BMW M8 vs Ferrari California

What's the difference?

With dramatic looks, a luxurious spec, and impeccable quality, the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe remains supremely well controlled as it delivers eye-widening performance and amazing dynamics. But there’s an ‘edge’ to the experience you need to be ready for. If I was determined to head for the Aussie ‘fast lane’ in a BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe I’d opt for the M850i and pocket a lazy $71K (enough for a cheeky M235i Gran Coupe to add to your collection).

The overall score doesn’t necessarily reflect how good this car is, but that’s because we have to factor in safety kit and equipment. Those things matter, sure. But if you really want a Ferrari Portofino, you’ll probably read the drive impressions and look at the photos, both of which should be enough to push you over the line if you’re not quite there yet.

The Ferrari Portofino 2019 model is not just bellissimo to look at, it’s also a more Italian offering. And that’s buonissimo. 

Want to start a vigorous car enthusiast discussion (more a verbal punch-up)? Simply ask whether a four-door car can be a coupe.

Traditionally, the answer is no, but over time numerous automotive brands have applied that description to cars with more than two doors, including SUVs!

So, here we are. A four-door ‘Gran Coupe’, and the M8 Competition version retains the smoothly tapering turret and frameless side glass that help give selected BMW four-door models the same swoopy, coupe look.

At close to 4.9m long, a fraction over 1.9m wide, and under 1.4m high, the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe has a firmly planted, low-slung, wide-track stance. Always a subjective call, but I for one, think it looks stunning, especially in our test car’s ‘Frozen Brilliant White’ matt paint finish.

In an era of comically oversized BMW grilles, things are relatively under control here, with a bright black finish applied to that ‘kidney grille’, as well as the huge front bumper air intakes, front splitter, front fender vents, exterior mirrors, window surrounds, 20-inch rims, lip spoiler on the boot, rear valance panel (incorporating a functional diffuser), and quad exhaust tips. The roof’s black, too, but that’s because it’s made of carbon-fibre.

Overall the M8 Competition Gran Coupe is a compelling combination of strong, confident character lines along the bonnet and lower flanks, with tightly wrapped curves following the high hip line, and more organically irregular, yet distinctly BMW shapes in the head- and tail-lights. 

The interior is a beautifully balanced design with a broad centre console sweeping up to the middle of the dash and wrapping around to focus on the driver, in typical BMW fashion.

 The multi-adjustable sports front seats are immaculate, with high-end quilting in the centre section matching a similar treatment in the doors. The dark grey (full) leather trim is offset by carbon and brushed metal trim elements for a cool, calm and focused feel.

Crack the bonnet open and a spectacular ‘BMW M Power’ carbon cover dressing the top of the engine is guaranteed to impress friends and family.

It’s a more angry-looking entry-level car for the iconic Italian brand, but not in an ugly way. 

Sure, some angry faces aren’t pretty. But I bet if Elle Macpherson or George Clooney got cranky at you, you’d still probably find them attractive. And so it is with the Portofino, which has a mildly menacing front end, some scintillating curves over its taut metalwork, and a pair of high-set hips with bold tail lights. 

It is undeniably more muscular than the old California was. And filling the wheel arches are 20-inch wheels, which measure eight inches wide at the front (with 245/35 rubber) and ten inches wide (285/35) at the back.

This isn’t a compact car, either - with dimensions of 4586mm long, 1938mm wide and 1318mm tall, the Portofino is longer than some mid-sized SUVs. But boy, does it pull its size off well. 

And like many of the beachside manors in the seaside town for which the new model is named, you can shutter yourself in to combat bad weather. The folding electronic roof system takes 14 seconds to raise or lower, and can be operated at speeds up to 40km/h.

I actually think it looks better with the roof on. It’s not often you can say that about a convertible…

Of the M8 Competition Gran Coupe’s 4867mm overall length, 2827 of it sits between the front and rear axles, which is a pretty healthy wheelbase for a car this size (and 200mm more than the 8 Series two-door coupe).

Space up front is generous, and one upside of a four-door, rather than two-door coupe, is you’re not struggling quite so much for space to get in and out when parked next to other cars.

Once inside, there’s plenty of storage up front, with a large lidded box/armrest between the front seats, twin cupholders in the centre console, as well as another covered area for wireless phone charging and extra bits and pieces in front of that. Long door pockets provide space for bottles, and the glove box is a decent size. There’s 12V power as well as USB sockets for media connection, with charging outlets in support.

At first glance you’d swear the rear seat was designed as a two-seater only, but when push (literally) comes to shove a centre passenger can squeeze in, legs straddling the rear console.

