Vanity Fair UK – September 2019

(Kiana) #1
Everything you’ve ever heard about
Ferraris is true. They’re beautiful, lyrical,
crazy; they make no sense, they make
total sense... in short, they’re moving
masterclasses in Italian culture. When
you buy a Ferrari, you buy the engine. So,
the crux of the Portofino’s appeal is that it
has a V8 under that gliding bonnet. 
Ferrari V8s are the best engines in the
world: they are fast (600 horsepower) but
feel faster, they sound nice but that noise
is more than sound. It’s the soundtrack of
opera, good wine, fresh pasta... Thumb
the red starter button on the steering
wheel, and the engine muscles its way
into life. Pistons and valves open, suck,
push and pull, the revs rise and hot air
blows through the valves, echoing in the
exhausts before exploding in song. Take
a test drive. It will be good for your soul.

All you need to know is that this is the
world’s fastest convertible. It goes from
0-60mph in 2.8 seconds. Don’t bother
trying to imagine what that feels like,
because you can’t, although a theme-
park rollercoaster gets you halfway there. 
Power is everything. McLaren is an
intriguing brand, unequivocally
driver-focused and overtly masculine:
comfort and appointment go by the
wayside in favour of light weight and
extreme acceleration. But more women
are being drawn to these beasts by the
very loud message of power and
success the cars promote, plus the fact
they are built in Woking, England, and
it’s good to wave the flag on occasion. 
The 720S Spider will take all the

Other things? Oh, we had lovely
champagne paintwork which managed
to be both matt and sparkly, and the
hardtop retracts into the boot in 14
seconds. It’s sharper and better all-round
than the California it replaces. Apple
CarPlay (free in a Hyundai) will cost you
£2,400, but you won’t care because you
just bought that engine. Price: £166,551.

balls you can muster. The number
denotes horsepower which, when
combined with the light but strong
carbon-fibre body, equals truly
saliva-sapping acceleration (though
there are no public roads in the UK
which will allow you to explore the
upper echelons of the car’s capabilities).
The outrageous styling will do more
than enough to herald your arrival
anywhere, as will the bellowing,
cracking exhaust if you keep the revs
above 4,000rpm. McLaren is fond of
curlicues, vents, grills, slats and any
other metalwork which acts as

downforce and draws the eye of
envious onlookers.
Inside, there isn’t much to play with:
one clever option is an “electrochromic
roof ”—press a button and it will darken
from clear to a 95 per cent blue tint to
stop people looking inside, and shield
you from the sun. Tellingly, there’s also
the graphic of a race helmet instead of a
human head for the air-con body
positioning. As for cubby holes, cup
holders or deep carpets, they’re for
wimps. Your choice. Price: £237,000.

As for cubby holes, cup
holders or deep carpets,
they are for wimps

TOUR DE FORCE


Unleash your inner speed demon in the latest
road-surfing missile from McLaren

VA-V8-VOOM


The Scuderia's latest
model boasts the
legendary sonic
signature

SEPTEMBER 2019 VANITY FAIR EN ROUTE


McLaren
720 S SPIDER

Ferrari
PORTOFINO

09-19Testing.indd 29 17/07/2019 08:42


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