Don’t underestimate the Ferrari Portofino M

Maranello’s front-engined convertible models like the Ferrari Portofino don’t usually get the same respect as its more vaunted sports cars.

There’s an exoticism to mid-engined wedges like the Ferrari F8 Tributo and SF90 Stradale while cars such as the Ferrari 812 Superfast have the romance of 12 cylinders.

16

With less cylinders and performance, not to mention the ability to drop the roof on command, the likes of the California and its Portofino successor are often hit with the ‘poser’ tag, rather than being seen as proper driver’s cars.

On the one hand, Ferrari probably doesn’t mind, as these models have successfully snapped up plenty of customers from rival brands like Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin and Porsche, but on the other it’s clearly bothered as in recent time it’s ploughed plenty of resources into improving the ability of even its ‘entry-level’ model.

16

The Portofino ‘M’ – for modificata – is its most serious offering yet. Outputs from the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 are up to a massive 456kW and 760Nm, enough to properly it to 100km/h in 3.45sec and 200km/h in just 9.8sec, a time roughly equal to that of the Ferrari Enzo!

Not only is that 117kW/275Nm more than the original California of 2008, but the Portofino M is 70kg lighter, too. The dual-clutch gearbox is now an eight-speed, but one of the biggest changes is an electronic upgrade, which includes the five-position manettino switch from Ferrari’s sports cars.

16

This adds a Race mode and Ferrari’s clever Side Slip Control ESC system. This uses an algorithm that predicts what the car’s slip angle should be and therefore knows if the driver is under control or out of their depth.

The Portofino M lands in a crowded class full of talented competitors like the Bentley Continental GT, Porsche 911 Turbo S and Mercedes-AMG S63, so is this drop-top Ferrari now potent enough to put itself at the head of the pack? Watch the video up top and let us know in the comments!

16