Ferrari is in the midst of expansion plans. Not expansion in a vertical direction as it has been mistakenly described by some commentators, but by broadening the lineup. A broadening that sees Ferraris being built for specific customer needs – at least cars specifically designed for customers who have sums starting at around half a million dollars to put their new toys on the road.

The latest Ferrari California is less hard-edged than others in the sporting Italian marque’s range, being aimed more at the grand touring driver than the full-on weekend racer. Not that it's soft in absolute terms (heaven forbid, this is a Ferrari after all) the California is there for the driver who wants to cruise comfortably with that special someone, perhaps even with a pair of junior Ferrari fanatics in the back seat.

Or maybe the owner is keen to head down to the golf course to trim a shot off that elusive handicap. In which case they can fold down the ‘ski’ hatch in the back seats and thread their golf bag through. That's practical!

To enable this practicality, Ferrari's engineers have come up with what could be described as a front-engined variant of the hard-edged, mid-engined F430. But in true Ferrari fashion the layout of the new California is technically mid-engined. That's because the engine has been squeezed right back to the firewall and sits completely behind the front axle line. Thus is ‘mid-front’ layout instead of ‘mid-rear’ as in the Ferrari F430. Weight balance is close to perfect, with 47 per cent on the front wheels and 53 at the rear. That's clever!

The latest Ferrari 4.3-litre V8 engine is an all-new design and now features direct fuel injection. The result is a production of some 460 horsepower (338 kW in Australian terms) and a magnificent 485 Nm of torque. There's a good spread of torque as befits the grand touring nature of the engine.

The V8 engine is mated to a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox which is even faster than the ‘old’ six-speed unit designed for the Ferrari F430.

On the road this comfortable two-plus-two Ferrari convertible can be wound up to a top speed of 310 km/h, having passed the 100 km/h mark less than four seconds after leaving the line when using the electronic launch control. That's fast!

Ferrari has opted for a new-style folding hardtop for the latest California. In aluminium to keep weight down, as indeed is the complete body, the roof can retract in just 14 seconds and can be done with the car moving at very slow speeds should you desire to make an impression when cruising away from your favourite cafe.