In terms of legroom, at 183cm (6’0”) I could sit behind the driver’s seat set for my position with knee room to spare, but headroom is another matter, with my noggin making solid contact with the soft Alcantara headlining. It’s the price you pay for this car’s racy profile.

There’s a neatly trimmed storage box and two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, plus door pockets with enough room for small bottles. The rear console houses dual climate controls, twin USB power sockets, and a small oddments tray, as well as buttons for the optional rear seat heating fitted to our test car ($900).

The 440-litre boot is a bit like the car itself - long and wide, but not very high. The rear seat split-folds 40/20/40 if you need more space, and the boot lid is automatic with a hands free function. But don’t bother looking for a spare of any description, a tyre repair kit is your only option.

You aren’t buying a Ferrari if you want the most practical car for the money, but that doesn’t mean there isn't some semblance of pragmatism to the Portofino.

There are four seats. I know, it’s amazing to think there’s a point in making the Portofino a 2+2 seater, but according to Ferrari, owners of the outgoing California model used those back seats about 30 per cent of the time.

I wouldn’t want to be in the back row that much. It’s designed to play host to little kids or small adults, but anyone nearing my height (182cm) will be very uncomfortable. Even tiny adult males (like fellow auto scribe Stephen Corby, for example) reckon it’s tight and not a pleasant place to be back there. (link to existing review). But if you have kids, there are two ISOFIX child seat anchor points.

The boot space is not huge, but with 292 litres of cargo capacity with the roof up, there’s enough room for a weekend’s worth of luggage for a couple (Ferrari says you can fit three cabin bags in that configuration, or two with the roof down). And - a tidbit for the actual customers out there- it has more luggage capacity than you get in a new Corolla hatch (217L). 

As for cabin comfort, the front seats are sumptuous, and there are some nice elements like the 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which is pretty easy to use, if a little slow to load when you’re skipping between screens or trying to key locations into the sat-nav system.

There are also two 5.0-inch digital screens in front of the driver, mounted either side of the rev counter, and the front passenger can have their very own display with speed, revs and gear on show. It’s a neat option.

While it may have some long-distance touring pretence, the Portofino isn’t a beacon of loose-item storage. It has a pair of cupholders, and there’s a small storage tray that will fit a smartphone.

It would be silly to think that people who can afford a Ferrari aren’t conscious of finance. Most people who can buy a car like this are very specific about what they will and won’t spend their hard-earned cash on, but according to Ferrari, about 70 per cent of projected Portofino purchasers will be buying their very first Prancing Horse. Lucky them!

And at $399,888 (list price, before on-road costs), the Portofino is as close to an affordable new Ferrari as you’ll get. 

Standard equipment includes that 10.25-inch media screen that runs Apple CarPlay (an option, of course) and includes sat nav, DAB digital radio, and acts as a display for the reversing camera with parking guidance lines, plus there are front and rear parking sensors as standard.

The standard wheel package is a 20-inch set, and of course you get leather trim, 18-way electronically adjustable front seats, plus heated front seats and dual-zone climate control, and there’s proximity unlocking, too (keyless entry) with a push-button starter on the steering wheel. Auto LED headlights and auto wipers are standard, as is cruise control and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. 

Speaking of Ferrari’s fantastic Formula One-inspired wheel (with paddle shifters), the version with the carbon fibre trim and integrated shift LEDs fitted to our car cost an extra $8300. Oh, and if you do want CarPlay, that'll be $6793 (which is more than the best Apple computer you can buy), and that reversing camera will add $6950 to the price. WHATTTT???

Some of the other options fitted to our car included the Magneride adaptive dampers ($8970), the LCD passenger display ($9501), adaptive front lighting ($5500), a premium hi-fi sound system ($10,100), and a foldable rear-seat backrest ($2701), among plenty of other interior elements. 

The as-tested price for our just-under-four-hundred-grand Ferrari, then, was actually $481,394. But who's counting?

The Portofino is available in 28 different colours (including seven blue hues, six grey options, five red and three yellow paint choices).

The M8 Competition is powered by an all-alloy, 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, featuring direct-injection, as well as the latest version of BMW’s ‘Valvetronic’ variable valve timing and ‘Double-VANOS’ variable camshaft control, to produce 460kW (625hp) at 6000rpm, and 750Nm from 1800-5800rpm.

Designated ‘S63’, the engine’s two twin-scroll turbos are located, along with a cross-bank exhaust manifold, in the engine’s (90-degree) ‘hot vee.’ 

The idea is consistent transmission of exhaust energy to the turbos for improved response, with the reversal of usual practice completed by inlet manifolds positioned on the engine’s outer edges.

