The next California will usher in a brand new modular platform that’s set to underpin nearly all of the Prancing Horse’s upcoming models. The yet-unnamed platform will be built largely out of aluminum in order to keep weight in check, and, surprisingly, it will be suitable for both front- and mid-engined models.
The second-gen California will also inaugurate Ferrari’s next design language. Official details aren’t available yet, but sources close to the company told Automobile Magazine that future Ferraris will look “more extroverted, more aggressive and more radical.” The design language will most likely be previewed by a concept that will be shown at a major auto show next year.
Forced induction is here to stay, and power for the convertible will come from an evolution of the current California’s twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 engine. Ferrari isn’t shy about admitting that the next California will be a lot more hardcore and track-focused than today’s model, which has often been criticized for being too soft.
Interestingly, Ferrari is debating whether to introduce a more affordable version of the California powered by a 2.9-liter V6 engine that it will share with the smaller Dino. If given the green light for production, the California lite will be launched a little later in the production run.
Additional details about the next Ferrari California – a nameplate that likely won’t be retained – will emerge in the coming months. The convertible will be introduced in 2017, which means it will land on our shores in time for the 2018 model year.
Note: 2015 Ferrari California T pictured.
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