After nine years in production, the Ferrari California T has been replaced by Ferrari with the Ferrari Portofino, the Italian carmaker's new V8 grand tourer that it's confident will dominate its segment "thanks to a perfect combination of sportiness, elegance and on-board comfort."
The Ferrari Portofino is named after one of Italy's famed harbor towns with the launch color of the car even being named after it: Rosso Portofino.
The Ferrari Portofino uses an all-new chassis that, thanks to the extensive use of modern production technologies, is lighter yet more torsionally rigid than the California T it replaces.
Using the same turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 engine used by the California T, which has been nominated twice as the International Engine of the Year for both 2016 and 2017, it now puts out 592 hp and 760 Nm of torque--39 hp more than the California T--" thanks to the adoption of new components and specific calibration of the engine management software" to allow it to sprint from zero to 100 kph in 3.5 seconds before reaching a top speed in excess of 320 kph.
The Portofino is equipped with Ferrari's third-generation electronic rear differential (E-Diff3) which has been adopted and integrated with the F1-Trac, improving both mechanical grip and control of the car. It is also the first grand tourer in the range to be fitted with Electric Power Steering, allowing the engineers to reduce the steering ratio by seven percent "for even more responsive steering without a trade-off in stability thanks to the integration with the E-Diff3." The Portofino's handling has also been improved over the California T with its magnetorheological damping system (SCM-E) having been uprated with dual-coil technology which helps reduce roll while simultaneously improving absorption of road surface unevenness, resulting in an even more dynamic, responsive car that also delivers superior ride comfort.
The Ferrari Portofino retains the design configuration of the California T--a coupe-convertible with a retractable hard top--but with a more aggressive design with its large radiator grille opening and new full-LED headlight giving the front fascia a more horizontal shape. The outside edge of the headlight also hides an air intake which vents into the front wheel arch and exits along the flank to reduce drag. The tail design meanwhile underlines the car's sporty stance by placing the tail lights further apart, cleverly concealing the rear volume housing the all-new retractable hard top which is more lightweight and can be raised or lowered at low speeds.
Inside, the Ferrari Portofino has a 10.2-inch touchscreen display, a new air-conditioning system that improves occupant comfort both with the top up or down, a new steering wheel, 18-way electrically adjustable seats with a new backrest design that boosts legroom for rear seat passengers, and a new wind deflector which, when the top is dropped, cuts air flow inside the cabin by 30 percent and reduces aerodynamic noise.
The Ferrari Portofino will make its global debut at the upcoming Frankfurt International Motor Show in September.
