Despite having been affiliated for the past 15 years, Ferrari and Naza’s relationship officially ended in March 2023.
In a statement confirming the termination, the Naza Automotive Group said that it had been examining the brand mix of its automotive business to determine whether it was the best fit for its business plan. According to the statement, “We have agreed to end our relationship with Ferrari S.p.A due to the non-alignment of their expectations to our strategy.” Ferrari was assured of help for a successful business transition.
For Ferrari-lovers and those who are thinking of buying one, Naza Italia recently organized an event to take them on a unique ‘journey’ through the Ferrari universe. The 3-day private viewing event was an immersive experience, offering specially invited guests a glimpse of the brand’s full range and connecting them to the heart of Ferrari in Maranello via the latest technological innovation.
Using tablets and augmented reality (AR) gear, the guests went on a virtual tour as they moved through 6 different exploration zones where they saw the entire line-up of Ferrari models currently available worldwide. A ‘journey presenter’ accompanied them through each zone as well.
The tour included a close-up view of the 488 Challenge Evo and as an introduction to Ferrari’s DNA – its racing spirit, innovation and technology, commitment to craftsmanship, passion for performance and distinct design elements.
Another zone displayed the latest models available for purchase, such as the SF90 Spider, the Portofino M, and Roma. The personalisation zone was in the Atelier, where guests were encouraged to get creative and have a taste of what it feels like to customize their own Ferrari. They could look through a broad selection of materials and putting their designer skills to the test with the car configurator.
In the community area and lounge, guests could also have the ‘360 Factory Experience’. This allowed them to ‘visit’ the Maranello factory using the dedicated MyFerrari app. Here, with Ferrari’s world of superlative sporting experiences and activities, owners got to experience being part of the Ferrari family. They viewed the Corse Clienti, Passione Ferrari, Esperienza Ferrari and Calvacade events, among others.
For those considering a pre-owned Ferrari, there is Ferrari Approved, a certification programme that puts pre-owned Ferraris through a comprehensive 190-point check by the brand’s trained technicians. Ferrari Approved cars were on display for guests to view, and they could also learn about the Ferrari Genuine (Out-Of-Range) accessories and kits that are exclusively designed and developed to give Ferrari owners the ability to make their car unique.
The tour concluded with an in-depth look at the brand’s aftersales services and maintenance programmes such as Genuine Maintenance, MainPower and Ferrari Premium. Also showcased in this zone was a collection of Ferrari Genuine (In-Range) accessories.
The heart is a weird thing. It is what keeps you alive, and yet it is also the same spot where you feel such powerful emotions as joy and sadness.
The factually inclined amongst us would argue that you feel those emotions because the brain sends signals to your body to release dopamine or serotonin chemicals. These are chemicals that make you feel feel happy.
My body was packing about four cups of coffee by 10am that morning, and was filled with those two chemicals linked to happiness.
And that was because I had my sights on the Ferrari F8 Spider. I had a full 8 hours with it. That was the joy part.
Over the buildings in PJ though, I could see dark clouds blowing in. And I was about to spend my day with over 700 horsepower under my right foot. That was fear.
I would like to say that the F8 Spider is quite possibly one of the most beautiful Ferraris of modern times.
But that would not be 100% accurate because there are others like the F12, the LaFerrari Aperta and perhaps even the 360. In this writer’s eyes at least.
But as I write this, I would like to put it out there that the new Ferrari Daytone SP3 is among the most beautiful, Ever!
Back to the F8 Spider.
This is a Ferrari that evokes emotion. One that looks fast while its standing still. And there is not a curve that looks out of place.
Every curve and inch of the F8 serves a purpose. Whether it is to channel air to cool the brakes, lead air in and out of the engine bay, or to simply to push the car down to the road as you drive faster. There is nothing about the F8 that is not doing something.
But the best thing happens when all of those things combine to create something beautiful – and that would be the F8 Spider.
The engine is probably the star of the show – a 3.9-litre, twin-turbo, V8 engine that puts out a mind numbing 720hp and 770Nm of torque.
And to think that this is an entry level Ferrari sports car.
