Meet Portofino

WORDS: PHOTOGRAPHY

Ferrari’s new baby is born and they called it Portofino…

 

 

If you’ve ever travelled along the Italian coast, you may know Portofino. It’s located on the picturesque Italian Riviera at the edge of the Ligurian Sea, between Cinque Terre and Genoa. It’s known for attracting wealth and celebrity to its exclusive shoreline. So the new 2019 Portofino is no exception to this concept.
      The new lines of the Portofino feel and look a little more Italian than the previous California T, meaning it has the real Ferrari curves that are talked about well after the car has passed by. 

 

 
      Franco from Ferrari Brisbane, who delivered me the car, explained in detail (as he does every time) all of the important standouts of the car before handing me the keys and with that cheeky grin saying, “Enjoy the car, Dean!”
      It was bordering on 30 degrees outside as I drove out of the Brisbane dealership and headed toward the Gold Coast, so the first thing to go was the folding electronic roof system. This takes approximately 14 seconds to raise or lower and can be operated at speeds up to 40km/h. Stationary was fine for me; however, didn’t the car look and feel so much more Gold Coasty with the roof off!

 

 

      This car was already stunning with the roof on, but wow — with the roof off it became a new-looking supercar. 
      There are four seats believe it or not. I know, it’s amazing to think these are a two-plus-two-seater, but according to Ferrari, owners use back seats up to 30 per cent of the time, so are an important asset to the buyer.

 

 
      As I am driving back to the Gold Coast, I take the time to admire the interior as I crawl along the M1 at 25km/h. The 10.25-inch media screen controls the front allowing all media and maps to be displayed in the clearest possible way, including Apple CarPlay and reverse camera.

 

      And, of course, the F1 steering wheel (well, I could look at this all day) is a masterpiece; it styles the interior perfectly.

 

 
      If you’re fussy when it comes to colour choice, you’re in luck: the Portofino is available in 28 different colours. This includes seven blue hues, six grey options, five red, and three yellow paint choices.
      The 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 engine produces 441kW of power at 7500rpm and 760Nm of torque from 3000rpm.

 

      Zero to 100 acceleration time is 3.5 seconds. It moves past the 200km/h marker in just 10.8 seconds very easily, and top speed is “more than 320km/h”.

 

 
      It’s faster, has more tech, such as electronic exhaust bypass valves to make it sound better, and the purr is gorgeous from inside the car. The smiles on the footpath tell the same story from the outside. 
      Sport mode is always set on the steering wheel for me, so things are all a bit more growly and rigid.

 

 
Turning auto off means it’s all about you, the pedals and the paddles, and the car won’t overrule your decisions. Braking is how it should be in a Ferrari, with aggressive application resulting in seatbelt-tensioning response. 

 

 
      With the roof down, the noise of the exhaust is exhilarating under hard throttle, exactly how I like it as I continue to test this amazing supercar through the winding roads of the hinterland of Bonogin Valley.

 

      This car is a dream to drive, and the craftsmanship must be admired. The colour combination of this car isn’t usually my choice; however, it really did work well with the silver (argento Nürburgring) and blue sterling interior.

 

      This car outperforms its looks — and this is one very sexy-looking car, so that pretty much explains the performance right there!

 

 

Talk to your local Ferrari dealer to test drive the latest Portofino — you deserve to experience this vehicle.