2016 Ferrari California T Adds Handling Speciale Package

In terms of outright performance, the Ferrari California has never been at the top of the Ferrari lineup. Buyers usually gravitate toward the drop-top Ferrari with dreams of Riviera cruising, not kissing the apexes of Imola. Despite this, Ferrari now offers an upgraded performance package for the recently released California T.

With the new Handling Speciale package, Ferrari slots in stiffer springs, with a 16-percent increase for the front, and a 19-percent increase in stiffness for the rear. The software for the magnetorhelogical dampers has been upgraded so they respond to changing road conditions more quickly than before.

In Sport mode, the dual-clutch transmission shifts faster in both automatic and manual settings with a new reflash. A new exhaust system amps up the volume, and the car wears an upgraded front fascia and new rear diffuser. New black-colored tailpipes match well with the matte-black rear diffuser.

Inside, the buyer is treated to a special plaque indicating the HS package.

Released for 2014, the Ferrari California T is a substantial upgrade over the first-generation, with a 3.9-liter turbocharged V-8 engine that pushes out 552 hp and 557 lb-ft of torque. The car had improved handling compared to the outgoing California, but it lost the Handling Speciale package that was made available on the first-gen car. For 2016, the Cali T is once offered with an HS package to further sharpen up the car’s performance.