What I really like about modern Ferraris is how driver centric the interior feels.
Everything is about the driver.
There aren’t too many levers hanging around behind the steering wheel either. Just two of the most important – the shifter pedals.
Everything else like the indicators, wipers and light controls are located on the steering wheel in the form of buttons that are perfectly formed to fit your fingers.
The audio, GPS and car data are displayed on the meter panel up ahead which is a joyous mixture of new and old.
The entire meter panel is dominated by a huge rpm meter flanked by digital screens that give you the audio, gps and data about the car and such.
The passenger can be left to be mesmerised by the experience of being propelled by one of the best engine’s ever made by mankind.
Or F8 buyers can opt to have something called the Ferrari Passenger Display, which is a small rectangular sized display that looks like it has been neatly inserted into the dashboard right in front of the passenger.
This display feeds the passenger data about the car such as the speed and rpm, as well as the gear selected and even the manettino settings.
But as brilliant as the interior may be and as ingenious the engine is, the real star of the show is the driving experience, because let’s not forget that this is a Spider – and nothing gets more dramatic than a drop top Ferrari.
The engine of the F8 is an engineering masterpiece. It is so good that it won the 21st edition of the International Engine & Powertrain of the Year in 2019.
And for the record, Ferrari is the only car maker to have won that award four years in a row. This is a company that doesn’t only build great cars, but they engineer the best engines.
Back when the award was presented, the 3.9-litre V8 engine was powering the 488 GTB and Pista. Now though, the already brilliant engine has been further refined to power the F8.
And what do you get when you continuously refine an engine that is already brilliant – fantastic performance!
The F8 Spider’s engine puts down power quicker than your brain and hands can digest. And this is partially due to the fact that there is almost zero turbo lag.
If you follow Ferrari history, you might remember that Enzo Ferrari had said that the company only produced road cars so that they could build race cars to go racing in.
Well, that is not lost. Because the zero turbo lag in the F8 Spider is derived from the Ferrari Challenge cars – the 488 Challenge to be specific.
Ferrari has placed turbo rev sensors to detect when power is needed, and this maximises the efficiency of the turbochargers. Simply put, the turbochargers almost feel like they have been hard wired to your right foot, that iconic whistle of a turbocharger comes alive with every flex of your foot.
It really does feel like you have been hardwired into the cars central system, and that the car knows what you are about to do before you even know what you are about to do.
And of course this is also down to the fact that the gearbox is equally as brilliant as the engine.
The seven-speed dual clutch transmission is one of the fastest shifting I have ever experienced in my career.
I never doubted Ferraris brilliance when it comes to powertrains and power delivery. After all, these are the same guys who introduced pedal shifters in Formula 1.
And they have continuously developed the technology.
So it is this combination of engine and gearbox that has combined to offer one of the best driving experiences money can buy.
Put that in a car that looks like a piece of art with a roof that is able to fold away at speeds of up to 50km/h in just 14 seconds.
You can see how it folds and unfolds in the video embedded above of this article.
So the F8 Spider may be the facelift successor to the already very capable 488, but mid-life facelifts are not supposed to be this good.
As to why I was afraid of those rain clouds. I guess that is what we are hardwired to feel when we feel threatened.
My brain thought that I could easily hurt myself with 720hp at my disposal to the rear wheels. I was afraid I might get it wrong and bin it.
Well, it was as simple as turning the manettino switch to Rain mode.
The Ferrari F8 Spider is ferocious yet docile. And considering that this is just a facelift model, it really is not supposed to be this good because facelifts are usually reserved for cosmetic upgrades.
But then again, you don’t expect Ferrari to create something as unexciting as ‘just another facelift’.
The Ferrari F8 Spider is now in Malaysia with prices starting from RM1.18 million before duties and taxes and customisation.
It was in September 2017 that Ferrari launched the Portofino and by May 2018, the first units arrived in the showrooms of Naza Italia in Malaysia. 39 months later comes the evolution version – the Portofino M. The car was unveiled in September last year and like many new models during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferrari unveiled it to the world online. It was the first Ferrari to be launched following the carmaker’s temporary closure due to the pandemic.
