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It all happened online: Ferrari unveiled its brand new "baby GT", to be called the California, on the internet on May 13. The www.ferraricalifornia.com website was launched under the "Ferrari GT Countdown" name two weeks ago, first offering teasers, such as audio clips of the car's V8 engine, and then photographs of the new machine.
Purely on the strength of word of mouth between Ferrari fans on the internet, the site attracted more than 60,000 hits from all over the world in one weekend.
A total of 15 per cent of these have already registered to ensure they will be kept informed by email of the revelations about the car between now and its virtual road tests.
Over the next few weeks, new photographs will be posted of the cabin and other styling details.
A "grand tourer" rather than an outright supercar, the California will be available exclusively as a convertible with a folding hardtop.
It will be constructed entirely of aluminium and will be the first car in the marque's history to have a 4.3-litre V8 engine mounted in the front-mid position - ahead of the cabin, but inside the wheelbase.
The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission helps shift the car to 100km/h in 4.0 seconds, and the rear wheels benefit from the high-tech F1-Trac traction control system from the flagship F599 coupe. Carbon ceramic brakes are standard.
No prizes for guessing the main market for the new California. The original 1957 250 GT California is one of the most recognised and famous Ferraris in America, thanks to a starring role in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show in October.
