Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 2011 Ferrari California convertible. The car is being sold by a dealer in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and the auction will end Tuesday.
If you were looking for an automotive thrill ride in 2011, one of the vehicles on your potential purchase list might have been a Ferrari California. It was a car unlike any that preceded it: A radical new design by Pininfarina with a front-mounted V8, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, folding convertible hardtop, and multi-link rear suspension. The price tag, however, was a staggering $192,000. Maybe a pre-owned version is a better bargain?
Ferrari unveiled the California at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It was manufactured in Maranello, Italy and positioned in the Ferrari lineup as a grand touring sports car (as opposed to an all-out performance car). The “California” name itself was leveraged as a way to convey images of fun, top-down, coastal cruising. Ferrari hoped that the California would attract new buyers to the brand. It did; for its first iteration (before the turbocharged California T), there were 8,000 units manufactured.
Power comes from a 4.3-liter V8 mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The direct-injection engine was front-mounted and it carried ratings of 453 horsepower and 357 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to its 47-percent front and 53-percent rear weight distribution, the car had agile and predictable handling. It could also scoot to 60 miles per hour in just four seconds and it had a top speed of 193 miles per hour. Notice on this car how the instrument cluster is dominated by a 10,000-rpm tachometer, while the 220-mph speedometer sits on the side as an afterthought.
The listing doesn’t call out specific maintenance items, but the car only has 15,312 miles on the odometer. The CARFAX report gives a glimpse into the car’s ownership history, which started in Ohio in the summer of 2011. The car was relocated to West Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut thereafter. It passed New York safety and emissions inspections most recently in April 2023.
As an added bonus, the car will come with a battery tender, a car cover, carpeted floor mats, and a variety of accessories (gloves, hat, tools, and more). If you didn’t have $192,000 burning a hole in your pocket back in 2011, maybe you’re in a better position today to finally acquire your dream Ferrari.
The auction for this 2011 Ferrari California convertible ends Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. (PDT)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery