the California key fob sucks!

Left unlock. Right lock.
(like lefty loosey, righty tighty)

And I always forget and get frustrated too, pull out the phone and verify.

 

My 2010 did beep. 1 to lock and 2 to unlock. Just like my 458 and FF.

Did you manage to turn off beeps in the setup?? Do the lights flash too?

SV

 

^ My 2011 is the same. Opposite my Porsche - 2 beeps open, 1 beep closed.

I am with you on the open/close aspect. I like the lefty loosey/righty (did I remember that correctly?!?) tighty mnemonic.

T

 

This summer I was invited by Ferrari to attend a focus group for the design of a new key. It lasted about 90 minutes and I was surprised at the number of potential shapes as well as functionality. One of the attendees was a lady who requested the ability to choose fob color. She and her husband currently own three Fcars, down from five, and would like the fob color to match each cars paint for convenience in choosing that day's ride!

 

That's actually a great idea. Let's see if Ferrari starts to offer that as an option. They could probably charge at least $500 extra to have the key fob paint match your car. Unless of course you have the special triple layer paint? They would charge $1,500.

 

Rob, I believe the Cali's key fob is the same one used for the FF, F12, 458 and even for LaFerrari. So we're in good company.

The car will beep once upon locking and twice when unlocking. I've attached a couple of sound files of two locking-unlocking sequences that you can listen to on your Mac,... the WAV file should also keep Windows users happy. If your car doesn't beep I suspect either the previous owner purposely disconnected the speaker or there may be an issue somewhere along the "beeper" circuitry.
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Looks like people have already done that... great idea!
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Don't laugh ... Porsche charges $365 for it.
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The Porsche key does have better graphics for functions (and more colours) but their (rather silly) left side ignition switch placement always bugs me.

 

My wife bought what I believe is an aftermarket key fob enclosure like the yellow one above that the Porsche service area was selling - about $125 and looks the same. I'd guess they take OEM enclosures and paint them with a high quality gloss paint. No issues with scratching thus far but I suppose that's a risk. Is the yellow one above a solid yellow plastic? Custom colored key fobs is a nice option - we have a white one for her white Targa and the stock black fob for her Cayenne. But what's irritating with both manufacturers is that you still have to insert the key (Porsche has a dummy key that remains in the left ignition spot) to start the car. Why not allow drivers to just keep key in pocket and then press the "start" button as with BMW? Does Ferrari have a security concern on keyless operation that others aren't concerned with?

 

It's not that bad, only took me 2 years to get used to it. [emoji6]
T

 

Now i have heard it all.

 

I don't really like the shape of the Porsche key, maybe if it looked like a 911 instead of a Panamera it would be better : )

The key on the left is a leftover from the old racing days when the drivers would sprint to the car, hop in and turn the key, they got a split second advantage having the key on one side and the gearshift on the other. Or at least that's the fable. It's one of those character things about the 911 but makes less sense in my Macan S. Which does have the dummy key, so you don't have to pull the silly car shaped key out, just have it in your pocket. Actually, I leave it in the cupholder. Saabs used to have the key on the center console behind the gearshift.

It gets confusing, though. After daily driving 911s since 1990, either I'm trying to put the California key in on the wrong side of the steering wheel or I get in my wife's BMW which has keyless entry and for some reason they decided to hide the start button low behind the steering wheel on the right and I have to hunt for it.

 

Left unlocks
Right locks

My car beeps very load when you lock or unlock the car, almost too load.

 

Based on the questions we were asked in the focus group it apeared that fob color choice was likely a certainty. However, it was a minor part of the meeting. Look and feel of the fob was a major part and at least 10 different exemplars were on the table to play with including one which felt like an irregular shaped smooth stone with no markings on it. The emphasis was on preserving the passion of the brand and community base in terms of the look and feel.

Several of us wanted to discuss functionality, including one person who was an engineer.
Here it seemed that the group leader and the Ferrari rep were not very engaging or open.
It was pointed out that many brands have had keyless entry and ignition for at least 10 years and even BMW and Mercedes had finally gone that route. The response seemed muted. However, the security factor seemed present with one of the questions posed to all of us was where do we keep our key when not driving. Two people said they kept their keys (for multiple cars) in a home safe and one person flat out refused to say despite being pressed.

My overall impression was that Ferrari believes its key is outdated and behind the times and that it will jump in with a loud noise, if not a bang, all the while finding ways to monetize changes. It is spending a LOT of money with the company hired to create the new key which seems somewhat disproportionate to what a key does. This may just be the Ferrari way of doing things or it may signal a big change in the key status quo. I suspect we will see the new key introduced with some fanfare but when is a question for which I can't surmise the answer.

 

I find my California 2010 key pretty basic when compared with the keys of other more modern cars I own which have more buttons and functions and for me that's not a drawback but an advantage. I agree with you that you can't see the buttons in the dark but that also happens with other well ranked european and japanese cars keys. For me the difference with the California key is the fact that it has just three buttons and is very easy to use and memorize. I know by touch, even in total darkness, that the button with the depression opens only the boot and the other two without depression open and close the doors.

 

All these awesome resources deployed to revolutionize the key and they still can't get the plastics to not become sticky with age?

 

As long as they don't take the cavallino off the key, I'm ok with any upgrades they do.
Every time I take my Ferrari key out of its super secret hiding spot, and see that silver horse, I'm instantly in a great mood. [emoji3] For the record, I kind of like the old school feel of putting a key in the ignition, turning it, and then hitting the start button. It's the best of both worlds, I think...T

 

Don't let Shawn see this post, I bet he will come up with something for you..... yikes!

S

 

I agree. I don't like the new direction of the push-button start with no cut key like on the new GTC4 Lusso.

Pics of new key design:
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Oh great, they ditched the Cavallino. It's so plain, it doesn't even look Ferrari-special, despite the oversized Ferrari logo.

I think the BMW touchscreen display key (out since 2015) is a much better idea, for a much cheaper car (base MSRP $100k) than any current Fcar, no less. Surely, they can come up with a similar Fcar key, with a few less functions.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozzi_NXXiV8]2015 BMW 7-Series Key video[/ame]