The Ferrari California T has always been one of the dream cars that are also perfect poster cars. The grand touring sports car was nothing short of a marvel as it could easily zoom up to the speed of 100 km/h in just a wink of an eye. But, sports cars are all about speed and the California T had to be reborn to deliver more speed and high performance.
Car enthusiasts were in for a pleasant surprise when Ferrari unveiled the stylish and sophisticated 2018 Ferrari Portofino as the successor of the California T grand tourer. The Portofino may be an entry-level model but it has been endowed with loads of features that make it an attractive offering.
The 2018 Ferrari Portofino is equipped with a 3.8-liter turbocharged V8 engine that delivers 590 hp power. The car is powerful enough to compete with 2017 Audi R8. The maximum speed of the car is 199 mph and it takes 3.5 seconds to speed up from 0 to 62 mph.
Experts who had the pleasure to test-drive the Portofino reveal that the car comes with an excellent grip and handling. The handling has been perfected due to the integration of third-generation electronic rear differential (E-Diff3) with the F1-Trac System. Moreover, the E-Diff3 is also coupled with the electric power steering thereby making the car one of the best-handled vehicles.
Perky Personality
The new 2018 Ferrari Portofino has been designed to wear a sporty and stylish personality. The car’s chassis is much stiffer than the California-T and it weighs 176 pounds less than its predecessor. Moreover, the car is a convertible which can be considered as a major improvement over the California-T.
These changes have improved its steering considerably. One can feel the positive changes, especially while driving around the corners. The effective braking system prevents the car from skidding even while it is being driven on a wet road. The car has three driving modes, namely ‘comfort’, ‘sport’ and ‘ESC off’ mode. Those who wish to enjoy the thrill of driving a sports car can do so by driving in their favorite ‘ESC off’ mode.
Competition
The 2018 Ferrari Portofino might entice a large number of buyers in the Dubai luxury car market. However, it is too early to say whether the Portofino will emerge as the best grand touring sports car considering the fact that new model of Aston Martin’s Vantage is due to be launched.
Additionally, the Portofino is bound to face tough competition from similar vehicles from Maserati, Bentley, Nissan, Lexus, Jaguar, Mercedes and Porsche. Will the new Ferrari Portofino manage to gain competitive advantage in cash-rich market like Dubai where a range of supercars are found in excess? Please do let us know your comments and thoughts.
