Crown

In a word, Meh 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ferrari/first-drives/ferrari-portofino-2018-review?utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=Enews%...(14.02.2018)::article1_headline&utm_source=20180214.

You have your way. I have my way. As for the correct way and the only way, it does not exist.

Didn't even remember this car existed.

Ridiculous article. Where are the great sporty 4 seater retractable roof again? Compare the sportiness to a 488? The California is a great GT and this one is even better...

SciFrog:

Ridiculous article. Where are the great sporty 4 seater retractable roof again? Compare the sportiness to a 488? The California is a great GT and this one is even better...

I know you own a California and though our likes of car are similar, I could never understand the attraction of the California. 

You have your way. I have my way. As for the correct way and the only way, it does not exist.

nberry:

SciFrog:

Ridiculous article. Where are the great sporty 4 seater retractable roof again? Compare the sportiness to a 488? The California is a great GT and this one is even better...

I know you own a California and though our likes of car are similar, I could never understand the attraction of the California. 

The lack to interest in this thread corroborates your thoughts. There is no attraction to it. They should have left it to Maserati. 

Im not a big fan of this car, but it was made to be less sharp, less sporty more comfortable in order to catch clients from sl and 911 turbo i guess. So why should it be a 488 without roof whic already exists???

in my mind i see this car for a sunny place , maybe driven also often by the wife, can go shop, and also be really fast when needed, dont se see whats wrong....much more wrong with the suv....

993 c2

I like the Portofino.  It may well be my first Ferrari in a few years.

I do not dislike the other more expensive Ferrari, but I do not see the purpose of them if I don't track them.  So why pay more for some hp that I don't need.  An entry level Ferrari is more than fast enough for all my street driving and can fulfill my ownership experience.  The hard top convertible feature is a bonus as well.

Tim

2010 997.2 GT3RS;  2008 Cayenne Turbo;  2006 911 Club Coupe;  2016 911 GTS Club Coupe;  2015 Macan S
 

It doesn’t feel or look special enough. I think all Ferraris have to be special. 

This current generation of Ferrari’s really don’t gel and look special at all to me. They have lost their way. 

Tesla Model S P100D & Model X P90D & 2016 BMW i8 & 2017 Sept 991.2 GT3 ordered. 2020 Porsche Mission E on order

AP911:

It doesn’t feel or look special enough. I think all Ferraris have to be special. 

once the FUV comes out, Ferrari will become just like any other car brand, just more costly.

maybe I will lose interest in it totally, we will see.

Tim

2010 997.2 GT3RS;  2008 Cayenne Turbo;  2006 911 Club Coupe;  2016 911 GTS Club Coupe;  2015 Macan S
 

The 458 and F12 and their speciale and TDF have been the perfect cars in their categories. What followed them have been a bit underwhelming in comparison. 

AP911:

The 458 and F12 and their speciale and TDF have been the perfect cars in their categories. What followed them have been a bit underwhelming in comparison. 

With the exception of the 458, which was pretty universally welcomed, the others were panned by all and sundry including many here on Rennteam . The F12 had a "uterus" on the back and the TDF  had a "ricer" look or was an in-house Mansory job. My favourite is when every front-engined V12 is described as a Corvette. People forget that the La Ferrari - which is a a fantastic looking car with really only one awkward angle (the rear 3/4 view) was designed in-house. So was the FXXK - a jaw -droppping hyper car design  - way better looking than the AMG and Aston efforts. I think the Portofino is a huge improvement on the California  - but I am not the target market for it. The true test of Flavio Manzoni and the in-house team will be the next generation of normal production cars which they will have had full control of from inception. I don't think they will flunk it. Now back to the real problem which is how to spec the Senna  .

crayphile:

AP911:

The 458 and F12 and their speciale and TDF have been the perfect cars in their categories. What followed them have been a bit underwhelming in comparison. 

