Ferrari is ready to show off its new entry-level model, the Portofino, at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
Dreaming about getting into a Ferrari? Forget the California. The automaker is offering a new entry model, the Portofino, which will make its formal debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
Like the California, it will feature a hard convertible top that will be able to open or close while the vehicle is moving, albeit nowhere near its rated top speed of more than 200 miles per hour. And to push it to that sort of number, the Ferrari Portofino will feature a more powerful, 3.9-liter V-8 capable of punching out 592 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque.
“The Ferrari Portofino is the new V8 GT set to dominate its segment thanks to a perfect combination of sportiness, elegance and on board comfort,” the automaker said as it announced the upcoming launch of the Portofino.
The new Portofino features a hard convertible top that can be raised while driving.
The new model is named after what was once a modest Italian fishing village near Genoa that is now a popular tourist spot on the Italian Riviera.
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The Portofino is more than just a new nameplate for the Ferrari California T. It features an all-new chassis the Italian maker claims is both more rigid and lighter weight – always two good things for a sports car.
With a displacement of 3,855 cc, the aluminum engine adopts new pistons and connecting rods, while the intake and exhaust systems have been redesigned, as well. Even the electronic control module has been recalibrated. The results: a 37 hp bump over the older version of the powertrain in the California T.
The new Portofino does 0-to-100 kmh in 3.5 seconds.
Add the car’s lighter mass into the equation and the Ferrari Portofino will launch from 0 to 100 kmh – about 62 mph – in just 3.5 seconds. Top speed is said to be over 200 mph.
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Ferrari has also done some serious work on vehicle dynamics. The Portofino gets the marque’s E-Diff 3 electronic rear differential to help get all those prancing ponies down to the pavement. Meanwhile, the magnetorheological damping system has been upgraded to further reduce body roll. And in a move one might not have expected a few years ago, the new model gets electric power-steering.
The top speed on the new Portofino is 200 mph.
The car’s overall look doesn’t stray much from the California’s styling. The LED headlights, grille and scoops are a bit more aggressive. From the rear, the look is more in line with other recent entries, such as the 488 GTB. As for the folding hardtop, Ferrari engineers appear to have been studying their origami, as there is now something close to a rear trunk for those who actually might want to take a suitcase along when they travel.
Inside, the new Portofino is in line with Ferrari’s goal of making its products useful as everyday drivers. “There was a particular focus on (on)board comfort,” the marque explains. There’s an upgraded HVAC system, for one thing, an new, 18-way power-adjustable seats with a notched backrest designed to provide some legroom for the occasional rear seat passenger. A new wind deflector design is said to reduce airflow inside the cabin by 30%, while also reducing wind noise. And the car gets a new, 10-inch touchscreen center display.
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We’ll have to wait for other details to come when the Ferrari Portofino is officially revealed in Frankfurt next month, but expect to see it reach showrooms a few months later.