Ferrari Portofino M still looks great, but packs more power
The Portofino M is really more about the updated running gear, which now matches the Roma coupe.
The least expensive Ferrari model on sale today received some updates on Wednesday. The Ferrari Portofino M, a letter that always designates a performance boost at Ferrari, bowed with a couple styling tweaks, but the legendary Italian automaker packed more power into the convertible to keep things interesting. The Portofino M now boasts identical power figures to its coupe cousin, the Ferrari Roma.
A total of 612 horsepower is at the driver's disposal, up from 592 hp in the outgoing Portofino model, and a twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 still provides the motivation. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission also retires, with an eight-speed dual-clutch unit taking its place. Again, it matches the Roma coupe, which isn't exactly surprising. The extra oomph and new transmission don't make the Portofino M drastically quicker from a standstill to 60 mph (0.5 seconds quicker), but mashing the accelerator and flying toward 124 mph is now about a second quicker at 9.8 seconds.
Accompanying the mechanical upgrades are light refreshes to the front and rear fascias, which look mildly more chiseled than before, but onlookers will be hard-pressed to spot the differences. It's not like the Portofino was ever a bad-looking car, though. Elsewhere, Ferrari engineers updated the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer system, which adds a new Race mode as a selection. The company didn't provide specifics, but the new mode is meant to "maximize driving pleasure." New technology such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot and lane-departure warnings and a surround-view camera also trickle into the Portofino M.
The automaker didn't provide prices, but it's a safe assumption we'll see the current car's $215,000 MSRP rise with the updates.
