Meet the Portofino, Ferrari's new supercar.
The $200,000 (around P10.2 million) convertible has been dubbed as Ferrari’s “entry-level” supercar. That's because the La Ferrari, the iconic Italian brand’s superhypercar costs $1.35 million.
A quick look under the hood, however, reveals that the Portofino is anything but entry-level. It uses a 600-horsepower, turbocharged V8 engine which is up 40 from its predecessor, the California T. Additionally, it boasts the Ferrari tradition of zero turbo lag, taking you from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.
“Welcome to the world's very first Ferrari Portofino road test drives,” said Helmi Sghaier, PR and Communications Manager of Ferrari Middle East, Africa & India as he escorted us into a ballroom to get an overview of Ferrari’s latest V8 GT.
The supercar's name, like its design, symbolizes elegance. Located in Genoa—the west coast of Italy—Portofino is a typical Ligurian fishing village that’s hugely popular with the elite jetset and international celebrities. The iconic seaside town is tightly clustered around a small but picturesque harbor which is flanked by yachts and boats.
But instead of the sleepy coastal town, Ferrari had arranged for us to experience the Portofino in one of its more exotic, cosmopolitan habitats: Dubai.