Ferrari Portofino: the daily Italian grand tourer

The Ferrari Portofino was released last year on the success of the California, bringing some stiff competition to the grand tourer segment. While its predecessor received some controversy from a styling perspective, Ferrari certainly has knocked one out of the park this time around.

While most of us won’t be sitting behind the wheel of a Ferrari anytime soon, there certainly are those out there that are lucky enough to do so. But even for the average person, you can really appreciate what the Portofino has to offer. It’s a Ferrari at the end of the day, and even if some might brand it as ‘entry level’, it comes with a certain sense of occasion. 

The style

Stepping into the cabin, you have every button related to driving located right on the steering wheel itself. From the red tactile engine start button, drive mode select, indicators - everything is literally at your fingertips. We personally love the column-mounted paddle shifters, which help convey Ferrari’s racing heritage. 

All the controls on the center console are driver focused, and the infotainment system - which features Apple CarPlay - has been drastically improved over the California. For comfort, you can adjust the 18-way seats to get into that optimal driving position. There’s even a smaller display for passengers to view performance data, and you can even find points of interest from the navigation so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road.

The drive

The level of comfort, performance and even proportions makes covering hundreds of miles easy without batting an eyelid. Out on the open road, acceleration is just seamless, with a perfect balance between creating an atmosphere of excitement with a subtle hint at class. The engine notes as you go through the gears and up the rev range sound magnificent, making you quickly realize that driving at triple digit-speeds is truly effortless. 

In cooler weather it’s easy to bring the roof down - in just fourteen seconds you could be driving with the wind whipping through your hair, which is an experience every driver should enjoy at least once in their life. There’s great visibility while parking in tight spots as well, with the light steering wheel and width make things a breeze. We’re hoping that Ferrari introduces keyless entry on the next model, as that’s something that will really make things a bit more convenient when starting up this beast. 

The Portofino is a fine car to consider for - believe it or not - everyday use. It’s a stunning grand tourer with that unique Italian combination of racing history and attention to detail that is hard not to fall in love with. 

Pricing from AED 800,000

August 01, 2019 at 03:06PM
Sam McClusky