Summary
The Ferrari Portofino is a convertible 2+2 sports car, and is the ‘entry-level’ model in the Ferrari range. It was unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show as a replacement for the Ferrari California T.
The Portofino has received positive reviews from the selected UK media sources invited to drive it, although the scores have not been as high as one might expect for a Ferrari. It has been praised for being a significant improvement over the California although, like its predecessor, it has been criticised for not delivering a driving experience as enjoyable as other Ferraris.
An updated model, called the Ferrari Portofino M (which stands for Modificata) was unveiled in September 2020 and arrived in the UK in early 2021. Initial reviews have generally considered a substantial improvement over the original Portofino, going some way to addressing concerns about how it drives.
It has been reported that Ferrari is no longer taking orders for the Portofino M, as the role of entry-level convertible in the Ferrari range is now being filled by the Roma Spider. So once current orders have been fulfilled, the Portofino range will end production.
As of January 2024, the Ferrari Portofino has a New Car Expert Rating of D with a score of 56%.
Portofino highlights
- Serious pace
- Agile handling and body control
- Soft-top opens and closes at up to 30mph
- Attractive exterior looks
Portofino lowlights
- Rather firm suspension
- Expensive, base price and up
- Roof mechanism limits boot space
- Squeaky brakes in cold temperatures
Key specifications
Body style: Convertible (folding hard-top)
Engine: petrol V8
Price: From £175,345 on-road
Launched: Spring 2018
Last updated: Autumn 2020
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
The Car Expert
“Its performance befits a car with a Prancing Horse badge, and more than anything it just feels special – which is just what you want from an Italian drop-top supercar.”
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Auto Express
Model reviewed: Portofino M
Score: 9 / 10
“Thanks to the latest round of updates, Ferrari’s newest open-top option delivers a wider spread of ability than ever before. The Portofino M feels even more exciting when driving keenly, and more relaxing when you’re not. Viewed as a GT car, it might be a little cramped compared with some rivals, but from an enthusiast’s point of view it’s a hugely impressive machine.”
Author: Alex Ingram
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Score: 8 / 10
“The Portofino is a pretty convincing gateway to the brand. It exhibits many of the traits would-be Ferrari owners surely long for, and there’s no denying that even as the ‘baby’ Ferrari, it’s a proper performance car.”
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Model reviewed: Portofino
Score: 9 / 10
“Ten years on from the California, the Ferrari Portofino makes a compelling argument for itself as a ‘usable’ exotic.”
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Autocar
Model reviewed: Portofino M
Score: 9 / 10
“Marketing videos will show the Ferrari Portofino M cruising on sunlit Italian lakesides; but unlike, say, the Mercedes-Benz SL, it feels rather at home when being threaded at speed along good driving roads. Its engine is lively, its gearbox more so and its brakes, with their revised feel, are really responsive.”
Author: Matt Prior
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Model reviewed: Portofino
Score: 7 / 10
“The Ferrari Portofino feels like a supercar imprisoned in the swollen body of a topless grand tourer.”
Author: Richard Lane
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Model reviewed: Portofino
Score: 7 / 10
“Faster, more agile and perhaps more authentically ‘Ferrari’, but like its predecessor, the Portofino lacks the dynamic sophistication of a great GT car.”
Author: Matt Saunders
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Car
Model reviewed: Portofino M
Score: 8 / 10
“The Ferrari Portofino M represents a solid, if subtle step over the previous car in all the right areas. Rather than sacrificing comfort for dynamics, Ferrari has focused on refinement and left its two-seaters’ grand tourer credentials intact. The eight-speed box is a particular highlight and makes the Portofino far more at home in traffic, too.”
Author: Curtis Moldrich
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Score: 8 / 10
“The Ferrari Portofino represents a solid improvement over its predecessor, the California T, particularly when it comes to the driving experience. It still lacks ultimate focus when it comes to driving at ten tenths, but for the target audience we suspect the Portofino strikes a pretty sweet balance.”
Author: Ben Barry
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Carbuyer
Score: 8.4 / 10
“The Ferrari Portofino is a convertible GT that combines supercar-esque performance with impressive usability.”
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Daily Mail
“The Portofino has a split personality: in one moment it’s an easy-going grand tourer with impeccable manners, but the mere flick of a switch turns it into a full-blooded performance machine that’s powerful enough to rearrange your internal organs.”
