Perhaps nowhere is Ferrari’s process of constant evolution clearer than with the new Ferrari Amalfi, which builds on the outgoing Roma so completely that it is essentially an all-new car. Almost every body panel is new, performance is now even more generous, and the dynamic repertoire of this 2+ coupe is further refined to appeal to returning clients and newcomers alike.
Photographed in the vast delta of the Po River, the Amalfi looks perfectly at home on roads that cut across this protected wetland landscape stretching for 54,000 hectares from southern Veneto to northern Emilia-Romagna, as well as within the grounds of Tenuta Ca’ Zen, a historic villa set amid the waterways.
It’s the ideal location for an effortlessly beautiful design by Ferrari Chief Design Officer Flavio Manzoni, who details its genesis: “We started the process with very sculptural forms, mindful of the famous quote from the architect Achille Castiglioni that we must ‘delete, delete, delete’. We wanted to arrive at the minimal amount while still being able to deliver the functionality required.”
Click play to watch the Ferrari Amalfi explore the Po Delta Regional Park – a breathtaking wetland landscape on Italy’s northern Adriatic coast
“We also maintained the concept of the linea maestra – the master line. And the new treatment at the front of the car explicitly avoids the anthropomorphic effect. The result is extremely modern. It was also important for us to give a new identity to this car, consistent with the identity of other new Ferrari cars but without repeating the elements.”
The Amalfi is the same size as the outgoing model, but changes to its interior mean that it feels roomier inside – a new horizontal centre console in anodised aluminium and redesigned door trims being particularly key to the perception of additional space. Elsewhere, the main display mounted behind the steering wheel measures 15.6 inches, whilst the central infotainment screen is 10.25 inches and is now horizontal rather than vertical. Physical buttons return to the steering wheel too.
Although one could describe the Amalfi as the gateway car for Ferrari, performance from the front-mounted 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged engine is still startling, with power increasing to 640 cv, and 760 Nm of torque from 3,000-5,750 rpm. Zero to 100 km/h is dispatched in 3.3 seconds, a tenth faster than its Roma predecessor, with 200 km/h reached in an even more remarkable 9.0 seconds. But perhaps more significant is the work Ferrari has done to enhance the engine’s response at higher revs in third and fourth gear, building on the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission’s tremendous character. Upgrades include lighter camshafts, and an ECU derived from the one fitted to the 296 GTB, 12Cilindri, and Purosangue. The twin turbos can now be independently controlled, and the intake and exhaust have been tuned to sharpen the Amalfi’s soundtrack.
Finished in Verde Costiera, the Ferrari Amalfi paintwork is a perfect complement to the organic richness of the Po Delta
In parallel to improving performance, the development team focussed on improving the Amalfi’s accessibility. “We wanted to create a car for people perhaps experiencing a Ferrari for the first time,” says Chief Product Development Officer Gianmaria Fulgenzi, “while still offering experienced drivers the opportunity to use its full potential.”
Along with active aero devices for extra high-speed stability and by brake-by-wire for perfectly calibrated pedal feel, new drive modes now deliver a greater range of characteristics – ‘Wet’ and ‘Comfort’ more conservative, the other settings sharper than before. “When you are with your family, you want a car that is completely safe,” Fulgenzi says. “When you are driving alone, you can change the settings to improve the engagement. There is a greater handling bandwidth.” Note, too, that there is no hybrid option, and that the Amalfi is rear-drive only. It’s pure.
The result might be a more emollient Ferrari, but the Amalfi is as emotional as ever.
Report by Jason Barlow ferrari.com
Photography by Giuliano Koren