Drive goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed ‘M Steptronic’ (torque converter) auto transmission with ‘Drivelogic’, and dedicated oil cooling, as well as BMW’s ‘xDrive’ all-wheel drive system.

The xDrive set-up is built around a central transfer case housing an electronically-controlled, variable multi-plate clutch, with front to rear drive distribution set to a default 40:60 split.

The system monitors multiple inputs including, wheel speed (and slip), acceleration and steering angle, and is able to vary the ratio up to 100 per cent rear thanks to the ‘Active M Differential.’ 

The 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 engine produces 441kW of power at 7500rpm and 760Nm of torque from 3000rpm. That means it has a sizeable 29kW more power (and 5Nm more torque) than the Ferrari California T it replaces.

Plus the 0-100 acceleration time is better, too; it will now hit highway speed in 3.5 seconds (was 3.6sec in the Cali T) and moves past the 200km/h marker in just 10.8sec, if you believe Ferrari’s claim.

Top speed is “more than 320km/h”. Didn’t get a chance to test that, sadly, nor the 0-200km/h time.

The kerb weight for the Portofino is 1664 kilograms, while the dry weight is 1545kg. The weight distribution is 46 per cent front, 54 per cent rear. 

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 10.4L/100km, the M8 Competition emitting 239g/km of CO2 in the process.

Despite the standard auto stop/start function, over a week-long combination of city, suburban, and freeway running we recorded a (dash-indicated) average of 15.6L/100km.

Pretty thirsty, but not outrageous when you consider this car’s performance potential, and the fact that (purely for research purposes) we exploited it regularly.

Recommended fuel is 98 RON premium unleaded, and you’ll need 68 litres of it to fill the tank. That equates to a range of 654km in line with the factory claim, and 436km using our real-world number as a guide.

The twin-turbo-V8-powered Ferrari Portofino uses a claimed 10.7 litres per 100 kilometres. Not that fuel costs are a big concern if you’re spending $400k on a car. 

But that’s more than, say, a Mercedes-AMG GT, (9.4L/100km; 350kW/630Nm) but not as much as a Mercedes-AMG GT R (11.4L/100km; 430kW/700Nm). And the Ferrari has more power than both of those, and it's quicker, too (and more expensive…).

Fuel-tank size for the Ferrari Portofino is 80 litres, enough for a theoretical mileage range of 745km.

There’s something teutonically symmetrical about the way the M8 Competition Gran Coupe delivers its prodigious thrust.

Peak torque of no less than 750Nm is available from just 1800rpm, remaining on full song across a broad plateau all the way to 5800rpm. Just 200revs later (6000rpm) peak power of 460kW (625hp!) takes over to finish the job, with the rev ceiling sitting just over 7000rpm.

That’s enough to slingshot this 1885kg bruiser from 0-100km/h in 3.2 seconds, which is supercar fast. And the engine and exhaust noise produced by the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 during such rapid acceleration is suitably brutal, courtesy of electronically-controlled flaps in the system opening up. 

On a more civilised drive you can reduce the exhaust noise via an ‘M Sound Control’ button on the centre console.

The eight-speed auto is fast and positive, especially in manual mode, which dials up the fun via wheel-mounted paddles. And when it’s time to direct this car’s forward momentum into lateral movement BMW has brought in the engineering heavy artillery.

Despite its frameless door body structure the M8 Competition Gran Coupe feels solid as a rock thanks in no small part to its ‘Carbon Core’ construction, using four primary components - carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), aluminum, high-strength steel, and magnesium.

Then the ‘Adaptive M Suspension Professional’ (with active anti-roll stabilisation), the tricky xDrive continuously variable AWD system, and active M Sport diff combine to keep everything under control.

Suspension is a double wishbone front, five-link rear arrangement, with all key components in alloy to minimise unsprung weight. In concert with the electronic wizardry on-board, it helps keep the M8 buttoned down with only modest body roll in enthusiastic cornering, as the rear-biased AWD system seamlessly distributes drive to the axle and wheels that can make best use of it.

The price you’ll pay for the track-ready tune is in compromised ride comfort. Even in the ‘Comfort’ setting, the M8 Competition is firm, and feels corrugations and imperfections to a surprising degree.

An alignment of the BMW 8 Series planets left me with the keys to this car and the M850i Gran Coupe (also using the Carbon Core body) at the same time, and the difference between their softest settings is appreciable.

Also be aware that at 12.2m the M8 Gran Coupe’s turning circle is substantial, and it’s just as well all that camera, sensor and self-parking tech is available to help you guide this ship into port.

