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All You Need to Know About the New Ferrari Portofino

By Zlatan Stankovic on March 1, 2018

For decades, the California has typified all what Ferrari stands for; the design work is the epitome of elegance, class and sexiness, while the engineering within the exterior screams aggression, power and grit. But, within the automotive industry, models don’t last forever, why do you think classics sell for millions at auction due to their demand and authenticity?

Now, Ferrari have recognized that by developing a new model to replace the California range. They wanted something that was going to take the legacy that the California created, and reimage it to take the brand to another level; they wanted to develop a car that would be the best retractable-hardtop on planet Earth… meet the new Ferrari Portofino!

With help from the legendary designer, Flavio Manzoni, the Portofino is the type of vehicle that will turn heads as it whizzes down the street. Although, like the California, it almost has a split personality. With the roof on, it’s a beautiful motor that enthusiasts can drool over as it looks like something that would be at home on the track. On the contrary, within 14 seconds of the roof retracting, it turns into something brash, sporty and glitzy.

If you head into the interior, you’ll find an array of different elements that aim to enhance the experience for both driver and passengers. Starting with the driver – there’s 2 TFT screens in the dashboard which provide any information that you desire, and a 10.3-inch infotainment system. For all the passengers – there’s an 8.8-inch touchscreen in the front, and the front seats are much thinner, light and more adjustable so that there’s more leg room in the back.

The team at Ferrari have truly worked on optimizing the design of the car to aid performance, too. With L-shaped, full LED horizontal headlights at the front that feature air intakes directed towards the wheel arches, and small rear lights positioned right at the edge, they’ve been able to improve aerodynamics and decrease overall weight. To be precise, the Portofino weighs 176 pounds lighter than the last California.

Under the bonnet, there’s a bi-turbocharged, 3.9-liter 90-degree V8 engine which produces an astonishing 591-BHP and 7,500-RPM (an increase of 40-BHP from the last California). In addition, with 560 pound-feet of torque and a 7-speed DCT transmission, it can top 199-MPH and hit 0-62 in a whopping 3.5 seconds. Considering Ferrari want it to be a GT car, not a genuine sports car, those figures aren’t bad, eh?

Furthermore, if you want to appreciate the changes Ferrari have put in to evolve from the California into the Portofino, then understand this… the Portofino has new pistons, induction system, exhaust manifold, Variable Boost Management and connecting rods. It also has an E-Diff3 hooked up to the F1-Trac system to ensure the traction and handling is the best it can be.

Like the sound of the Portofino? Be prepared to part with around €196,000!

Tags: FerrariFerrari CaliforniaNew ModelReviews