Ferrari California T (2014-2018) review - MPG, CO2 and Running Costs
If you want to drive something this fast and fabulous, you’ll have to pay through the nose…
Ferrari didn’t put a smaller, turbocharged V8 into the California to make it go faster… although with the new engine it does. The reason – as with all other ‘downsizing’ brands – is that society demands more social conscience from its supercars.
In the case of the California T, it means CO2 emissions have dropped from the 299g/km of the old model to 250g/km. That’s hardly going to save the planet, but then one wonders how a high performance, high consumption supercar crafted from rare and luxury materials could ever pretend to be making a serious contribution on that front.
Talking of consumption, Ferrari claims a ‘combined cycle’ figure of 26.9mpg – though of course driven with any passion, the car will return much smaller numbers. As a result of its emissions and price, anyone running a California T on a company is going to face a pretty impressive tax bill, but that’s par for the course at this end of the market.
And let’s face it, if it hurts to own a Ferrari, you probably can’t afford it anyway. As well as high fuel and tax bills, you’re going to be hit hard by consumable costs like tyres and brakes. At least the servicing is covered for the first seven years, and there’s a four year warranty too.
Insurance groups
A group 50 insurance rating means hefty premiums, especially for any owners who might not be considered the safest of bets. Many owners will save money by including their Ferrari on wider policies – their company fleet insurance, for example – and it’s always worth haggling with your broker.
Depreciation
Depreciation is a tricky issue for Ferrari owners, because while there are few cars out there so desirable to drive, it’s also true to say that high mileages can cost Ferrari owners a fortune at resale time.
Yes, most used Ferrari buyers are looking for a garage queen, ideally one that’s driven as far as the local dealer for its annual service, and then parked up again until the next year. As a result, many owners of more exotic Ferraris do just that.
As the most popular and attainable Ferrari, the California T is not likely to live such an existence, but owners must still beware of racking up too many miles. Used car experts CAP suggest a 30,000-mile car at three years old will be worth just under 50 percent of its new list price – and you can expect to knock the same amount off the value of any of Ferrari’s astonishingly expensive options.
