The Ferrari 250 GT 'California' convertible was a completely new direction for Ferrari. It took a long while for Ferrari to wake up to the fact that the 250 family's success on the track could translate to success in the commercial world. Enzo himself was more interested in racing that producing a Ferrari for the road but he was no fool and he realised that commercial success could bring him more revenue that he could use to develop his racing cars.

So, the first version of the new car was launched in July 1957 and was called the 250 GT Cabriolet. This was Ferrari's first, purpose built, convertible. There had been other convertibles, but they were converted early Inters and Exports. This was the real thing and it was no race car.

All previous convertibles had been converted race cars meaning they had very little in the way of creature comforts. The 250 GT Cabriolet was different, it was pure luxury, performance motoring. It even had a fully trimmed and lined, proper, fully weatherproofed folding soft top. The car oozed quality and was designed to take Ferrari car sales to the next level.

The 250 GT Cabriolet would also sell well in the USA but the main importer for Ferrari in America, Luigi Chinetti and Ferrari's West Coast distributor John von Neumann wanted something slightly different. They persuaded Enzo Ferrari that what the American market wanted was a luxury soft top Ferrari that could also be raced occassionally. Ferrari duly obliged and had a prototype available by December 1957. It was slightly more aggressively styled than the Cabriolet with a steeper rake to the windscreen and a smaller grille. There were no bumpers and there was a functional bonnet scoop to finish the look off. This new Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder came with about 250bhp but there was an even quicker one just around the corner.

In May 1960 after 46 Ferrari 250 GT California prototypes had been built, Ferrari brought out an updated version with a new 280bhp V12 that could propel it past 145mph. It was also stunningly beautiful being a shorter wheelbase than the first version. Production ended in 1963 with total output creeping just past the 100 mark.