Is the Porto sporty enough to make you smile and want to drive it?

no...

 

I have had my Portofino for just about a month and I still smile every time I drive it. Sure a 488 would be awesome but not as a daily driver. The Portofino is great in the rain and with the top down. I love taking it out for drives on winding roads as it sticks to the pavement. It really has that "wow" factor as I am regularly stopped as people want to know about the car. Good luck with your decision, I love my decision to get the Portofino. Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

hehehe @Tireman is all about the 12s so not for him.. but I had a CaliTHS and have a Portofino on order, so much fun! Great DDs and just so easy to live with and enjoy all at the same time!

 

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/portofino-best-modern-ferrari.597955/#post-146603663

 

I have one for the past 4 months and have put like 1,400 miles on and I like it very much for a DD, comfortable, fast, modern, it feels like a Ferrari, but is not a 488 that I have too!! As a DD is awesome! Go for it!

 

I have it and love it. No, does not get screaming attention which is great IMO. The ride quality, awesome. The fun factor, awesome. I took it on a FCA event Saturday where there were 30 Ferraris of all shape/size on a 2.5 out drive. The Porto held its own and then some.


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I have had a lot of cars, and have a few cars now. Here is my summer car line up. modified to over 650HP & 650 TQ Calf T, modified AMG GTS (around 600 HP), modified 997S gearshift (around 650 HP 2625lbs no traction controls a one of I kind with less than half its original parts), and modified gearshift 718 Cayman, and the least modified Maserati gran Turismo (just a transmission flash and a throttle controller). out of those car the T is the least edgy. In my winter car mix is a 991C4S, and I have owned 43 BMW's (mostly modified M cars including most recently the current M4). There are those on here (mostly the ones that have bought a Porto, which I understand the need to justify your purchase) who think the Porto is a giant leap over the T, I am not one of them. I have no emotional connection to cars and merely see them as a machine that performs a purpose, that is sacrilege to many here, but not something I can change. I don't dislike the T (or the Porto), but neither is a car I would be itching to drive, the AMG (it feels like a wild horse you are holding back but it wants to run) on the other hand is an amazing car, the Maserati sounds great and it will bite you if you are not careful, the 718 can almost dance, and the 997, well it just scares the crap out of you. At full power (I can control the amount of power increase I get with an app on my phone) when I can push it the T is a very capable car, and to me not so different from a Porto. It is like the Porto a dual personality car, when not pushed it is not very exciting at all. OP, what I would ask is why the Porto, do you want it for the badge, because if that is the reason than you will buy it regardless. You had one AWD and two RWD cars as you last 3, and I liked the M4, but I thought it was better suited to someone who was born after rotary phones disappeared. If I were you I'd test drive a Calf T too, I will admit the interior stuff is more updated in the Porto (which means nothing to me), but I don't think the way it drives especially when not pushed hard if that different. But I am not able to take in suggestions from anyone so unlike normal people the hype about something does have an effect on my thought process. Most people think the Porto must be better because of everything they see and read, so they have already formed an opinion before they ever drive it. I am a marketing and advertisement execs worst nightmare. Good luck.

 

I was in the same boat as you 3 months ago.
I too had a Porsche C4S and M3 . I wanted a convertible ferrari and was considering a 488 spider or a Portofino . I drove them both and looked at them carefully side by side .
I bought the Portofino and feel I made the right decision for me. The 488 is an awesome car but more a track car and I wanted a more comfortable GT. I love my Portofino and it does put a smile on my face after I drive it every time.
Good luck in your decision.

 

Just happened to attend a Ferrari organized experience with the Portofino (for the record, I have a 488 GTB, and an F8 on order).
The Portofino is less of a sports car but I guess it would make a better daily driver in an environment that permits (around Paris the Ferrari is better reserved for special occasion when one really escapes the city, so a sportier car makes more sense - but a Portofino could be tempting for a more regular use in a car friendly background).
The Portofino has enough power for road drive, I assume one never really asks for more on the road; it's still a Ferrari, so it has a good road holding and inspires confidence. I think it has a less direct steering, which may be considered better for the road even though personnally I prefer a very direct steering.
Also, don't count too much on the rear seats
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To answer your question, no.

However, if you find yourself truly itching to get a Portofino, wait a bit until one shows up at your dealer with delivery miles, as a few folks fell for the "flavor of the month" dealer game in order to get a Pista. Some ordered Lussos and some ordered Portofinos.

That allows you to get a Portofino at a discount. The car itself falls short.

 

Sorry but I felt I had to respond to this ..
So when you answer “no” are you saying the 488 is a better daily drivers car than a Portofino ? Because most would agree that would not be accurate.. Obviously the 488 is a great track car and has a more raw sporty feel than the Portofino .. But he was clear he needs a daily driver. Have you spent some time in the Portofino?
Curious to know what you mean when you say it falls short? .. How does it fall short? In my opinion Ferrari did a great job with the Portofino .. they really nailed this model to cater to its intended market of buyers.. What GT convertible hard top car out there right now is better for the price in your opinion ?

 

I'll chime in here too.

Good daily driver? A GREAT daily driver. I don't think I'll own a modern 911 again... the Porto (I have a Cali T, close enough) is just as usable as a 911 or SL Benz but still has that experience that is quintessentially Ferrari. The Italian styling and acres of leather just make it that much more special. It is not my DD but I'd say I am close to making it a quasi daily-driver and I still look forward to it every time. It could easily be my only car if that was of interest.

