IAA Frankfurt 2017 has kicked off in tremendous fashion with debuts from a plethora of the world most recognizable auto manufacturers and none are as iconic as the prancing Ferrari horse. We’ve seen Ferrari updating the model range over the past year or so with the FF becoming the GTC4 Lusso, F12 updated to 812 Superfast and 458 to 488. That left only one car to be renewed – the California T.
For the first time we are seeing the Ferrari Portofino in the flesh and it immediately looks to fit the new look of the Ferrari range. It’s a Ferrari under the skin too – under the hood sits a 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 engine from the 488 GTB, producing 592hp – 40 more than the California T. Maximum torque is 760 Nm, available from 3000 to 5250 rpm. This all is enough for the Portofino to do the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.5 seconds, topping out at around 320km/h. With these times, the Portofino is the most powerful convertible to combine the advantages of a retractable hard top, a roomy boot and generous cockpit space plus two rear seats suitable for short trips.
There are a host of improvements and enhancements over the California T as the Portofino has shed a significant amount of weight yet become more rigid, therefore reducing any flex and improving handling. As with the rest of the Ferrari range, the Portofino has a revised touch screen and a host of new tech for customers to enjoy.
The car is significant for the brand as it will replace the Cali T as the entry point to the brand and previous generations have proven to be very strong sellers as a result. For more details check out the Ferrari Portifino official story!
