All it takes is one look and you’ll see that the 2009 Ferrari California is a beautiful car. But never fear, there’s still a Ferrari under that sleek new body, and it gives you all the performance you’d expect from this storied brand.

The Ferrari California has a supple chassis with double wishbone front and rear multi-link suspension. Switch the steering to Comfort mode and cruise down Rodeo Drive in style, while the powerful engine purrs softly without turning heads. This is a car you can easily drive to the office or to the mall. In fact, Ferrari wanted this car to appeal to a broader audience – a new audience – without losing the fine performance for which Ferrari is known.

Or, switch the steering setting to Sport mode and the engine is unleashed. The valves in the muffler open earlier and the engine growls. This is the Ferrari driving experience you dream of – the one that brings a smile to your face and more than justifies the expense of those new leather driving gloves.

In the corners, the California isn’t as fast as the F430, but the steering has a direct touch you’ll appreciate. If you’re brave enough, the chassis is balanced enough to handle over-steering power slides – kids, don’t try this at home! The brakes also have plenty of power, courtesy of their standard ceramic rotor discs. There’s a dual clutch transmission as well – pull the steering column paddle left for up and right for down. Although this is fine for most people, enthusiastic drivers might find the road speed variable steering assist a little light, while the track aficionado may find the steering to rack ratio a little slow.

The cabin is lovely, with a creamy leather interior and beautiful trim. The driver’s seat is nearly perfect, though a tall passenger might wish for a little more foot space. There is a backseat, but Ferrari refers to this as a 2+ vehicle, acknowledging that the back seat is probably better suited to additional luggage than human passengers.

The price tag is a little steep, expected to be around $200,000, although this won’t be enough to steer away the masses – as with all Ferraris, expect a waiting list.

The California comes with a 4.3 liter, V8 engine with direct fuel injection, boasting 454 horsepower and 357 ft-lb of torque. It can bridge the gap from 0 to 60 in only 4 seconds, and has a top speed of 193 mph. The combined mileage is 18 mpg, which isn’t bad for such a powerful engine, although the company has an overall plan to improve fuel consumption by 40 percent by 2012. Direct injection is just one of the ways they plan to accomplish that.

While other Ferrari cars have been automatics, the California uses a seven speed, dual clutch transmission that they developed in partnership with Getrag of Germany. In addition, the hardtop retracts at the touch of a button and only takes 14 seconds to open and close. Finally, even with the roof down, you’ll still have space in the trunk for a couple of weekend bags.