Ferrari’s 2+2 convertible gets a horsepower bump and a new eight-speed gearbox, expected to arrive in Singapore end 2021

Photos: Ferrari

MARANELLO, ITALY

Ferrari has announced a mid-life update for its Portofino 2+2 hardtop convertible, which features an increase in horsepower and a new eight-speed dual clutch transmission as among its upgrades.

Ferrari says that deliveries for the Portofino M (which stands for Modificata, Italian for ‘Modified’) will start in Europe from the second quarter of 2021, so expect to see it land in Singapore towards the end of next year. Pricing starts from 206,000 Euros, but translated into Singapore dollars after including the requisite taxes, the Portofino M should go for around S$900,000 or so without a Certificate of Entitlement (COE).

UPDATE: Local Ferrari dealer Ital Auto has stated that the Portofino M will be here next March for a preview and soft launch for local customers before deliveries start later in 2021.

Most of the updates on the Portofino M lie under the skin, specifically to the engine and gearbox. The 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 has now been uprated, and now produces 620hp, a 20hp increase over the previous version. 0-100km/h comes up in 3.5 seconds, while top speed is rated at ‘over 320km/h’, according to Ferrari.

But besides the added power, Ferrari has also fitted the car with a particulate filter, and fiddled with the exhaust, to help it meet the latest Euro emissions standards.

The Portofino M also now features an eight-speed dual clutch gearbox, replacing the seven-speeder from the old car. The eight-speed transmission is essentially the same one as seen in the SF90 Stradale hypercar, but with longer gear ratios to match the grand touring nature of the Portofino.

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Finally, the Portofino M gets a new five-position Manettino driving mode selector switch, which includes a Race mode for the first time on this model, and is a nod to the car’s increased focus on performance and driver involvement.

Ferrari unveiled the Portofino M via an online press session, and it marked the Prancing Horse’s first major launch event this year following an enforced shutdown of its Maranello facilities due to COVID-19. While the pandemic has delayed several of the brand’s activities for this year, and curtailed many of its customer events, Ferrari says that it is still on track to meet its target, announced in 2018, of introducing 15 new models by 2022.

“The Portofino M is the seventh model in our plan so far,” says Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer, who adds, “We will add an eighth model later this year, and continue to work towards meeting our target over the next year despite the difficulties on our business this year.”

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