Ferrari Portofino M redefines what entry-level means

Only three years since the launch of the Portofino, replacement for the California T, Ferrari has updated their “entry-level” grand tourer with a more powerful version. Called the Ferrari Portofino M — short for Modificata — the new Ferrari on the block comes with a lot of changes under its skin, while the exterior does not change much.

The twin-turbo 3.9-litre V8 in the Portofino gets massaged to pump out 20 more horses, taking the total output to 612 hp, equal to that of the Ferrari Roma. The torque is unchanged at 760 Nm. The engine is hooked up to an 8-speed automatic gearbox that offers 35 percent higher torque delivery than the DCT unit in the regular Portofino.

All these changes translate well into better numbers on paper. The 0-100 kph sprint is now faster by 0.05 seconds at 3.45 seconds. The Portofino M also takes a full second off the 0-200 kph time which is now 9.8 seconds. The top speed remains unchanged at 320 kph.

To set it apart from the regular Portofino, the Portofino M gets some visual changes to make it look a bit more aggressive, including slight changes on the bumper and grille. The side “scallop” air vent on the Portofino now extends on to the front bumper to aid cooling. Inside the Portofino M, there is a new Manettino dial to change between five modes, including a new Race mode. As the Portofino M is a GT, you can add more creature comforts like ventilated and heated seats or numerous advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to improve convenience on the road.

The Ferrari Portofino M is the first model to come out of Ferrari after the temporary closure of their plant due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will soon be followed by another global debut from the brand by the end of the year. This might be the more potent version of the 812 Superfast, prototypes of which have been spotted recently.