The 149M Project is believed to be Ferrari code for the updated California convertible.
If you can go to Las Vegas to see Paris or Venice, well, maybe that explains the idea of going to Geneva to check out California. The next-generation Ferrari California, that is.
The Modena-based supercar maker has announced plans to unveil what it has dubbed the 149M Project next week, with the new model itself set to get a Geneva Motor Show preview barely a month later.
It’s believed the “M” signifies “Modificado,” or “modified,” a term Ferrari appears to be using for the redesign of the California convertible.
Considering the maker’s increasing willingness to break with tradition – witness the hybrid drivetrain in the new La Ferrari model, never mind the wagon-like Ferrari FF – there’s plenty of speculation underway about what might be in store for the updated California, which was first launched in current form in 2009.
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Among the many questions is what will be used under the hood. The current model is fired up by a 454-horsepower 4.3-liter V-8. According to several sources, the Modificado will adopt a smaller but more powerful twin-turbo now used in the new Maserati Quattroporte. The 3.8-liter package churns out 550 hp – but it would surprise few if Ferrari found ways to squeeze out a few more prancing ponies for its version.
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The 2015 iteration of the California is expected to see a number of exterior styling tweaks, perhaps lifting some cues from the F12 Berlinetta, suggests British-based Auto Express, and even from the FF.
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Look for significant updates to both the look of the interior and to its infotainment system and gauge cluster.