Ferrari California T gets Handling Speciale (HS) option

Ferrari California T Handling Speciale-02

Maranello has announced a new handling package for the Ferrari California T. The option is called the Handling Speciale (HS), featuring enhanced vehicle control, revised F1-Trac logic, a new exhaust system and some aesthetic bits for the 2+2 convertible. The HS package will be showcased at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show this year.

Handling improvements are made possible through specific calibrations and a set-up that’s particularly noticeable in the manettino’s Sport mode. With the pack equipped, the California T gets new damper settings along with modified springs. The front set of springs are stiffened by 16% and the rear set by 19%.

An enhanced Sport mode is also claimed. This is thanks to a new strategy laid out for the SCM3 magnetorheological dampers – it increases the speed of the damper’s response and improves its efficiency. Furthermore, the F1-Trac logic also provides for better acceleration at corner exits and bumpy road surfaces.

Apart from that, the gear-shift logic in Sport mode, both in automatic and manual, have been modified. The California T receives faster, sportier gear engagement in both up- and downshifts. The HS pack also comes with a new exhaust system with silencers, featuring two primary pipes with a new geometry design.

Ferrari California T Handling Speciale-01

Said exhaust was developed in tandem with the engine and gearbox control software. It also provides more rapid response and improved sound and volume. Ferrari says that the new exhaust system gives a fuller, richer and more involving note at all speeds in all driving situations, further adding that it’s instantly recognisable at the push of the Start button.

As for cosmetic upgrades, opting for the HS package will have the California T sporting a new front grille in Grigio Ferro Met colour and a rear diffuser that comes in the same scheme albeit with matte black fences, complemented by matte black tailpipes. Inside, there’s a special plaque to indicate that the California T comes with the HS package.

Other than that, performance figures remain the same. The California T features a turbocharged 3.9 litre V8 engine that produces 560 hp and 755 Nm of torque. It prances from 0-100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 316 km/h.

GALLERY: Ferrari California T in Malaysia

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Graham Chin

Having spent a number of years as a journalist for a local paper, a marketing executive for a popular German automotive brand and a copywriter, Graham, a true-blue Sarawakian, knew he had to take the leap back into the motoring scene - and so he did. To him, nothing’s better than cruising for hours along a scenic route, in a car that’s designed and built for that purpose.

 
 

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