Genetically modified
Transplanted Roma underpinnings promise more purpose from Ferrari’s new Portofino M
HEN JOHN BARKER FILED HIS COPY FOR last month’s first drive of Ferrari’s Roma, someone in the evo virtual office asked, tongue firml yinc heek, when the Roma convertible would be launched. And here it is.
Granted, it isn’t called a Roma Spider or GTS, instead the Portofino name remains for Ferrari’s entry-level open-top car, but it does gain an ‘M’ suffix, for Modificat a,tosignify it’s had considerably
more work done the nmerelyamode l-year update. A twin-turbo flat-plane-cra nkv8stillres ides up front, but its power output now matches that of the Roma, with 611bhp produced compared to the 592 that went before. As with the Roma the improvement is achieved through increased valve lift from new cam profiles and by closer monitoring
of the turbocharger speeds, the latter allowing better matching of the cylinder head outputs and enabling the turbos t ospin5000rpm higher. There’s
Walso a new exhaust system, and in theory the power
hike is closer to 35bhp, but the particulate filter and the need for the Portofino M to meet Euro 6d emissions standards brings the increase back down to 19bhp, with peak torque unchanged at 560lb ft.
In terms of transmission, out goes the old Portofino’s seven-speed auto and in comes the smaller, lighter eight-speed double-clutch unit, the first in an open-top Ferrari (the F8 Spider’s ’box has seven speeds). Not only is the DCT more compact than the auto, but it can also deliver 35 per cent more torque during upshifts, although peak torque isstillcarefullyrestrictedinthelowergears , with the output increasing from third through to eighth and maximum torque only delivered in the top two gears. Longer ratios and a mechanical reverse gear differentiate this ’box from the SF90 Stradale’s.
Underpinning the M are the chassis settings introduced on the Roma, so while the front spring rates are unchanged, the rears are ten per cent softer despite the Portofino’s additional mass, of which around 70kg is attributed to the metal folding roof. Ferrari’s open-top GT also now benefits from the Roma’s more positive rear axle mounting. The steering remains untouched.
Another first for the model is the fitment of Ferrari’s five-stage manettino, with Race and ‘ESC
Off’ modes now joining Wet, Comfort and Sport. Engaging Race mode also brings Ferrari’s Dynamic Enhancer software into play, which brakes individual wheels to make oversteer moments ‘more intuitive’.
Visual updates include new front and rear bumpers featuring sharper lines, more aggressive openings and a chrome finish to the grille. The
rear diffuser is also new, and the new exhaust has allowed for the removal of the rear silencer assembly, resulting in a much cleaner design. It still looks a little
heavy over its rear three-quarters, but there’s no denying Ferrari appears to have nailed the aesthetic for its GT spider. Although alongside the elegance of the Roma, the Portofino M could date quicker than the product planners were hoping for. Unfortunately Ferrari hasn’t been able to install the Roma’s cockpit, so aside from upgrades to the TFT screen graphics and software, the interior lags behind the Roma’s in terms of design and functionality.
For the Tifosi the Portofino and the California that preceded it haven’t been considered red-blooded
supercars in the same vein as those other wonderful
red machines (and blue, and yellow and silver and black…) produced in Maranello. Not that Ferrari is at all concerned when it thumbs through its order and sales ledgers. But with a sharper look and the
Roma’s underpinnings the Portofino M could well expand the model’s appeal further still.