The Ferrari Portofino’s body in white (BIW) was adjudged a winner of the 2019 Altair Enlighten Award in the Full Vehicle category held at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI, USA. BIW “refers to the stage in the automobile manufacturing in which a car body’s components have been joined together.”
The Award honors achievements in vehicle weight savings each year, and the Ferrari Portofino was recognised for its all-new aluminium chassis and body in white — significantly lighter than that of the model it replaced, the California T. Ferrari’s engineers able to save on weight while achieving higher structural rigidity.
All components of the body in white and chassis were redesigned and integrated to an even greater extent. The A-pillar now consists of just two pieces compared to 21 different components in previous models. Modern production technologies, most notably sand-casting which allows the creation of hollow components, allowed designers to create innovative forms that are lighter.
Stiffness was improved by 35 percent, while weld lengths on the body in white and chassis are now 30 percent shorter than in the previous model, enhancing assembly quality.
The winning innovations will be showcased at the Nasdaq Opening Bell Ceremony in New York on August 27.
