The California T, Ferrari’s immensely successful front-engined V8 model with retractable hard top and 2+ seating configuration, is now available with the brand-new Handling Speciale (HS) option.

Ferrari’s Head of Development test-driver, Raffaele De Simone, gives a thrilling taste of the Ferrari California T’s driving prowess on the challenging streets and roads of the Principality of Monaco. He takes his viewers through the new car’s performance as it tackles the Col de Turini mountain pass, one of the toughest stages on the famous Monte Carlo Rally, the legendary Tunnel and, of course, the Monaco Grand Prix’s famous Loews hairpin.

Video is after the break. Happy Sunday!

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Autostrada Motore, Inc., the Philippines’s official importer and distributor of Ferrari cars in the Philippines is celebrating Christmas extra early this year as they launched a new and faster variant of their award-winning Ferrari California just last week: the Ferrari California 30.

Thirty is the operative number of the Ferrari California 30 as the car is 30 kilograms lighter and 30 horsepower more powerful than the standard California, hence the unique name. The California 30’s 4.3-liter V8 engine is now rated at 490 horsepower and 505 Nm of torque thanks to a new exhaust manifold and engine mapping. In addition, the California 30’s torque curve has been modified and is broader throughout the engine’s rev range. As a result, the California 30 can accelerate to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 3.8 seconds.