The new Ferrari Portofino looks pretty stylish to me; far more so than the California T it replaces.
It's arguably at its best with the roof up, in side profile, where the rear window eases into the rear deck in 'there's lovely', two-box, coupé-like fashion.
This is also, probably not coincidentally, the first time that Ferrari's vice-president of design, Flavio Manzoni, has had a completely new platform to work with. That goes to show how gradual the pace of change is in the motor industry: Manzoni arrived at Ferrari at the start of 2010, by which time development of the F12 (debut in 2012) would have been well under way, and other new Ferrari projects he has worked on since have developed from existing body structures.
The Portofino's body and chassis carry nothing over from the California T - which is one reason why it can be 80kg lighter and 35% stiffer. It has also given Manzoni a clean piece of paper to work with for the first time.
Unrelated, but intelligently, the boot has been designed to fit two standard carry-on flight cases side by side, making this the first Ferrari for a long time for which bespoke luggage won't be offered.
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289
Ferrari Portofino
....frankly anything would be better than the California, frankly the weakest design to come out of Ferrari since the 348GTB.
IMO
manicm
The Portofino is a fabulous
The Portofino is a fabulous looking car, especially top down, irrespective of the California (really an aborted Maserati).
Dynamcis aside, the 348 was a great looking car - wrongly fashionable to criticize its looks.
80sXS
How novel
"making this the first Ferrari for a long time for which bespoke luggage won't be offered."
How novel of a corporate brand in today's money grabbing society to not offer another tickbox when it comes to the customer handing over the spec options cash.
david RS
The 348 was a nice balanced
The 348 was a nice balanced car in the street.
eseaton
It does look nice, which is a
It does look nice, which is a first for Ferrari in a long while.
But I am not entirely convinced it is as unrelated to the California T as suggested.
giulivo
Ferrari model cycles
Ferrari has a longstanding tradition, for its 8-cylinder models, to alternate a new model with uprated existing engine (348, 360, 458) and a (more or less trongly) refreshed model with new name and new or strongly upgraded engine (355, 430, 488). This allows them to offer a "new" car relatively frequently, by having the car and the engine last for two model cycles.
For the larger models they tend to offer a mid-life refresh (512M, 456M, GTC4, etc).
I wonder where the California / Portofino fits in this model strategy. There has been an engine swap and now the engine carried over in what ought to be a new car.
giulivo
Ferrari model cycles
Ferrari has a longstanding tradition, for its 8-cylinder models, to alternate a new model with uprated existing engine (348, 360, 458) and a (more or less trongly) refreshed model with new name and new or strongly upgraded engine (355, 430, 488). This allows them to offer a "new" car relatively frequently, by having the car and the engine last for two model cycles.
For the larger models they tend to offer a mid-life refresh (512M, 456M, GTC4, etc).
I wonder where the California / Portofino fits in this model strategy. There has been an engine swap and now the engine carried over in what ought to be a new car.
manicm
The Portofino is a completely
The Portofino is a completely new car, with a heavily modified engine. It and the 488s engines have their roots in the California T.
david RS
Sadly it keeps its turbo
Sadly it keeps its turbo engine :-| For a Ferrari :-|
enzari
Modern love
The Portofino is a modern Ferrari in every sense of the word, stylish, practical, tintop to softtop and seating children over the age of 5 in the rear, a case of Modern Love...now where is my nearest dealer?...
www.enzari.com
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