Ferrari's Most Powerful Convertible - The Portofino GT

Since its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt International Motor Show, Ferrari’s latest and most powerful convertible V8 GT, the Ferrari Portofino, was finally unveiled to Singaporean clients on Thursday, 26th April 2018.

Over 200 VIPs, including the Ferrari Owner’s Club Singapore, Ferrari owners, their guests and special members of the press gathered amidst a flurry of champagne, tapas and cocktails to catch the grand reveal of the Portofino in a sophisticated shade that Ferrari has termed “Bianco Italia”. Together with a welcome speech by Ital Auto General Manager, Mr Jeremy Gaw, Guests of Honor, Italian Ambassador to Singapore, H.E. Mr Raffaele Langella and CEO of Ferrari Far East, Mr Dieter Knechtel, wraps were taken off the highly sought-after convertible with a specially crafted video and presentation.

Named after one of Riviera, Italy’s most beautiful towns, the Portofino is synonymous with elegance, sportiness and understated luxury. Replacing the California T, the Portofino’s all-new chassis features significant weight savings despite an increase in torsional rigidity. The new Ferrari V8 turbo is now calibrated to produce 40hp more than the outgoing California T. Combined with a new one-piece-cast exhaust header to reduce losses, the coupe-convertible delights with unmatched throttle response and zero turbo lag.

That means that you’ll be able to channel the Portofino’s close to 600 horses (or cheval vapeurs which Ferrari fancily uses) to speeds 10km/h above our speed limits in just 3.5 seconds. That - even the fastest “gunslinging” TPs - won’t be able to whip their issued cameras out and snap in time.

All that speed talk is typical of most Ferraris. However, in true commitment to the GT badging, the Portofino GT focuses on on-board comforts beneath its track-breathing wolfskin. Aerodynamic additions reduce drag and even an improved wind deflector cuts air flow inside the cabin by 30% with the top down. Less air inside the cabin a little hot for our climate? A new air-conditioning system solves exactly that by aiming to keep you climatisingly comfortable even with the top down. Where other supercars exhibit trade-offs and equate sleekness and aggressive styling to spartan interiors, the Portofino delights with Cleopatra comforts such as 18-way electrically adjustable seats, boosted legroom for its 2 backseat passengers through innovative seat designs, ample passenger space, a 10.2” touchscreen infotainment system and a spacious trunk for all your large weekender duffels.

Vehicle dynamics also received an upgrade for the convertible through the integration of third-generation electronic rear differentials (E-Diffs) with the road-legal F1-Trac system that maximizes traction control not just for stability, but also for the sole purpose of going faster. The Portofino is also the first GT in this range to be fitted with an Electric Power Steering (EPS). Together, it makes up for high levels of steering response without the stability trade-off. The upgraded magnetorheological damping system (SCM-E) reduces roll on uneven road surfaces, overall resulting in a dynamic, responsive car with superior ride comfort.

The Portofino has also significantly reduced its morph time - going from an authentic Berlinetta into an open-top Spider in just 14 seconds, just dramatic enough for the retractable hard-top to compete with Iron Man donning his armour.

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