“The ongoing challenges and restrictions our nation has been experiencing made delays of launch plans inevitable, so we are thrilled to now have the opportunity to introduce the Ferrari Portofino M to the local market and have it join Ferrari Malaysia’s stable of Prancing Horses. Our clients have already shown keen interest in this versatile model and have been waiting in anticipation for the perfect evolution of the Portofino, which holds the promise of 2+ GT spider excellence with distinct progressions in character, design, performance and everyday adaptability,” said Dato’ Nik Hamdam Nik Hassan, Group CEO, Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd.
Evolution of the Portofino
Priced from RM998,000 (excluding taxes and insurance), it is around RM50,000 more than the asking price with the original model in 2018. For that extra money, the Portofino M offers that increased levels of performance expected of an evolution version. The ‘M’ refers to ‘Modificata’, which at Ferrari refers to cars that have undergone an evolution that has significantly boosted their performance.
Design-wise, the original styling is maintained with the grille having new aluminium slats with contrasting faceted tips. The new features are aimed at improved aerodynamic performance. At the rear, the new exhaust system has allowed the removal of the silencer assembly, making the Portofino M’s tail more compact. The result is that the rear bumpers are now more streamlined and sculptural. Visually, their forms are lighter too and their styling more in harmony with the front bumpers, creating a much more coherent overall aesthetic. The rear diffuser has been completely redesigned and is now separate to the bumpers. This allows customers to be able to specify it in carbonfibre, if they wish.
Redesigned award-winning engine
In the technical department, the most notable upgrade is the redesigned powertrain. The new 3855 cc engine can be considered an award-winner as it belongs to the same V8 engine family that was voted ‘International Engine of the Year’ in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The powerplant produces up to about 620 ps at 7,500 rpm, 20 ps more than the Portofino. To achieve this higher output, the cam profiles were revised, increasing valve lift to optimise combustion chamber filling.
At the same time, a speed sensor was added to the turbocharger assembly. This measures the turbine speed accurately which allows the maximum rpm of the turbine to be increased by 5,000 rpm without risk of damage. Variable Boost Management, a control software developed by Ferrari, adjusts torque delivery to suit the gear selected. The result is increasingly powerful pick-up as revs rise, whilst optimising fuel consumption. The amount of torque delivered progressively increases all the way up to 760 Nm in 7th and 8th gears.
New 8-speed gearbox
The 8-speed gearbox is completely new and differs from the 7-speed unit used before, with a dual-clutch oil bath architecture. It also differs from the SF90 Stradale’s 8-speed transmission in gear ratios and uses a mechanical reverse gear. The new layout and integration of its components have revised the gearbox’s size, installation in the car. This has allowed the use of longer gear ratios in the higher gears, which helps keep fuel consumption and emissions down. On the other, adopting a steeper torque curve through the rev range in the lower gears makes for a feeling of smooth and powerful pick-up.
By tradition, every single Ferrari engine has its own particular soundtrack that makes it unique, and the Portofino M is no exception. The two rear silencers have been eliminated (which, in addition to boosting sound, also significantly reduces back-pressure in the tailpipes) and the by-pass valves are now oval in shape to enhance the exhaust sound.
The vehicle dynamics control system that allows the driver to push the car safely to the edge of its performance envelope is known as Side Slip Control (SSC). Now in its sixth generation, the SSC integrates the E-Diff, F1-TCS, SCM-E Frs and the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer (FDE) control systems. The FDE is a lateral dynamics control system that uses Ferrari software to adjust the hydraulic brake pressure at the callipers on all four wheels. On the Portofino M, it is available only when the Manettino is in Race mode. The FDE is designed to make the car’s lateral dynamics more predictable both through and exiting corners by ensuring the steering wheel and throttle are more intuitive for the driver to use. The aim of the five-position Manettino, a first on a Ferrari GT spider, is to make the handling and grip even more accessible by extending the setting ranges still further with the introduction of the Race position.
