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| 2018 Ferrari Portofino |
It's called the Portofino and it costs 189,704 Euros, which sounds like a lot for Ferrari's newest grand tourer that is more on comfort rather than handling, although while it was made for comfortable driving, it still behaves like a proper Ferrari even when there are some things went wrong with it.
First off, there's the engine and in Ferrari's newest open-top grand tourer, it's got the same 3.9L V8 engine from the Ferrari 488, producing 600PS of power output and 700Nm of torque (760 if you let loose with the new Variable Boost Management feature). When mated to a Formula 1-derived 7-speed double clutch gearbox, which is good on supercars like the 812 and the 488 but not in here, it does 0-100kph in 3.5 seconds and onwards to over 320mph, which in car maths, that's one less than the Dodge Challenger Hellcat but unlike that muscle car I'd just mentioned, the Portofino isn't made to annoy drivers with its showboating crazines because it's a bit more than that.
Like I was saying, while the Portofino is all about comfort at every angles, the suspension setup is very high tech indeed like every Ferrari should. The springs are stiffer than ever and it now comes with the next-generation magnetorheological damping system which promises to be as dynamic as a ribbon gymnast doing art in motion. Now that really is performance art when you experience the Portofino firsthand and in addition to its new electronic rear differential and F1-Trac traction control, you can really tell how much the Portofino has improved compared to its California predecessor. However, there is a major problem with this one and it's the Electronic Power Steering. Yes, speedo boys, the Portofino is the first time a Ferrari comes with Electronic Power Steering and you better get ready because when you trying to handle a corner like a hooligan, this thing will result to understeering issues and it's hard to get a perfect turn with this kind of steering unless you find a way to tick it off in the same way you did with the BMW M4, although it's a bit more complicating than that hot Bimmer I mentioned.
Although not a great idea to use the Portofino on track days unless you want to but on a weekend drive at the Amalfi, the Portofino really shines as a cruising machine without the bruising drama and because of such reworking on the inside components of the Portofino, especially the electronics and the engine, it weighs 80kg less than the California T, so therefore, it's even more lively to drive as well. How very interesting. While the inside remains as complicated as every Ferrari be, the retractable hardtop is reworked and it can be opened or closed in just 14 seconds even at cruising speeds.
So, how can I sum this car up? Well, what I love about the Portofino is the design, the comfort that every grand tourer should have, the dynamics, and the engine that doesn't have the guilty pleasure of being too artificial in its own right but what I don't is the complicating interior layout, the pricing, and of course, the electric power steering. While this is mainly the successor to the California, the Portofino is a double-edged sword that can be a blessing and a curse when stacked up against grand tourers of today and because being a Ferrari, it wants to take them all out in a game of Top Trumps which is easy to win in Ferrari's case, I believe.
Photo: Ferrari
First off, there's the engine and in Ferrari's newest open-top grand tourer, it's got the same 3.9L V8 engine from the Ferrari 488, producing 600PS of power output and 700Nm of torque (760 if you let loose with the new Variable Boost Management feature). When mated to a Formula 1-derived 7-speed double clutch gearbox, which is good on supercars like the 812 and the 488 but not in here, it does 0-100kph in 3.5 seconds and onwards to over 320mph, which in car maths, that's one less than the Dodge Challenger Hellcat but unlike that muscle car I'd just mentioned, the Portofino isn't made to annoy drivers with its showboating crazines because it's a bit more than that.
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| 2018 Ferrari Portofino interior |
Although not a great idea to use the Portofino on track days unless you want to but on a weekend drive at the Amalfi, the Portofino really shines as a cruising machine without the bruising drama and because of such reworking on the inside components of the Portofino, especially the electronics and the engine, it weighs 80kg less than the California T, so therefore, it's even more lively to drive as well. How very interesting. While the inside remains as complicated as every Ferrari be, the retractable hardtop is reworked and it can be opened or closed in just 14 seconds even at cruising speeds.
So, how can I sum this car up? Well, what I love about the Portofino is the design, the comfort that every grand tourer should have, the dynamics, and the engine that doesn't have the guilty pleasure of being too artificial in its own right but what I don't is the complicating interior layout, the pricing, and of course, the electric power steering. While this is mainly the successor to the California, the Portofino is a double-edged sword that can be a blessing and a curse when stacked up against grand tourers of today and because being a Ferrari, it wants to take them all out in a game of Top Trumps which is easy to win in Ferrari's case, I believe.
Photo: Ferrari
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