With the exception of the 458, which was pretty universally welcomed, the others were panned by all and sundry including many here on Rennteam . The F12 had a "uterus" on the back and the TDF  had a "ricer" look or was an in-house Mansory job. My favourite is when every front-engined V12 is described as a Corvette. People forget that the La Ferrari - which is a a fantastic looking car with really only one awkward angle (the rear 3/4 view) was designed in-house. So was the FXXK - a jaw -droppping hyper car design  - way better looking than the AMG and Aston efforts. I think the Portofino is a huge improvement on the California  - but I am not the target market for it. The true test of Flavio Manzoni and the in-house team will be the next generation of normal production cars which they will have had full control of from inception. I don't think they will flunk it. Now back to the real problem which is how to spec the Senna  .

 congrats mate, that will be something truely special!

Porsche, separates Le Mans from Le Boys

"in-house Mansory job": ouch...

crayphile:

AP911:

The 458 and F12 and their speciale and TDF have been the perfect cars in their categories. What followed them have been a bit underwhelming in comparison. 

With the exception of the 458, which was pretty universally welcomed, the others were panned by all and sundry including many here on Rennteam . The F12 had a "uterus" on the back and the TDF  had a "ricer" look or was an in-house Mansory job. My favourite is when every front-engined V12 is described as a Corvette. People forget that the La Ferrari - which is a a fantastic looking car with really only one awkward angle (the rear 3/4 view) was designed in-house. So was the FXXK - a jaw -droppping hyper car design  - way better looking than the AMG and Aston efforts. I think the Portofino is a huge improvement on the California  - but I am not the target market for it. The true test of Flavio Manzoni and the in-house team will be the next generation of normal production cars which they will have had full control of from inception. I don't think they will flunk it. Now back to the real problem which is how to spec the Senna  .

This is what the TDF reminds me of and in general the F12 with its classic Ferrari lines. 

IMO the best designed  Ferrari in modern era. 

If you want a classic design, buy a classic design. I really don't see the point in trying to make modern versions of classic cars. I see the resemblance, but I don't think the TDF is even remotely close to capturing the appeal of that older one.

Portofino looked really good in the flesh. 

I think mclaren is very happy now that ferrari is making the suv , a lot of car nuts here are talking as the mclaren will be the only true exotic in the market, and I think that this is partly true and that ferrari will loose many clients in favor of mclaren.

993 c2

xander71:

I think mclaren is very happy now that ferrari is making the suv , a lot of car nuts here are talking as the mclaren will be the only true exotic in the market, and I think that this is partly true and that ferrari will loose many clients in favor of mclaren.

I don't think that is likely. To my mind there are two brands that stand head and shoulders above all others in this market place in terms of brand loyalty and perception: Ferrari & Porsche. McLaren have done a fine job in a very short space of time but there is 70 years of catching up to do with Ferrari & Porsche.

You are completely right with that. What i hear from this forum and tallking around here it seems that the benchmark which was ferrari now is the mclaren. So it will not take many years to catch up, just remember that people have short memory. A 348 was not even close to a 993... Today porsche are not the benchmark any more.  We have to admit that todays ferraris are probably the best ever in their history, but are loosin a bit in charm and exclusivity, and the suv will not help in this aspect, but im just an super car lover, and are seeing the ferrari suv as if my dream girl would be a transexual.....i m old style car guy.

993 c2

crayphile:

xander71:

I think mclaren is very happy now that ferrari is making the suv , a lot of car nuts here are talking as the mclaren will be the only true exotic in the market, and I think that this is partly true and that ferrari will loose many clients in favor of mclaren.

McLaren have done a fine job in a very short space.

Performance wise, yes! They still need to work on the looks department. 

xander71:

You are completely right with that. What i hear from this forum and tallking around here it seems that the benchmark which was ferrari now is the mclaren. So it will not take many years to catch up, just remember that people have short memory. A 348 was not even close to a 993... Today porsche are not the benchmark any more.  We have to admit that todays ferraris are probably the best ever in their history, but are loosin a bit in charm and exclusivity, and the suv will not help in this aspect, but im just an super car lover, and are seeing the ferrari suv as if my dream girl would be a transexual.....i m old style car guy.

Ferrari's benchmark IS Ferrari itself. It's the Mclaren fans that voices their opinions that their cars are the benchmark right now.

