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Ferrari California T is a 552bhp turbocharged treat

This is the Ferrari California T. You can stop drooling now.

Like torturing yourself with cars you would love to own but could never afford? Step this way. Ferrari has just revealed a plethora of specs and pictures for its latest creation, the California T, which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Ferrari California T is so named because it has a turbo, making it the most recent Italian stallion to take the blown route since the legendary Ferrari F40. This, bolted to a shiny new 8-cylinder 3.8-litre V8, boosts power by 62bhp compared with the current California, taking the total to 552bhp, while torque is 755Nm (557lb/ft).

The addition of forced induction lets the California T accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 3.6 seconds. That makes it two-tenths of a second faster than its predecessor, yet somehow fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by 20 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively, bringing the latter down to 250g/km.

Turbochargers usually take a while to spool up before they deliver their full payload. Ferrari says the ‘very compact, very low inertia’ twin-scroll turbines are able to deliver an ‘ultra-sharp’ throttle response. It also says the engine note, which can be affected by forced induction, is just as engaging.

Ferrari has blessed the California T with its F1-Trac traction control system, as found in the 458 Speciale, new springs, a new steering box and new Magnaride dampers that respond to bumps in the road 50 per cent faster than before. A carbon-ceramic braking system comprised of new composite discs and pads is tasked with slowing the car down.

Infotainment is taken care of by a 6.5-inch display that can be operated using either conventional physical buttons or touch. The hard-top roof folds away into a compartment, reducing the impact it has on boot space.

As for the looks? The existing California is a beautiful machine and the California builds on that with a few touches inspired by the F12 Berlinetta, including the prominent, three-bar grille and side-by-side exhausts instead of a vertically-stacked arrangement.

Expect Ferrari to announce a price and more details of the California T as we head towards the Geneva Motor Show, which starts on March 4th 2014. Until then, take a look at the images below and weep.

Ferrari California T images

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