Overview of the 2010 Ferrari California
This is a November 2010 Ferrari California, chassis code ABA-F149, offered at USS Tokyo as lot 75184 on 8 October 2026. It is finished in black, original colour with no repaint of the whole car, colour code 508, over a tan leather interior. The odometer reads 3,085 km, approximately 1,917 miles, which is very little use for a car now well into its second decade. It is graded 4.5 overall with an interior grade of B, and the sheet records one owner, a company.
The car is a left hand drive official dealer import with the new car service book and warranty booklet marked present. It carries a yellow rev counter, carbon ceramic brakes with yellow calipers and 20 inch alloy wheels. For a buyer who wants a usable Ferrari with a folding hard top, a V8 up front and almost no wear, a Ferrari California with this mileage is a rare find from Japan.
The Drive Review
The California was Ferrari's first front engined V8 with a dual clutch gearbox and a folding metal roof. The engine is the 4.3 litre direct injection V8, shared in character with the F430 era but built as a flexible, torquey unit rather than a screamer. It makes 460 PS in original form and revs cleanly to around 8,000 rpm, which is why the rev counter on this car is marked in orange from 8 upwards. The gearbox is a seven speed dual clutch automatic, and the sheet simply records it as AT.
The engine sits behind the front axle, and the gearbox is mounted at the rear, which gives the car a settled balance that surprises people expecting a soft tourer. Steering is quick and light, the chassis is stiffer than a convertible has a right to be, and the car is happy to cross a continent in comfort before turning sharp on a back road. Against a modern turbocharged Ferrari it is less brutal and more natural, with a proper induction and exhaust note and no artificial filter between you and the engine. It is a four seat layout in name, with rear seats best suited to bags or children.
Auction Details
Auction house: USS Tokyo. Lot number: 75184. Auction date in Japan: 8 October 2026. Auction grade: 4.5. Interior grade: B. Exterior grade: 4.5. First registration: November 2010 (Heisei 22). Shaken, the Japanese roadworthiness inspection, is valid until November 2027. The registration plate on the sheet reads Ichikawa 300 se 6585. An inspection date is not confirmed in the data given.
The auction start price is ¥7,500,000. No Autoselecta guide bidding range has been set for this car, and no close sold results are on record to compare against. For the minimum bid and the landed cost to your country, please use the price panel on this page, which is worked out live. All bids must be submitted before 9PM UK time the evening before auction.
Vehicle Specifications
Manufacturer: Ferrari. Model: California, base grade. Body: open convertible with folding hard top. Chassis code: ABA-F149. Frame number: ZFFLJ65J000176106. Engine: 4.3 litre V8 petrol, 4,290 cc on the sheet. Transmission: automatic, which on this model is the seven speed dual clutch unit. Steering: left hand drive. Seats: four. Exterior colour: black, colour code 508. Interior: tan leather with light contrast stitching. Mileage: 3,085 km, approximately 1,917 miles.
The sheet marks neither 2WD nor 4WD. The California was built as a rear wheel drive car, but the drive type is not confirmed on the auction sheet itself. The feed gave 4,000 km as a rounded figure, but the sheet odometer reading of 3,085 km is the one to rely on, and the photograph of the instrument cluster shows 3085 on the trip display.
Factory Features and Equipment
The sheet marks genuine alloy wheels, power steering, leather seats and airbags. Power windows are shown with a mark that is not a clean circle, so they are not confirmed from the sheet. Air conditioning is automatic climate control. The sales points list a yellow rev counter, carbon ceramic brakes with yellow calipers and 20 inch alloys, and the photographs show all three, along with the grey multispoke wheels and yellow calipers.
The photographs also show a touchscreen navigation and audio unit in the centre of the dashboard, a metal finish centre console, tan leather seats with contrast stitching, a carpeted floor and the California script on the passenger side dashboard. A Cornes badge is visible on the rear, which marks the car as an official dealer import. Options beyond those listed are not confirmed on the sheet. The spare tyre box on the diagram is not marked.
Japanese Auction Report Translation
The sheet was translated and checked by Autoselecta. The inspector's report records the following. The dashboard panel is lifting. The switches are sticky. A seat comment reads R seat followed by a character that could be read two ways, so its meaning is not confirmed. There are exterior scratches. There are wheel scratches. A right or rear undercover is cracked, although the letter R may mean either right or rear and the final word is not fully certain.
The sales points are one owner, company owned, a yellow rev counter, carbon ceramic brakes with yellow calipers and 20 inch alloys. The points to note state that the warranty booklet, owner's manual and spare key are coming at a later date, which means they are not with the car at auction. The new car service book with warranty booklet is marked present, so a service history is indicated, though its content is not shown on the sheet. Recycling deposit is ¥22,930. Import type is official dealer.
Damage Diagram and Body Condition
The diagram is light. Four panels carry an A1 mark, which means a small scratch: the front bumper, the right front wing, the right side door and the right rear quarter panel. One panel carries an A2, a scratch rather than a small one, on the left rear quarter panel. There are no dents, repair marks, replaced panels, rust or corrosion marked anywhere on the diagram.