The M8’s electrically-assisted, variable-ratio steering features an ‘M’ specific calibration to deliver satisfying precision and good road feel. But in similar fashion to the ride a noticeable amount of unwelcome feedback comes through to the wheel.

The fat Pirelli P Zero rubber (275/35 fr / 285/35 rr) grips hard, and the monster brakes (ventilated all around, with 395mm rotors and six-piston calipers up front) wash off speed without fuss or fade.

But overall, you’ll have to live with a less refined drive when you sign on for the M8 Competition. Straight away it feels faster but lacks the M850i’s lighter touch. No matter which drive or suspension mode you select, responses are more aggressive and physical.

To fully explore and enjoy the M8 Competition’s abilities it feels like the race circuit is its most appropriate habitat. On the open road, the M850i is all the Gran Coupe you’re going to need.

Compared to the California T it replaces, the new model is stiffer, has a lighter all-aluminium chassis, gets a reworked transmission and also includes an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. 

It’s faster, has more tech - like electronic exhaust bypass valves to make it sound better - and it's gorgeous. 

So it's fast and fun? You bet. It has electronic power steering, which mightn’t be as tactile in terms of road feel as a vehicle with a hydraulic steering setup, but it is rapid in its reactivity, and arguably offers better point-and-shoot ability as a result. Old diminutive Corby criticised it for being very light and somewhat lacking, but I reckon that as an entry point to the brand, it serves as a very manageable steering setup.

The adaptive magnetorhelogical dampers do a magnificent job in allowing the Portofino to ride over rough patches of road, including pockmarks and potholes. It hardly ever feels ruffled, although there is some scuttle shake to the windscreen, as is often found in convertible cars.

The most surprising element to this Ferrari is that it is supple and reserved at times, but can turn into a manic machine when you want it to.

With the Manettino drive-mode dial on the steering wheel set to Comfort, you will be rewarded with sedate progress and cushioning from the road surface below. In Sport mode, things are all a bit more growly and rigid. I personally found the transmission in this mode, when left in Auto, was eager to upshift to help save fuel, but still responded pretty quickly when I put my foot down hard.

Turning Auto off means it’s you, the pedals and the paddles, and the car won’t overrule your decisions. If you want to see just how realistic that 10,000rpm tacho top is, you can test it in first, second, third… oh wait, you need to keep your licence? Just keep it to first. 

Its braking is tremendous, with aggressive application resulting in seatbelt-tensioning response. Plus not only was the ride comfortable, the balance and control of the chassis was both predictable and inherently manageable in corners, and there was plenty of grip, even in the damp. 

With the roof down, the noise of the exhaust is exhilarating under hard throttle, but I found it droned a bit under less-urgent acceleration, and in most instances of ‘regular driving’ it actually just sounded loud, rather than lush. 

Things that were annoying? The throttle response is dull for the first part of the pedal travel, making for some testing moments in traffic. Not helping that is the fact the engine stop-start system is exceptionally overactive. And that there’s no fuel use readout on the digital trip computer screen - I wanted to see what the car was claiming in terms of fuel use, but I couldn’t.

There is no ANCAP or Euro NCAP crash-test score available for any Ferrari model, and it’s fair to state that safety tech isn’t the reason you buy a Ferrari. 

The Portofino, for instance, has dual front and front-side airbags, and an advanced stability control system… but that’s about it. 

Things like auto emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are all unavailable. 

BMW offers a three year/unlimited km warranty, which is at least a couple of years off the mainstream market pace, and lagging other premium players like Mercedes-Benz and Genesis, both sitting at five years/unlimited km.

Roadside assistance is included for the duration of the warranty period, and the standard ‘Concierge Service’ provides everything from flight information, to global weather updates, and restaurant recommendations, from a real human.

Technically, service is ‘condition based’ with the car telling you when it’s time to hit the workshop, but you can use every 12 months/15,000km as a guide.

BMW Australia offers ‘Service Inclusive’ packages that require customers to pre-pay for servicing, allowing the cost to be covered off in finance or leasing packages and reducing the need for concern about paying for maintenance further down the track.

BMW says there are different packages available, from three to 10 years, or between 40,000 and 200,000km.

Ferrari servicing won’t cost you a cent for the first seven years, and that’s whether you hold on to it or sell it - the new owner will have access to complementary maintenance for whatever is left of the initial seven-year period.

The standard warranty offer from Ferrari is a three-year plan, but if you sign up for the New Power15 program, Ferrari will cover your car for up to 15 years from the first registration date, and that includes cover for major mechanical components including the engine, transmission, suspension and steering. It reportedly costs $4617 for V8 models like this - a drop in the financial ocean at this price point.