Ferrari Portofino hits Oz
Replacement for California T roadster arrives with more power and lower priceFerrari staged the Australian debut of its new Portofino in Byron Bay last night, when it announced a starting price of $398,888 plus on-road costs — $11,000 less than the $409,888 California T it replaces.
The silver left-hand drive Ferrari Portofino was air-freighted in from Dubai and will be presented to customers in major Australian capitals ahead of first deliveries in September.
The four-seat Portofino hard-top convertible is expected to become Ferrari's best-seller globally and in Australia, where - as with the California - most buyers will come from other brands such as Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
Ferrari's Australian sales were up almost 12 per cent last year to a record 210. The Prancing Horse brand will this year increase its dealer network by 50 per cent, with new dealerships in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast (Southport) - where most new Ferraris are now sold — bringing the number of outlets in Australia and New Zealand to nine.
At the heart of the Ferrari Portofino is an upgraded version of the California T's 3.9-litre turbocharged V8, now developing 441kW (up 29kW) of power at 7500rpm and 760Nm (up 5Nm) of torque over 3000-5250rpm.
Combined with enough changes for Ferrari to claim it's all-new, including 80kg less weight and 30 per cent more body rigidity than the California T, the Portofino is said to hit 100km/h in 3.5 seconds and a 320km/h top speed.
With the aid of launch control, that makes the rear-wheel drive Portofino quicker and faster than the Handling Pack-equipped California, which hit 100km/h in a claimed 3.6sec and a 316km/h top speed.
Other new Ferrari Portofino features include electronic power steering, a third-generation electronic differential, stiffer SCM 3 suspension springs and a revised roof system that operates in just 14 seconds at speeds of up to 40km/h.
Inside, there are GTC4 Lusso influences like a big 10.2-inch HD touch-screen, 18-way electronic adjustment for the new magnesium-framed front seats and the option of an 8.8-inch passenger display.
Just as it unveiled the Portofino in Australia, Ferrari (which released the F12-replacing 812 Superfast here in December) revealed first images of the hard-core 488 Pista, which arrives here in the fourth quarter of this year.
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