The inspector adds general exterior scratches and wheel scratches, which fits the grade 4.5. In the photographs the black paint looks deep and clean under the auction lighting, with no obvious waves, and the grey alloys look tidy at the angles shown. The roof is closed in every photograph, so its operation is not confirmed. Overall this is close to collector grade on the body, with honest light marks that a detailer could improve, and the cracked undercover is a small mechanical item to sort after purchase.
Interior Condition
The interior grade is B, which is good but not perfect. The inspector notes the dashboard panel lifting and sticky switches. Both are known areas on cars of this period, where the soft touch coating on switchgear can turn tacky and the dash covering can start to lift at an edge. The tan leather seat shown in the photographs looks clean and plump with no visible creasing, and the stitching looks tidy.
The instrument cluster photograph shows 3085 km, a yellow rev counter and an amber warning symbol lit at the upper left of the cluster. The sheet does not explain it and the car may simply have been photographed with the ignition on, so please ask Autoselecta to look into it before bidding. Smell, headlining condition and carpet wear are not mentioned on the sheet. A missing spare key is a matter for the later date note covered above.
Japanese Auction Grades
Japanese auction grades run from 1 to 5 for the body and from A to D for the interior. A 4.5 is the top end of what a used car normally receives, meaning very little wrong, and the interior B means good with minor wear. Here the grade is backed by only small scratch marks on the diagram.
Model History
The Ferrari California was revealed in 2008 as an entry point to the range, a front engined, folding hard top grand tourer in the line of the old California Spiders but with modern engineering. It brought the dual clutch gearbox to a road Ferrari in this class and used a 4.3 litre direct injection V8. In 2012 Ferrari introduced a revised car with more power and less weight, and in 2014 the California T replaced it with a turbocharged engine. This car is from the first, original specification, built in 2010.
Why This Model Has Become Collectible
The original California has long been seen as a softer Ferrari, and prices reflected that. What enthusiasts now value is that it is the last naturally aspirated V8 Ferrari convertible of its kind, with a proper induction note and usable everyday ability. The Japanese market adds another angle, because official dealer cars are often owned by companies, driven little and serviced by the dealer.
This example offers very low mileage, one owner, original black paint and the sought after carbon ceramic brakes and yellow rev counter. These are specification points that matter to Ferrari buyers. It is not a car to buy as an investment, and future values cannot be promised, but low mileage original cars are harder to find with every year. Because this one is under 25 years old, it is for buyers in markets that allow it.
What To Look For When Buying This Model
On the California, begin with the dual clutch gearbox. Ask for evidence of clutch and software condition, and look for hesitation at low speed, which is normal to a degree but should be smooth. The folding roof is a complicated mechanism, so operate it fully, listen for strain and check the seals for leaks. With very few kilometres, the more likely trouble is age rather than wear, so check coolant hoses, rubber parts and fluids that have not been changed on time.
The carbon ceramic discs are costly if they are worn, so ask for a disc measurement before shipping. On this car, ask Autoselecta about the dash panel lifting, the sticky switches, the cracked undercover and the amber light visible in the cluster photograph. Also confirm the service book entries, because the sheet only states that the book is present. The warranty booklet, manual and spare key are to follow later, so confirm timing for those.
Why Import This Car From Japan
Japan produces some of the lowest mileage and best documented used Ferraris anywhere, and the dealer record and shaken inspections often give a clearer picture than elsewhere. A 3,085 km company owned car, graded 4.5, is the sort of example that rarely appears abroad.
Ultimate Guide For Japanese Imports
Buying from Japan means bidding through an agent, receiving a translated sheet, paying for the car and export costs, and then arranging shipping and clearance in your country. Check your own country's age, emissions, safety and left hand drive rules before bidding, because they differ widely. Autoselecta can explain each step and give you a clear quotation.
Why Import Through Autoselecta
Autoselecta gives you direct access to Japanese auctions, a translated and checked auction sheet, vehicle sourcing, bidding assistance, export handling, shipping and support with import in your own country. Where available, vehicle tracking is provided, and communication is kept clear throughout. We make no unrealistic savings claims, only a transparent process.
Browse This Week's Japanese Auctions
If this California is not quite right, browse the cars at this week's Japanese auctions on Autoselecta, where new lots are added regularly, including other Ferraris and performance cars.
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Use the live auction search to look for a specific model, grade or budget, and speak to Autoselecta if you want us to find a car for you.
Auction Caution
Auction cars are inspected before sale but remain used vehicles. The sheet is an independent condition guide, not a mechanical warranty. A Ferrari of this age may need servicing, maintenance or refurbishment after purchase, whatever the mileage. Please note the inspector's warnings again: dashboard panel lifting, sticky switches, exterior scratches, wheel scratches and a cracked undercover, plus the unclear seat comment. The warranty booklet, manual and spare key are not with the car at auction. All bids must be submitted before 9PM UK time the evening before auction.
