Ferrari, Even the name sounds fiery, like Bella Italia and Bella Macchina, maybe also pizza and pasta, but in any case after endless sunshine. And certainly not after heavy snow, icy roads and thick fur coats. It is precisely in this scenario that the brand's entry-level model, the California T, presented itself for a very special ride - on sparkling clean ice.
It quickly becomes clear that such excursions at the brand with the Cavallino Rampante, the rearing horse, are not necessarily in the specification in the logo in the specification: Wide tires, rear-wheel drive and performance in abundance are guarantees for hot pirouettes on the ice, not but for the greatest possible control and precision. As tentatively as a horse moves with its smooth horseshoes on the reflecting ice, we slowly feel our way forward with the California T, always looking for some traction somewhere. Up here in the Swiss town of Andermatt, a good 1.500 meters high, at the foot of the Gotthard, is the effort that has been wasted. There had been dozens of inches of fresh snow overnight.
After a few minutes on public roads, where the 3,9 liter V8 biturbo could not prove its skills in the slightest, the slide leads us to our destination: in summer, where well-heeled people request small white balls on professionally manicured lawns, in slightly larger ones Vanishing holes has created a playground made of ice with plenty of manual work - and cold water. Exactly the right terrain to spur the Ferrari on without having to fear guard rails, curbs or even other road users. And the ideal surface to either put the electronic stability control through its paces. Or just to have a lot of fun.
In order not to sink the at least 183.499 Euro roadster in a snowdrift during the first round, we prefer to leave the ESP switched on for now. And the roof closed - you never know. But the electronic helper does its job perfectly. The Ferrari hardly gets off the mark, since the traction control tries to avoid any slippage and the engine performance throttles drastically. But once he is on the move, the cone course with the racing car is surprisingly easy to master thanks to non-stop interventions by the control systems. If you want to feel a little more of the 560 PS and 755 Newton meters, you have to switch from Comfort to Sport mode. The switch for this, affectionately called Manettino by Ferrari, is attached directly to the steering wheel. On the one hand, you can get there with your right thumb, on the other hand, this bond from the 1 formula should emphasize the sporty image of the brand.
As soon as the lever clicks upwards, the control systems give the driver more freedom and the ESP reacts later. In addition, the accelerator pedal curve is tightened somewhat and the fast seven-speed dual clutch transmission turns the gears further. The ride on the ice becomes significantly slippery: the rear wheels burrow in the snow when starting off, the engine revs up and also gives its power acoustic expression. There is no high screeching in the California T, rather the turbocharged eight-cylinder grumbles and grumbles powerfully to itself.
As soon as the wheels found some grip on the snow-covered golf course, the Ferrari dashed forward; in sport mode, however, the driver has a lot more responsibility in order not to clear all pylons. A touch too much gas in the curve, the California is already dancing with the rear, and would like to turn around on its own axis. Then the counter-steering is brisk, because it takes time for the stability control to intervene. For maximum driving pleasure, it can of course also be switched off completely using Manettino - but then the drifting pleasure ends quickly and the Ferrari makes you prima ballerina. Only after a few laps with brisk turners around our own center do we manage to coordinate the accelerator pedal and steering wheel so delicately that the well 1,7-ton California runs across the curve - and more or less elegantly - through the curve. Now we dare to open the folding roof, which disappears in the trunk in 14 seconds.
Even faster, namely after a good 11 seconds, the Ferrari should already be 200 km / h fast, it does the zero-to-one hundred sprint in 3,6 seconds. Both values that cannot be checked on the smooth ice rink, just like the Vmax of 316 km / h. And we also simply have to believe the standard carbon-ceramic brakes that they bring the 2 + 2-Sitzer to a standstill on dry roads in no time at all. What the California T, on the other hand, was able to prove very well during our hot ride on the cold ice is the power that goes into the brand's entry-level model. And how much fun you can have with a Ferrari in winter - at least when the playground is big enough.