Enter the 2021 Ferrari Portofino M, which gains the Roma’s 612 HP powertrain as well as exterior and interior styling tweaks.
Adding the letter ‘M’ to the name (it stands for ‘Modificata’) does not mean
the old Portofino gets to continue: the Portofino M facelift effectively
replaces it.
It’s one of those facelift jobs that need
a good look at to notice the changes, though. On the outside, the Portofino M
adopts a new front bumper with larger air intakes for a more aggressive look
plus a new air vent at wheel arch height that’s said to help reduce overall
drag. The grille has been updated too and features new aluminum slats with
contrasting faceted tips.
The new exhaust system has
allowed the removal of the silencer assembly, making the Portofino M’s tail
more compact. As a result, the rear bumper is now more streamlined and
sculptural. The styling is more in harmony with the front bumper for a “much
more coherent overall aesthetic,” according to Ferrari. Seen from the side, the
only way to distinguish the Portofino M from the outgoing Portofino is thanks
to the dedicated diamond-finish wheels and the front wheel arch air vents.
There’s a similar story inside, with
Ferrari making the most discreet updates. Those who were hoping the facelifted
Portofino would get a similar dashboard to the Roma will be disappointed. With
the exception of new color combinations and updated materials, the Portofino
M’s cabin looks exactly like before.
Ferrari was more generous with
the technical part, giving the refreshed convertible the same powertrain from
the Roma. That’s a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft making
612 HP at 5,750 – 7,500 rpm and 760 Nm of torque
at 3,000 – 5,750 rpm.
That’s an increase of 20 PS over
the Portofino, while the peak torque is identical. As with the Roma, the V8
engine is hooked to the SF90 Stradale-derived eight-speed dual-clutch
transmission. Another update is the five-position Manettino that adds a Race
mode, an absolute first for a GT spider from Maranello.
Further enhancing the Portofino M’s
handling is the sixth-generation Side Slip Control (SSC) vehicle dynamics
system which integrates the E-Diff, F1-TCS, SCM-E Frs magnetorheological
dampers and the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer (FDE) control systems. Ferrari also
mentions new optional features, such as an updated range of advanced driver
assistance systems (ADAS) as well as ventilated and heated seats.
