, quarter-page nugget tucked into a corner and paying deference to the likes of a Ferrari, a large rear-wheel-drive V-8 sedan, or some hot-rod version of a full-size SUV.

Ferrari has recently shown environment-friendly concepts such as the Millechili (the 1000 kilo Ferrari) and the F430 E85 (with flexfuel capability), but the new Ferrari California is about as the green as the summit of Montblanc in winter. And that's fine by us. The California is a pleasantly and reassuringly old-school sports car, although there is plenty of sophisticated engineering hiding beneath the flashy, crowd-pulling skin. Says Amedeo Felisa, Ferrari CEO: "Less extreme than F430 and F599, the California still incorporates all the essential genes of the brand. It has style and presence, and it is fast and fun to drive. Unlike any other of our products, it is two cars in one, and it works equally well in coupe and spider mode."