In a way, that is true. Pound for pound, nothing out hit a McLaren in their respective categories. But a car is more than the performance department, the looks, the ergonomics, the tradition plays a big part too. 

Looks department, well McLaren still ahem a long way to go. Tradition? McLaren is behind by 70 years to everyone. Ergonomics. That's tough one. Mostly McLaren got it right. the doors definitely get the looks, but they do get negative marks for usability. 

Porsche, well they aren't the fastest (except the GT2RS), they are always perhaps one category down comparatively on pricing, but they are the most practical of them all. Mostly they are the most reliable too. And the most non-eye-catching and hence suitable for most people. Overall, accounting for every metrics, Porsche always comes out on top, they may not excel in any one area but they are consistently up there.

The black horse is Lamborghini. Who stand to gain or lose the most from McLaren. It used to be Lamborghini is the only alternative to Ferrari, if you can't get a Ferrari you go and buy a Lamborghini and be happy with it. Now the option is there to buy a Mclaren too. But it also works the other way around, for people that got turn off by McLaren's styling and the doors, and they couldn't get a Ferrari, they could just go and buy a Lamborghini instead, especially consider the Performance is the 2nd fastest car around the Ring ever, that's a big draw.

xander71:

I think mclaren is very happy now that ferrari is making the suv , a lot of car nuts here are talking as the mclaren will be the only true exotic in the market, and I think that this is partly true and that ferrari will loose many clients in favor of mclaren.

Not a bit true in my opinion. Also, many sportscar owners also own SUVs, often high performance SUVs, why would these people dislike Ferrari making SUVs? 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Porsche Cayenne S Diesel (2017), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mini JCW (2015)

RC:

xander71:

I think mclaren is very happy now that ferrari is making the suv , a lot of car nuts here are talking as the mclaren will be the only true exotic in the market, and I think that this is partly true and that ferrari will loose many clients in favor of mclaren.

Not a bit true in my opinion. Also, many sportscar owners also own SUVs, often high performance SUVs, why would these people dislike Ferrari making SUVs? 

brand dilution, loss of brand values etc. i hate the idea of ferrari making SUV's, although the economics are clear.

I am not sure how to articulate this but after driving Ferrari's for almost ten years I decided the car did not suit me nor the image I wanted to project (YES WHAT YOU DRIVE DOES SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT YOU). Ferrari's are owned by the uber rich, the rich and the phony rich. It's just not me.

Porsche's on the other hand are owned generally by car enthusiast who not trying to sent a message about themselves other than to say they are more interested in price/performance and quality. 

I have nothing against Ferrari. It's a terrific brand but with warts.

You have your way. I have my way. As for the correct way and the only way, it does not exist.

nberry:

Porsche's on the other hand are owned generally by car enthusiast who not trying to sent a message about themselves other than to say they are more interested in price/performance and quality. 

Glad you see the light Nick

Tim

2010 997.2 GT3RS;  2008 Cayenne Turbo;  2006 911 Club Coupe;  2016 911 GTS Club Coupe;  2015 Macan S
 

Some people who knock the Portifino don't really understand the car. It's not a 488, Its just a fun and fast Ferrari GT that doesn't attract attention like a 488 or whatever. Most people walking by one parked couldn't guess what it was. It's so plain looking for a Ferrari that you could say it was God's own rental car.

Targa Tim:

nberry:

Porsche's on the other hand are owned generally by car enthusiast who not trying to sent a message about themselves other than to say they are more interested in price/performance and quality. 

Glad you see the light Nick

I think that Ferrari changed to a more positive perception among car enthusiasts with the 458 and now the 488, maybe with the F12 as well.

The public image however hasn't changed much in Germany for example, if you drive a Ferrari, you must be rich or a pimp...or both.  The color choice is also important and seems to influence how people perceive the car. Black and silver are for those who cannot afford to be in the spotlight with their car.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Porsche Cayenne S Diesel (2017), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mini JCW (2015)

White Ferraris also look good - in warm climates at least 

Upsa:

White Ferraris also look good - in warm climates at least 

Yes, white is great as well, takes away the "aggressive" perception, which is positive. 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Porsche Cayenne S Diesel (2017), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mini JCW (2015)