What's the news?
The Ferrari Portofino is the newest model to emerge from the famous gates at Maranello. It's the replacement for the California T, a car that has long divided opinions. In a bid to quell the detractors, Ferrari has given the car a new name and more power.
While the overall proportions have not changed significantly, the Portofino has a more appealing design. It doesn't have the same gaping front bumper like that of the 812 Superfast, but its flanks are every bit, if not more tastefully sculpted. There's a nice integration of the vent behind the front wheel that extends into the door. With the roof up the car's side profile makes it look more like the larger GT Ferraris, and more importantly when the roof is down the look remains better proportioned than before, though the rear deck still looks a touch too high.
Like the California T, the Portofino retains a two-part folding hard top that retracts into a rear compartment that still leaves some room for a boot. It remains a two-plus-two seating arrangement, with Ferrari stating that the redesigned front seats now offer improvements to legroom for those in the back.
A black rear diffuser is integrated with the rear bumper leaving enough room for Ferrari to return to its more traditional double set of horizontally placed twin exhaust pipes. Under the vented bonnet lies the same core 3.8-litre turbocharged V8 as its predecessor, but Ferrari's engineers have extracted more power, bringing the total output to 600hp. Much of this is down to new pistons and con-roads along with a new intake and exhaust system. The latter includes a new one-piece cast exhaust header. An improved Variable Boost Management system handles torque delivery by deciding the amount it delivers depending on the selected gear.
These mechanical improvements all make for some pretty impressive performance numbers. Ferrari claims the Portofino will hit 100km/h from rest in 3.5 seconds and go on to a top speed of more than 320km/h. Its combined fuel consumption is said to be 10.5 litres/100km while emissions are 245g/km of CO2.
Ferrari is adding its third generation electronic rear differential (E-Diff3), as well as electric power steering, which the company claims helps to deliver a more responsive feel. Tweaks to the adaptive damping system are said to reduce body roll in corners without compromising on comfort.
The interior gets a boost with a new infotainment system featuring a 10.2-inch touchscreen, redesigned multifunction steering wheel and improved air conditioning. A new wind deflector is said to reduce air flow back into the cabin when the roof is down by up to 30 per cent while also lowering the amount of wind noise. All the better to hear that turbocharged V8, so.
Anything else?
The Ferrari Portofino will make its public debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, with customer deliveries expected to start towards the end of the year. While pricing has yet to be confirmed, we expect it to increase slightly over the outgoing California T.