Ferrari Portofino spy shots show refreshed front end

One of our spy photographers shared photos of a Ferrari Portofino prototype that has reappeared being tested on the road. While the photographer first suspected it could have been a test mule for the Roma, we believe it's a prototype for a refreshed version of the Portofino convertible.

A couple of things point us to the Portofino conclusion. In particular, there's the fact that the only part of the car that Ferrari cared to cover was the front fascia. If it were an old Roma mule, we would have expected the whole thing to be covered, or if it were using an existing body, not to have any coverings. Looking closely at the nose, we can also see that the headlights have been changed. They don't rise up at the corners like the current car, and in fact the inner corners dip down slightly toward the grille. They're well-integrated, too, not just afterthoughts on any old test car.

The rest of the car is identical to the current Portofino, so while there is evidence of a refresh, it should be a mild one. That would also make sense, as the model was introduced at the end of 2017. As such, some updates wouldn't be unusual, but there wouldn't be a need for a major overhaul.

It is possible that the updated car could come with an updated powertrain. The Roma, which shares the same wheelbase as the Portofino, gets a twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 making 611 horsepower and 561 pound-feet of torque. That would be a nice little improvement, and likely easy fit, for the Portofino, which makes 592 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque from its twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8. If this refresh comes to fruition, we'll probably see it either late this year or early next year.

Related: How we'd build our Ferrari Roma

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