The New Ferrari Portofino Revealed
When the California was released, very few were pleased. It wasn’t a real Ferrari, the purists said. It wasn’t attractive or sporty enough, and the fact that it was originally meant for life as a Maserati did not endear many hearts. When the 4.3-litre eight gave way to the 3.9-litre California T, the market was more than ready for the first turbocharged Ferrari since the F40. It was still dismissed by some but the reception was better and sales for Ferrari were fantastic. Now the California T must take a back seat because the Portofino is here to say hello.
The Portofino is a “coupe-convertible with a retractable hardtop” that is lower, wider, lighter and faster. The chassis was redesigned with weight reduction in mind and the 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 from its predecessor now sends 591-hp and 560 pound feet of torque through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels. This up from 552-hp and 557 pound feet of torque in the California T.
Ferrari is keen to highlight in its press release that the V8 sound that we have come to know and love has “been further enhanced, and can be fully appreciated, particularly in top-down driving.” The exhaust system has also been improved to allow for “higher levels of acceleration in all gears and lower fuel consumption than the previous model.”
Ferrari wouldn’t be Ferrari without its elegant but sporty design and the classic red, which for this model, is a shade more spectacular and gives homage to the marvelous town for which the car is named. The launch color is Rosso Portofino.
The interior received an upgrade and is built for comfort without neglecting the elegance expected from a luxury vehicle of Ferrari’s caliber. There’s a new infotainment system with a 10.2” touchscreen display, a new steering wheel and 18-way electrically adjustable seats with a new backrest design that boosts legroom for rear seat passengers just to name a few.
The Portofino will fill the entry-level slot that the California T once held and so far it looks like a hit. If this preview is anything to go by, the official reveal at Frankfurt in September will be that much more exciting to anticipate.
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