There's also an eight-speed gearbox that improves fuel economy.
The 2021 Ferrari Portofino will get a power upgrade to 612 horsepower (456 kilowatts), versus the current output of 591 hp (441 kW). It will also gain an eight-speed gearbox to replace the existing seven-speed unit. Motor Trend was first to uncover this info by digging through EPA filings.
There's already a listing on the EPA's fuel economy website a model with the designation 2021 Ferrari F164 BCB. To clarify this, F164 is the Prancing Horse's internal code for the Portofino. The meaning of the BCB portion is a mystery to us.
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If a Ferrari making 612 hp and using an eight-speed gearbox sounds familiar it's because the same powertrain is in the Roma coupe. The Prancing Horse's more detailed EPA emissions filing even certifies the two vehicles in the same document.
The EPA also has a listing for the 2021 Portofino. It's not clear whether both it and the F164 BCB might be available for a time. Alternatively, the newly registered version might be an option pack for folks looking for a more potent entry-level Ferrari.
The switch to an eight-speed gearbox lets this Portofino get better fuel economy. The combined rating is now 19 miles per gallon, rather than 18 mpg for the existing model.
The timing of this filing and spy shots of a Portofino (gallery above) wearing a revised nose are evidence that the F164 BCB might be the internal name for the model's refresh. The current version dates back to 2017 as a replacement for the Ferrari California T. Increasing the power and tweaking the design are a classic recipe for a mid-cycle update.
A debut date for the 2021 Ferrari F164 BCB is currently a mystery. Filing emissions documents with the EPA indicates that the engineering is done, so the unveiling could be very soon. With COVID-19 forcing the cancellation of so many automotive events, look for the premiere to happen online.
Source: Motor Trend, FuelEconomy.gov, EPA