Inside the Portofino M
With the top down, the Portofino M reveals a multi-level dashboard structure comprising an upper half and then an intermediate gap designed to lighten the perceived mass of the lower half. This approach allowed the designers to organise the technical elements and in-car devices to very rational effect while simultaneously defining a signature full-width architecture. A central horizontal aluminium blade divides the instrument panel, air conditioning vents and passenger display into separate areas in the upper section. The other control functions are located in the scooped section below, with a large 10.25-inch touchscreen at the centre.
Seen from above, the cockpit’s symmetrical arrangement and the generous rear seat space are clear. From a construction perspective, the interior – and the dashboard architecture, in particular – feature two shells incorporating all of the technical components and a bridge that visually connects the instrument panel area with the central tunnel. The ventilated seats are the product of a special research project and have an innovative magnesium structure. Different density padding and an ultra-compact seatback profile have freed up space for rear occupants too.
The Portofino M’s HMI (Human-Machine Interface) centres on a digital cluster with dual TFT displays arranged around the analogue tachometer in a circular, anti-glare binnacle. Located on exactly the same axis as the multifunctional steering wheel, this cluster allows the driver to interact more easily and intuitively, both visually and physically, with the car by delivering optimal driving feedback.
The passenger has an optional dedicated capacitive display on the dashboard too. It is directly linked to the main screen providing all information relating to car speed, rpm and gear engaged. This 7-inch colour full HD and Full Touch display also allows the passenger to interact with the car’s on-board systems. It is thus possible for the passenger to becomes a participative co-driver.
7-year factory-formulated maintenance programme
As the official representative of Ferrari in Malaysia, Naza Italia offers an extended 7-year maintenance programme with the Portofino M. This is an exclusive factory-formulated programme (also available to owners of pre-owned Ferraris) with scheduled intervals of either 20,000 kms or once a year with no mileage restrictions.
Naza Italia Sdn Bhd, the official importer and distributor of Ferrari here in Malaysia, has unveiled the latest addition into their growing fleet of exotic and powerful mechanical beings. Dubbed the Ferrari F8 Tributo, it will be the replacement for the Ferrari 488 GTB and it promises more than just good looks and improved performance. (more…)
Ferrari has received the Red Dot: Best of the Best Award for the ground-breaking design of the Portofino, Ferrari’s most recent V8-engined GT car. This is the consecutive fourth year that the Prancing Horse receives this prestigious honour for one of its new models. The Ferrari Portofino (below) is an elegant and versatile convertible which features a retractable hardtop together with class-leading performance and luggage space.
Its styling impressed the international judging panel which stated: “Embodying an impressive evolutionary advancement, the Ferrari Portofino fascinates with an exciting design language. It comes across as a fascinating sculptural statement. The integration of the retractable hardtop presents an optimal solution. The haunting elegance is further underscored by the uncompromising quality in material and workmanship. The Ferrari Portofino is the perfect embodiment of novel approaches that point to the future.”
During the Gala ceremony on the 9th of July at the Aalto Theater in Essen, Germany, the jury of international designers also assigned two Red Dot awards for outstanding design quality to Ferrari for the 812 Superfast (above) and the FXX K EVO (below). The awards are testimony to the unmistakable design and ground-breaking technology that are at the basis of Ferrari’s production.
The 812 Superfast redefined the formal language of front-engined V12 Ferraris without altering either the exterior dimensions or interior space. With a distinct fastback sleekness to its silhouette, sharply slanted crease lines and impressively muscular wheel-arches imbue the 812 Superfast with the power and aggression warranted by its imposing 6.5-litre V12. Here’s our friend GC Mah from Autobuzz.my and his take on the 812 Superfast at Maranello!
The Ferrari FXX-K Evo(arf arf, snigger, snigger.. still find this name quite epic! – Ed.) marks a significant evolution of the XX programme launched in 2005 with cars developed specifically to play an active role in this exclusive research and development programme. The FXX-K Evo features an evolved aero package developed by Ferrari’s engineers in synergy with the Ferrari Styling Centre’s designers, to push to the very limit the performance of a model that already represents the state-of-the-art in terms of track-only supercars. Watch F1 ace Seb Vettel punish one around a track below!
