Ferrari rolled out the Portofino M, a modified version of its top-selling gran tourer, on Wednesday as the sportscar maker looks for a rapid turn over of new models despite the crisis caused by the coronavirus.
The new car, the first to be launched since Ferrari closed its operations for seven weeks during a COVID-19 lockdown, was launched online, with video presentations outlining its redesigning and technical innovations.
The Portofino M convertible grand tourer (GT) includes a redesigned powertrain, eight-speed gearbox, and a five-position Manettino switch that includes a race mode.
Ferrari, largely known for its high-performance sportscars, is now looking to boost sales of GTs, which are designed to be comfortable on long road trips.
It has said earlier that about 40% of total sales could come from GT models by 2022, increasing from 32%.
Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer, informed a virtual news conference that deliveries of the Portofino M would start in Europe from the second quarter of 2021, with a starting price in Italy of around 206,000 euros ($244,000) – just above the standard Portofino.
After a record of five new models last year – including the SF90 Stradale, Ferrari’s first hybrid car in series production – the Portofino M is the seventh in a pipeline of 15 models promised in the automaker’s 2018-2022 plan.
“We’re planning another launch before the end of the year and the remaining (seven) in the next two years. Despite some delays that occurred to our product development because of the closing down of the factories we’re maintaining the plan as originally presented,” Galliera said.
The automaker, controlled by Exor, the holding company of Italy’s Agnelli family, has also vowed that 60% of its cars sold by 2022 would be hybrid.
A completely electric model, however, is not expected until after 2025, as the battery technology needs more development and the group needs to prepare consumers more used to roaring engines than a quiet drive.
