If you put a Ferrari on an Italian square, you're sure to get some attention.
This is the Ferrari Portofino, the successor to the California.
It costs €243.000, and that makes it the cheapest Ferrari available today.
If you ask me, it's also the best looking. At least better than its predecessor.
This car has been designed with the coupé in mind. They've designed the closed version first,
and after that, they've looked into how to turn it into a convertible.
Take this rear roof style for example. It's a lot more sloped than on a California,
and that makes for a very elegant silhouette.
It's not just aesthetics. Ferrari's all about aerodynamics.
Take a look at this front fender, with this vent.
They've really thought this through. Air flows through here,
which whirls around in the wheelarches, and flows away through the vent.
It's not just looking good, it all has a function.
I just mentioned it, and even though you wouldn't think so at first sight,
but this is also a convertible. It's a coupé-cabriolet.
Normally, I'm not a big fan of convertibles. More often than not, they look ridiculous with a closed roof
Or they're fitted with an ugly linen folding roof with all kinds of shapes, or a steel folding roof which doesn't fold properly which ruins the silhouette...
However, with the California and Portofino, Ferrari seems to have found a very good middle ground...
between the coupé and the convertible.
I'm opening the roof now, which should be done in 14 seconds.
I haven't counted it myself, I was told. This feels like it's more than 14 seconds though.
Here it goes.
For this Portofino, Ferrari designed a different roof construction relative to the one in the California.
It's even more efficient. The roof plates fold away neatly,
and beneath that there's a space, which is rather big according to convertible standards.
Let me give you a bigger picture. This is what it looks like.
Look. These are the roof plates neatly stacked, and under here I've got room for a big trolley.
It fits easily. I can even put another one next to it.
So yeah, like I said. According to convertible standards,
or rather according to folding roof-convertible standards, this is very decent.
Do you think Ferrari knows that Lamborghini built a Portofino once?
Sure, it was a four-door limousine concept car from 1987. It's from back in the day when Lamborghini was taken over by Chrysler,
so actually it was a Chrysler, but still. There once was a Lamborghini Portofino.
What does it matter really. Portofino.
I had to get used to the name, but if you say it a few times,
it sounds incredibly Italian. Portofino is a small port town, just below Genoa.
Also, the special version of the California T was presented there, the Handling Speciale, and that wasn't a coincidence.
It was a hint for the successor of the California.
Well, we just were in Alberobello inbetween the trulli's, those small white houses with conical roofs,
so we already know the name of the next Ferrari, if Ferrari continues this tradition,
soon we'll be driving the Ferrari Alberobello, or the Ferrari Trulli.
Right then, the Ferrari Portofino.
It's actually an evolution of the California T. It's powered by a biturbo 3.9-litre V8,
producing 600 horsepower. That's 40 more than before.
And it's the same case as in the California T, the 4.3-litre atmospheric V8 has gone,
so you won't get the characteristic howling V8-noise anymore.
Even though they've fitted a different exhaust system in this Portofino, with a bigger exhaust tip and valves in the exhaust,
it sounds brute, but it absolutely doesn't if you remember how it can be done as well.
I perfectly get that Ferrari is doing everything...
to make it as impressive as possible, but the sound it makes?
I was just joking with cameraman Jeroen, it's like it's burping in a big PVC-pipe.
That's what it sounds like, but if you start to give it hell,
and you rev it nice and high, it will start to growl nicely.
We were just driving on a mountain road, and the sound nicely echoed against the rock walls.
That's the moment you realize this is quite the engine.
Right. 600 horsepower on a car which has been lightened by 80 kg. That's two times the advantage.
Even though this isn't a 488 GTB, and because it's meant to be more usable for daily use,
but which also goes incredibly fast, it means it's a car with two faces.
If you put it in Comfort-mode and everything on automatic, it remains a tame car when you keep it at low revs.
But if you put the Manettino in Sport-mode, get out of the automatic mode and start changing the gears yourself,
you can get the rev counter to exceed 7.000 RPM. And that's when it becomes a totally different car.
It becomes nimble, brutal...
There isn't a lot going on at lower revs, but if those turbo's are spooled up,
the car becomes quite a handful. It doesn't become dangerous or anything,
because they've tuned it a tad softer than in the 488 GTB.
The same goes for the steering. It's fitted with electronic power steering, and that's a first.
The California didn't have that. It's sharp, but when the steering wheel is in a neutral position,
it feels very pleasant, and that fits the personality of this car.
It isn't a hardcore sports car like the 488, it's a car which should be usable as a daily,
and that's what it is.
So what did Ferrari change as well compared to the California T, besides the fact it's a completely new car of course.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't an evolution of the California T. They've applied a few new production techniques,
which means the car has fewer welds, it's 35% stiffer than before,
sturdier springs at the front and back, and everything put together makes for a better handling car.
less body roll, new adaptive dampers, and the handling is just better.
Comparing it is a tad difficult, because we're driving in the south of Italy on roads...
which aren't incredibly forgiving, so we can't push the car to the limit,
but considering everything, this car is a tad sharper than its predecessor.
In front of me, there's a trusted Ferrari-dashboard.
It's been changed slightly compared to the California.
In the middle, we have a big 10-inch colored touchscreen, which works nice and clear.
A new steering wheel.
It can be fitted with shift lights, but apparently we're driving the base version,
but you can have a shift indicator on top of the wheel. The indicators have been shaped more ergonomically as well.
Other than that, it's just a Ferrari-dashboard like we're used to. It's not like I see it everyday, but it looks very good like always.
Also, relative to the California, this has another scoop.
Space in the back. It's a 2+2, so that means it officially offers two seats in the back.
That wasn't exactly royal in the California, and it still isn't in this.
We've got an additional 5 centimetres of legroom, because of thinner front seats,
but you shouldn't fold yourself in there as an adult. It's only suited for small rides with children, or for additional luggage space.
The Portofino actually is the only car in its segment. Let's sum it up.
Which other car is expensive, thus exclusive, very fast, usable as a daily, a GT,
a 2+2, with an electronic hard top? I can't think of any.
Besides that, compared to the California T, the Portofino looks better, but that's my personal taste.
More importantly, Ferrari has tuned this car in a way,
that it's an incredible leap ahead when it comes to driving.
The biggest improvement of them all...