2023 Ferrari Portofino M

It's amusing to call a car "entry-level" when it costs nearly a quarter-million dollars. But entry-level the 2023 Ferrari Portofino M is, at least compared to the opening bids for Ferrari's other hardware. The Portofino M isn't a budget Ferrari, though. With its raucous turbocharged V8 generating more than 600 horsepower, perfect proportions and design oozing with Italian style (look at the curves and radiuses on the front grille alone), the Portofino M lays to rest any notions of being the "poor man's Ferrari" like the unloved Ferrari California it replaced in 2018.

That said, this convertible is built more for cruising than carving, although it can do the latter with authority. Infotainment is charitably described as functional, which is more than you can call the back seat. Not hospitable for anyone you'd call a friend, the two seat-looking shapes behind the front seats are best reserved for small luggage. You'll find a similar absence of space for bags when the top retracts into the trunk space. Pack wisely for any long drives in warm weather.

The Portofino's rivals — the Aston Martin DB11, Audi R8, Porsche 911 — all offer varying degrees of luxury, comfort and performance. Specifically, the Audi offers better tech, and the Porsche is more suited to the demands of daily driving. There's not a bad one in the bunch, but only one of them is a Ferrari.