Is it sporty enough to make you smile and want to drive it? That's the loaded question. I have two other weekend cars in addition to the Cali T so I get to choose when I'm looking for "drive". One of my other weekend cars is a '89 MB 560 SL so that's definitely a cruiser and not a sporty drive. It is basically a time machine back to the 70's and is most fun cursing around listening to my old cassette tapes. The 3rd is a modified gated 360 6-speed that is definitely sporty and more of an experience. That car is all about the click-clack of the shifter and the connection to the machine. For me the 560 and 360 provide great experiences that I savor and look forward to. The Cali T/Porto brings some of that special occasion you want from a weekend car and allow you to use it every day. I take mine everywhere... grocery store, out for dinner, or to the office.

I would echo what carnut said and consider a Cali T and I'll add the F12. I drove the Porto and highly considered it (optioned a number of them online) but ended up with a certified Cali T instead. I prefer the styling to the Porto and the depreciation was significant (Over 100K in 4 years and 8K miles) so I went that route. I considered the F12 as well but I'm really happy with the T and plan to pick up an F12 later.

I would really check out Certified F12's if I were you. You can drive it every day and won't ever ask if it is sporty enough.

 

Congrats on your great car collection..
I too was thinking about an F12 as I prefer the styling better than the 812 as well as the lower price .. you can get one now with low miles under $250k.
However at my $250k to $275k price point I bought a Portofino. It was a tough choice because I love the sound of a NA V12. I felt for me I made the right choice because I preferred the more modern features of the Portofino and loved that you could take the top down. The Portofino when it’s pushed is fast enough and the F12 scared me a bit when I pushed it harder. You need to be more careful in that car.. and the traction control seemed not to work as well as I hoped... I asked the ferrari service manager and he agreed the f12 can get a bit out of control. I have not driven an 812 but he said the 812 makes you feel much more confident and in control of the car.

I would seriously consider an 812 Aperta if it comes out depending on pricing ... but until then I love my Portofino ..

 

You drove it.
Did you smile?

 

I would not say the Porto failed, because it is exactly what it was built to be. Each person has their own experiences with cars, and their opinions are formed because of them. After over 475 cars and close to five decades of doing modifications and designing one off parts, there is not much I have not experienced. Just like those who think spaghetti o's is Italian food, you don't know what you don't know if you never experienced it. Maybe it is the phrase daily driver that I do not have a clear image of. Yesterday the Maserati GT MC was my daily driver, it is really easy to swing the rear end out on that thing, and when it is in sport mode and using the paddle (which is when you really notice the transmission flash) shifters and turning he throttle controller to race mode, it really can give you some white knuckle moments. For me that is exciting, maybe not for someone else. Today I am taking the 718 (I actually have 2 my girlfriend drives the stock PDK S), it is exciting in a different way, (it is tuned with aftermarket downpipe and exhaust, and a SS kit), it is almost impossible (even in sport plus with traction controls off) to get the thing to break free in normal driving. It is fun though trying, and to experience the g forces and rowing through the gears. It does not sound as good as the Maserati, but it does things the Maserati (or the Porto or the T) are just not designed to do. So OP I guess it depends on what you find exciting, because asking some with my experiences will not tell you much. Only you can answer that.

 

I just got a 488GTB last Friday. I have a Cayman for a DD... but I haven’t driven it once since Ferrari got here. In automatic mode it’s extremely tame. It can very easily be a daily driver with no downside.


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I have had my Porto now 3 months and after a mix of various 911’s, AMG and M cars I have zero complaints. It is a ton of fun and I can also throw my kids in the back seat and it’s handling is SIGNIFICANTLY better than a Cali T even with the HS pack.
I also have an F8 on the way which I will use for the days where 95% adrenaline just isn’t enough. I think if when it is 85 degrees and driving a 250k convertible Ferrari can’t make you smile you seriously have issues with perspective. That said if it’s a track car you want then it isn’t the answer - get a 488/F8. They are both sublime cars but do different jobs.


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Falls short of what. What are you wanting the car to do? As a DD and car that’s a bunch of fun, a great drive and great way to get around town it doesn’t at all. But I am curious by what measure you say it falls short as someone who drives one I don’t see it. Yes my 991 GT3 is better on a track as I am sure my F8 will be when it arrives but neither are exactly daily drivers...


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I agree with you bml and i have also had my Portofino for 3 months and I love it ! I live in California near the ocean so there are a lot of sunny clear days and you can’t beat the Portofino cruising along the ocean with the top down. I also have small kids so they love riding in the back seats for short 30-45 trips ..

I am curious you mentioned you have a GT3 .. how do you like it ? I have a GT4 and I am thinking of swapping for a 2018 GT3 manual.
If you don’t mind me asking do you plan on trading in the GT3 when the F8 arrives ?

 

Only you can answer the question unfortunately. We all have very different expectations, I thought it was plenty sporty, as for daily driver, very doable.

 

I love tracking my GT3. It is just surgical the handling and balance - for the money there is no better track car.
As for will I trade the GT3 when the F8 arrives - there are two answers - if my wife is asking yes of course I am... my hope is absolutely not [emoji1787]


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Best answer on the thread