autos sport

Visitors to the 2010 Paris Motor Show may have noticed a rather innocuous looking, black-topped Ferrari California on display at the automaker's stand. This is the Ferrari California HELE, which stands for High Emotion Low Emissions. Think of it as a Ferrari for the environmentally conscious.

Featuring a host of technological jiggery including intelligent fan and fuel pump control, adaptive gear shift and "electronically controlled variable displacement"...air conditioning, the California HELE is said to reduce CO₂ emissions by 23% over its non-HELE sibling.

That's 270 g / km down from 299 g /km. The California HELE also features a stop / start system that can restart the car's engine in an impressive sounding 230 milliseconds.

Ferrari is also introducing some new two-tone finishes - no doubt for the 599 GTO wannabes - and water-resistant leather for its California range. There's no word on pricing or launch dates, or in what markets the California HELE will be sold. No doubt buyers will pay a premium over the non-HELE base model.

By Tristan Hankins

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If the factory version of the Ferrari California isn't quite to your liking, then perhaps the tuning folks over at "Anderson Germany" can help you spruce up the Italian hardtop convertible. On the speed side, the California's 4.3-liter V8 gets a 55-horsepower jump from 460HP to 515HP thanks to a recalibrated ECU and new valve controlled stainless steel exhaust system, which can be set to three different sound modes via remote control.

The package also includes electronically adjustable dampers that can lower the ride height by 35 mm or raise it by 40 mm, and a new set of light-weight alloy wheels with the outer rim painted in the color of the car, shod in 255/30 R21 tires up front and 315/22 R22 tires at the rear.

On the outside, it's carbon fiber galore. Aside from the carbon film on the alloy wheel spokes, Anderson Germany offers a bodykit made up of a carbon fiber-finished front spoiler lip, side skirts, rear diffusor, rear mud guard, side air-vents and boot lid spoiler. A dark tint on the panes and rear lights round off the exterior upgrades.

As for the interior, among the many options offered by the tuner is a -you guessed it- carbon fiber trim package for the air vents, radio fascia, center console(s), door handles, rocker switches and steering wheel.

A special version of Ferrari's California will make its first public appearance at this week's Goodwood Festival of Speed. Set to race in the Sunday Times Supercar Run, the California special features a two-tone finish with the body painted in Argento Nurburgring (metallic silver) and the roof and A-pillars in Nero (black), a theme that the company claims echoes its bi-colore berlinettas of the 1950s and 1960s.

The hardtop roadster also features several items from the Genuine Ferrari Accessories range, such as forged 20-inch matte-black wheels with titanium wheel bolts, as well a host of factory-fit options from the Carrozzeria Scaglietti Personalisation Programme, including diamond-stitching on the rear seats and Cavallino stitching on the headrests.

The California special will be joined at Goodwood by the 458 Italia and the 599 GTO as well as the Italian firm's 2009 F1 car that will driven by Marc Gené, throughout the weekend.