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Daily Mirror
Model reviewed: Portofino
Score: 10 / 10
“I’ve never been to the picturesque fishing village of Portofino in Italy from where it takes its name. After a weekend away in this motor, I almost feel I’ve now been there. Because the Ferrari Portofino is the perfect car for getting away from it all.”
Author: Stephen Jones
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Evo
Model reviewed: Portofino M
Score: 9 / 10
“Ferrari’s entry-level open-top GT has finally found its sweet spot; more engaging than a Bentley, more refined than a 911 Turbo, there’s little not to like.”
Author: Stuart Gallagher
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Model reviewed: Portofino
Score: 8 / 10
“The Ferrari Portofino is faster and easier to live with than the old California, but misses some of the magic that makes other Ferraris great.”
Author: Antony Ingram
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Motoring Research
Model reviewed: Portofino M
Score: 8 / 10
“So, if you’re after a Ferrari that ticks every box, all roads lead to… Portofino? It is a town on the Italian coast, after all. For me, the Roma’s best-looking-car-on-sale beauty, more modern interior and 100kg weight saving still tip the balance in its favour. That said, the luxurious and exciting Ferrari Portofino M offers a lot to like. Including, for fans of fresh air, that extra ticked box.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Portofino
Score: 8.2 / 10
“The Ferrari Portofino is a highly accomplished machine that works well at low speeds and gets better the faster you go. It also has an air of exclusivity that many other cars simply cannot match.”
Author: Gareth Evans
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The Sun
“Ferrari’s new GT is lighter and stronger than the controversial California and packs a real punch.”
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Portofino
Score: 8 / 10
“Hiding its Ferrariness under a bushel is its most appealing quality.”
Author: James May
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: Portofino M
Score: 8 / 10
“This might not be a brilliant grand tourer, but it is a very good grand-touring Ferrari. In a way, in fact, it’s the most admirable Ferrari of all. If you’ve always dreamed of a brand-new Ferrari and if you can finally afford to buy one, but only one, then you’ll love the Portofino M.”
Author: Alex Robbins
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Portofino M
Score: 7 / 10
“The Ferrari Portofino M is a better car than the standard Portofino in pretty much all of the key aspects. It’s better to drive, more efficient, contains more tech and yet retains the gentler abilities that appeal to people who want their Ferrari to be a daily driver, rather than a weekend warrior.”
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Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 7 / 10
“No complaints about the speed or the response. This is a very, very fast car.”
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Score: 8 / 10
“That Ferrari ditched California in favour of an all-new name speaks volumes. The Portofino is lighter, faster, much prettier, and better made.”
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What Car?
Model reviewed: Portofino
Score: 8 / 10
“Ferrari’s ‘everyday’ convertible might not be the most cosseting cruiser, but stonking performance and agile handling more than make up for it.”
Author: Steve Huntingford
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Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of January 2024, the Ferrari Portofino has not been crash tested by Euro NCAP. Based on its price and exclusivity, it’s unlikely to happen.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of January 2024, the Ferrari Portofino has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
We’re not expecting it to ever happen, but if it does then we’ll provide details here. In the meantime, you’ll have to imagine just how environmentally friendly a twin-turbocharged petrol V8 supercar is likely to be.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of January 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Ferrari Portofino and Portofino M to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Portofino range, we’ll publish the score here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Fuel consumption | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
Petrol models | 25 mpg | E | 25 – 25 mpg | E – E |
CO₂ output | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
Petrol models | 256 g/km | D | 256 – 256 g/km | D – D |
Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
All models | 50 | F | 50 – 50 | F – F |
The Ferrari Portofino is a very expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
The car’s fuel economy of 25 mpg is one of the poorest fuel consumption stats in our Expert Rating Index, and insurance premiums are in the most expensive bracket too.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Ferrari Portofino has received
2018
- Red Dot product design awards – Best of the Best
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Ferrari Portofino, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Aston Martin DB11 Volante | Audi R8 Spyder | Bentley Continental GT Convertible | BMW 8 Series Convertible | Lexus LC Convertible | Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster | Mercedes-AMG SL | Porsche 911 Cabriolet
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Ferrari Roma at The Car Expert
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