Gallery: many Ferrari Californias gather in the desert

‘Deserto rosso’ may sound like a cheeky glass of red after a meal, but it is, in fact, Ferrari’s latest event.

The Italian sports car maker is no stranger to little owner gatherings. Only last year, some of its finest cars went on a jaunt around the Targa Florio route. This trip is a little different, though; it’s seen a bunch of Californias traverse a desert.

The Liwa Desert in the United Arab Emirates, no less. Attended by “a handpicked selection of Ferrari owners and connoisseurs,” it aimed to celebrate what’s fast becoming one of Ferrari’s most successful cars ever, in sales terms at least.

Why the humble Cali? Because it’s “never more at home then when it is navigating breath-taking desert roads,” we’re told. Which isn't to say it doesn’t look incongruous against a background of sand, as the pictures that follow will demonstrate…

See? Stands out like a sore thumb. Which is probably exactly why you’d buy a California T over more traditional rivals like an AMG Merc SL or Porsche 911 cabrio, albeit for flaunting your car to pedestrians, not camels.

The California T was the first modern-day Ferrari to embrace turbocharging, a move since followed by the 488 GTB.

Sitting ahead of the driver is a 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, developing 552bhp and 557lb ft. That’s enough for a 3.6 second 0-60mph time and a 196mph top speed. A barren desert is surely a very tempting place to test all of that out.

Mind you, this looks like a pretty tightly controlled convoy. In pictures, at least...

But it’s also a good opportunity to compare the California T to its less powerful, naturally aspirated predecessor, the latter leading the pack here. Reckon old or new is prettier?

And while we’re at it with the questions: classic red, or resale grey?

We jest, of course. Grey with red leather has always been a pretty tasty combination when it comes to Ferrari’s front-engined GTs, especially if you favour subtlety.

The latest Cali T now comes with a sharper, more fun Handling Speciale package too, don’t forget. It’s still the softest Ferrari on sale, though.

We end on the owners, stepping out for the necessary hashtagged evidence of their jaunt through the sand. Wonder how many suede driving moccasins were present?