Ferrari’s €200k supercar faces up to €2.2m Merc

Ferrari is introducing a new “entry-level” supercar, while Mercedes-Benz is testing the segment’s upper price limit as the rivals vie for the world’s most lucrative customers.

At the Frankfurt International Motor Show, Ferrari rolled out the €196,000 Portofino, while Mercedes’s AMG high-performance sub-brand is highlighting the Project One concept, which sports Formula 1 hybrid technology and has a whopping price tag of €2.2m.

The models are crucial to the strategic plans of both automakers. Ferrari is banking on the Portofino to help boost sales to 9,000 cars in 2019, up from a target of 8,400 this year, to help secure its independence as the industry grapples with the strains of shifting to electric cars.