Auto Design

The new Ferrari California attracted enthusiastic attention wherever it has been presented so far. How could it be otherwise? The California is two supercars in one but its development required more than twice the commitment that every new Ferrari commands. Yet, its design has been the most challenging task in years.

What would Donato Cocco, director of Ferrari  Granturismo cars, like to say of the design development of the Ferrari California? Well, here is in essence the outcome of our relaxed conversation with him, on the latest supercar from Maranello.

Being this one our first official interview with Mr. Coco in his Ferrari role, first we asked him if he is having fun at Ferrari.

His answer is somewhat surprising: Working for Ferrari, at Ferrari, is very interesting, challenging and rewarding but I can tell you it is not fun but hard work.

Understanding the Ferrari history and answering all questions concerning its future and its product demand a lot of work and a lot of time. However, I am very happy to be part of this “new, absolutely fascinating world”. I love the people I work with and for; I am very sensitive to the Latin character of the people and of the entire company.

The size of the company is so compact that you know all the people and the decision making process is as fast as that of a racing team, even if we are dedicated to design Gran Turismo for the road (and the track).

Question: Donato, the birth process of the California seems to have been long and difficult. The California is not an easy car to design and to fall in love with. Can you explain it?

D.C.: your comment is intriguing, so let me first ask you how do you explain it? I mean: don’t you find the car to be consequent and homogeneous for its design?

Autodesign: Well, you cannot say it is a ugly car, because it is a “bella macchina”, but it is also a car with two faces, two souls. The front face is a classic Ferrari (even déjà vue despite some new character lines), whereas the rear “face” is high, big, somewhat heavy. I like the silhouette of the roof and the way it is integrated into the overall design. The most difficult part is indeed the one that offer the best design treatment.

On the other hand, the transition between the body side and the rear section seems to be rough and not as naturally flowing, refined and elegant as we are used to expect from a Ferrari by Pininfarina. It seems to me that the theme and the difficult challenge faced with the California is not a design matter but a matter of product concept, which has more to do with marketing and the company strategy. The theme of a convertible coupé Ferrari with everything this implies (when it comes to set the dimensions and proportions of the roof itself and its recover into the rear compartment), is not easy with all its restrictions.

D.C.: Well, there is a lot to say to answer this. Let me start from the beginning. When I joined Ferrari (late in 2005), the California project had already been launched and its layout was established. It was simply a masterpiece of automotive architecture. There are not many cars around that succeed in harmonising in such a consequent style all the features of a Ferrari GT for performance, weight distribution, handling and design, with a Retractable Hard Top (RHT) and that  do it with great balance in such a compact package. There are not many sports cars that are so compact, well balanced, compact and with such a flowing, natural line.

The design is consequent. When the roof is open, the California is simply beautiful and well balanced. In coupé style (which is my favourite), you cannot perceive that its roof is retractable. Overall I feel it is 100% Ferrari for its character and for the way it has been designed and is being built. The focus is on the essence of what the “macchina” needs: reduced air resistance, down force and aerodynamic stability, air intakes and outlets for cooling engines, gearbox and brakes.

The style of the Ferrari California translates these priorities in lines, forms, volumes that are part of its DNA and its roots. This means that when a shape is needed, you can see it as a Ferrari trademark, but where there is no need for a shape, there is no one. In essence, the Pininfarina design is a classic, with alternating convex and concave surfaces, with flowing tensions lines, shape muscles where these are due, and clearly speak the sculptural language of a truly Ferrari sports car.

Sure, the convertible coupé formula is applied for the first time to a high performance Ferrari. It is new and it is not an easy thing to do. It has required ambition and courage.

There seems to be also a new attention to driving comfort, build quality and care for details, a sort of cocooning that was hard to find in previous Ferrari.

Is this a new direction for Ferrari?

D.C.: The new California positively looks more sophisticated and refined because it is so. The car for detail has been pushed to the limits and the perceived quality much higher. By the end of day, I am very pleased with California. If I compare it with any other GT, the California is the one with the strongest “sports car” look and it is – quite rightly – the best equipped, most accurate, most comfortable and with the most consequent exterior/interior design.

We both agree on this. The interior is very attractive, the seats are beautiful and the facia – even though it maintains a classic layout – is modern, well fitted, and it integrates the new large monitor. Yet, once again, interior design is conservative. Why do interiors evolve so slowly?

I would say that for interior too the priority goes to performance, in this case those of the driver, whose attention is focused on the essence of being in control of its performance car. Hence the essence and functionality of the equipment and the easiness of seeing and using it: the steering wheel, the instrument cluster, and the controls, nothing else in the way between the driver, the car and visibility of the road. Hence the “nice and clean” discipline inside the cabin. The other “Ferrari touch” inside the cabin is the clear presence of craftsmanship, with hand stitching and leather.

Back to your interesting question on classic and conservative design, we also considered more progressive design alternatives and experimented new solutions, some of which were very attractive, but eventually it was decided that the best option remains the contemporary classic design, entirely consequent with the exterior design. Major improvements have been made to maximize practicality, translating iconic design of the past into a modern interpretation, comfort, convenience and – why not – a touch of luxury to meet the expectations of those clients who love our brand but no longer demand a radical and Spartan sports car but now aim at an elegant, practical, high quality and easy to use every day, sports car. They now are more sensible to the glamour and lifestyle features of a cabriolet. For all these reasons, the California is indeed positioned in a slightly different market, as a typical Ferrari.

Last question: ¨Pininfarina is credited for the exterior design, is the interior design the work of Stile Bertone?

Not really: the interior design is the work of Ferrari even though Bertone has indeed provided those styling and modelling capabilities that I do not have here at Ferrari. Stile Bertone’s resources have worked under my direction and, indeed, we have been consulting and contracting several exterior suppliers. This is an important issue in our business and one day we will need our own design centre that, however, will not compete with Pininfarina but on the contrary will be able to expand the co-operation under a management committed to ensure that Ferrari is always at the front of design as well as mechanical engineering, aerodynamics and every other area of sports car development. Advanced design research and production engineering will continue to be contracted to outside specialists. In addition, we have recently opened the “special car” business, but this is another story we may talk about next time.