Ferrari California T to get Handling Speciale pack

The Ferrari California T will soon be equipped with the optional Handling Speciale pack that the Italian carmaker will be launching at the Geneva motor show in March 2016.

The pack has been designed to give the turbocharged California a more performance-focussed character, with stiffer suspension, quicker gear changes and a more vocal exhaust part of changes.
The pack adds springs that are 16 percent stiffer at the front and 19 percent stiffer at the rear, while the car’s dampers have been adjusted accordingly to improve body control by reducing roll, dive and pitch when pressing on. The new suspension's effects can be felt most when the car's manettino is set to Sport mode.

Ferrari admits that the new suspension does slightly compromise ride comfort, but explains that the package has been developed to meet the needs of “drivers seeking an even more sporty experience, particularly on twisty routes”. The carmaker has also hastened the change times of the car’s seven-speed dual clutch gearbox in order to match the sharper handling.

The car’s standard exhaust has been swapped for a new twin-silencer system that features two primary pipes and a new geometry. Ferrari says that the Handling Speciale exhaust projects a fuller, richer tone that rises in volume as engine speed increases. Meanwhile, the California T’s 3.85 twin-turbocharged V8 remains unchanged.

Aesthetic changes include a new front grille in matte Grigio Ferro Met, and a diffuser finished in the same colour with matte black fences and tailpipes on either side. The only change inside is the fitment of a new plaque to signify the car’s use of Handling Speciale equipment.