Ferrari announced a new, updated version of the California convertible will be unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

To begin with, they shaved 30kg off the car’s weight and gave it an extra 30hp. Ferrari California’s GDI V8 now delivers 490 hp with maximum torque of 505 Nm at 5,000 rpm, thanks to new exhaust manifolds and engine mapping.

These changes alone make the car a whole lot better, as 0 to 100km/h time is reduced to 3.8 seconds. But that’s not the end. The new Cali also gets an optional ‘Handling Speciale’ package.

The package consists of modifications to the suspension set-up that minimise body roll and make the car even more responsive to driver inputs. It includes Magnetorheological dampers controlled by an even faster ECU (-50% response time) running patented Ferrari software, as well as stiffer springs and smaller steering wheel angles thanks to a new steering box with a 10 per cent quicker steering ratio.

As experienced with previous Ferrari handling packages, the kit will indeed have a dramatic effect on the way the car drives. It will certainly be worth the extra pay, which has not yet been revealed, but is sure to be quite high.

Besides the weight reduction, increased power, and the handling pack, the new Ferrari California also gets new colours developed by the Ferrari Styling Centre, including two-tone finishes with three-layer paint technology.

Customer can also personalize their cars further with modern re-interpretations of classic colour schemes.