Ferrari Portofino M

For a car more than half a decade old, the cabin of the Ferrari Portofino M still looks fresh and very premium, with a focus on the driver’s cockpit suggesting that this is purely a car made for people who love mostly to be behind the steering wheel. The cabin looks classy and is packed with features, making it one of the most practical cabins among all Ferrari models on sale.

The multi-functional steering wheel of the Ferrari Portofino M is inspired by that of a Formula 1 car, which is evident by the range of buttons and functions present on its either spoke on the sides. The instrument console behind it is segmented into three parts – a centrally placed tachometer and a TFT screen on either of its sides. The corners of the dashboard and the upper centre console have rounded AC vents with satin silver surrounds, while the lower centre console has a large trapezoidal 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

The upper and lower centre consoles are divided by a thick satin silver line flowing across the width of the dashboard. The co-driver side of the dashboard also has an additional sleek-looking screen for controls of the infotainment and climate control. Meanwhile, the lower centre console has small panels for the audio and climate control buttons. The Ferrari Portofino M has two additional seats at the back, which have restricted space and are best suited only for small kids.

Ferrari has a tradition of making beautiful curvaceous-looking supercars, and the Portofino M follows this tradition with its nicely crafted, aerodynamic design, which can make anyone’s heart skip a beat. Despite being more than half a decade old now, the Ferrari Portofino M can turn many heads simply with the way it looks.

At the front, the Ferrari Portofino M has a swooping bonnet, which flows in a curved manner towards the fascia, while having sleek air passages in their upper sides. The lower tips of the side humps of the bonnet have sleek L-shaped all-LED headlamps. Much of the visual drama is concentrated on the front bumper, which has a massive smile-like air dam spread over the central part, while the corners of the front bumper have trapezoidal air passages integrated into them.

The sleek and curvaceous visual appeal of the Ferrari Portofino M extends on the side profile as well, with the grand tourer having smoothly-flowing curves over the front and rear fenders. Here, the central part of the front fenders has sharp-looking air curtains within them, while the door panels have a prominent crease flowing over them. Adding more glory to the side profile of the Ferrari Portofino M are the large 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped with low-profile tyres.

At the back, the Ferrari Portofino M has prominent bulges behind the rear seats on either side, which along with the curves of the rear fenders, flow towards the rounded tail lamps placed on either corner. These tail lamps are connected by a curved integrated spoiler in the middle, while the tail lamps have air dams positioned towards their inner edges. The rear bumper here has twin exhaust pipes on either side, placed within hollows of the rear diffuser on the sides.

While the Ferrari Portofino M follows the carmaker’s tradition of offering uncompromised performance and sharp handling, the overall character of the Portofino M is also inclined slightly towards offering a sense of comfort. With magnetorheological dampers under the body, the Ferrari Portofino M manages to offer a decently smooth ride quality despite having a stiff suspension setup. However, at lower speeds, the ride still feels stiff, but the lower speed manoeuvrability is improved by the electrically assisted power steering on offer.

Powering the Ferrari Portofino M is a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine, which might be the smallest in Ferrari’s current lineup in terms of size, but has no dearth of performance whatsoever. The powertrain here is coupled to a new-generation 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and produces a maximum power output of 620 PS and a maximum torque output of 760 Nm. This setup allows the Portofino M to have a top speed of 320 kmph and a claimed 0-100 kmph sprint timing of 3.5 seconds.

The Ferrari Portofino M is armed with a decent set of safety features, with it coming with front and side airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, electronic stability control, vehicle dynamics control, traction control and more.

The Ferrari Portofino M might have passed its prime and might look a bit older in front of other new-generation Ferrari models. However, as a convertible supercar, it still has the charm and the right elements to make gran touring experiences feel even grander and thrilling.