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365
Unveiled during the 1966 Geneva
Motor Show, the Ferrari 365
California set the benchmark for
luxurious high-performance sports
cars. This Pininfarina-designed
convertible was manufactured
with the intention of replacing its
predecessor: the 500 Superfast.
Whilst the 365 California’s chassis
was structurally identical in shape
to the Superfast, the bodywork
was given a cabriolet look and
fast became the ultimate open
top Italian sports car. The 365
California was not, however, an
affordable vehicle: the very high
retail price only attracted the elite
top end of the automotive market
and only 14 were ever built. The
high-performance sports car was
a front-engined, longitudinal
positioned 60˚ 4.4L V12 that
boasted an incredible 320 bhp and
a top speed of 152 mph, highly
competitive against other cars of
this caliber during the 1960s.
As with the earlier Superfast,
the California type 598 chassis
were sent to the Pininfarina
factory in Grugliasco, where they
were bodied and trimmed then
returned to Ferrari for the fitting
of the mechanical components
and detailing. The door design
of the California featured a
scalloped arrowhead shape near
the upper edge with a chrome trim
running through the center, which
incorporated the door handle; this
was a Pininfarina design feature
that had previously been seen
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