The Ferrari Portofino was unveiled on the Italian Riviera in the village of Portofino at two exclusive evenings on 7 and 8 September 2017, at which Piero Ferrari, Sergio Marchionne, Sebastian Vettel and Giancarlo Fisichella were present. It was also shown at Maranello on September 9 and 10 during the Ferrari 70th Anniversary celebration. By the end of 2017, the Portofino was unveiled in Asia, namely China and Japan, where China is said to be a big market for the car. In Japan, the vehicle was initially private-previewed in November, before the official debut in February 2018. Prices in Japan start from JPY25,300,000. Prices in the U.S. start from $215,000. In Hong Kong, the Portofino was launched in late March 2018, making it the third time in Ferrari's history to launch a new car in the Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel. Unlike previous occasions where the vehicle launch occurred in only one part of the ground floor lobby, the Portofino's launch occupied the hotel's entire ground floor area, where a few other Ferrari models were also parked outside the drop-off area, and creative lighting featuring the Ferrari's Prancing Horse logo was also projected on the hotel's exterior walls. A China-spec, left-hand drive model was displayed, which features a simplified Chinese menu display—a rare move for Ferrari as not all Chinese-speaking Asian regions would receive a Chinese language menu. Pricing for the Portofino in Hong Kong starts from HK$3.5M, with deliveries scheduled later in the year. A proper right-hand drive model was first spotted at the city's 488 Pista launch event on late June 2018.
Specifications
Succeeding the company's successful V8 grand tourer, the California, the Portofino carries over the same philosophy as its predecessor but is now more refined and agile, courtesy of new design and technical elements. Its body has.
Chassis
The chassis of the Portofino is made of 12 different aluminium alloys with much of its components now being integrated. The A-pillar of its predecessor consisted of 21 separate components but it is now a single piece in the Portofino. Hollow castings allow for increased structural rigidity, increasing it by 35% over its predecessor, the Ferrari California T.
Weight
Weight saving has been kept in focus while the development of the Portofino was carried out. Ferrari engineers managed to shave weight from the powertrain, dashboard structure, air-conditioning and heating and electronic systems of the car resulting in a weight of, making the car lighter than its predecessor.
Engine, transmission and performance
The engine, a Ferrari F154BE twin-turbocharged V8, is the same as in the Ferrari GTC4Lusso T, but yields a slightly de-tuned power output of at 7,500 rpm and of torque at 3,000 to 5,250 rpm. Changes to the engine include a 10% pressure increase in the combustion chamber, revised connecting rods and pistons and a single cast exhaust manifold. The car retains the 7-speed dual clutch transmission from its predecessor but features a new software to allow for faster gear shifts. The exhaust system has been tweaked to give the car a proper sound note while maintaining its grand touring nature, featuring an adjustable electric bypass valve that monitors the engine's sound according to driving conditions. The Portofino can accelerate from in 3.5 seconds, in 10.8 seconds and can attain a top speed of.
Suspension and steering
The Portofino features magnetorheological dampers, a carryover from the California, with an improved software to maintain good ride quality even though having a stiffer suspension system than the California. Like the company's V12 grand tourer 812 Superfast, the Portofino features an electrically assisted power steering. Both the suspension system and steering become increasingly responsive when the car is in sports mode.
Interior
The interior of the Portofino was developed after taking input from various clients. The rear seats have increased legroom and the infotainment system is more advanced and easier to use, featuring a 10.2-inch display screen in the centre console with Apple CarPlay functionality, as in its predecessor. The air conditioning system has been refined as well and is now 25% faster and 50% quieter than the California's.
Awards
On July 9, 2018, Ferrari received the Red Dot: Best of the Best award for the Portofino's groundbreaking design. The international judging panel stated that the Portofino “embodies an impressive evolutionary advancement" and "fascinates with an exciting design language," with the vehicle's elegance "further underscored by the uncompromising quality in material and workmanship."
