New Ferrari Amalfi goes FULL ITALIAN in pursuit of La Dolce Vita

It doesn’t seem five minutes since the Ferrari Roma first appeared on the scene, but we’ve already had five years of the elegant grand tourer. So, the time has come for Ferrari to replace it with a brand new one. Enter the Amalfi. With it’s enticing looks and throbbing twin-turbo V8 engine, Ferrari says this coupe is both performance-focused and tame enough to enjoy on a daily basis. Featuring a 3.9-litre engine, a new brake-by-wire system and the latest technology, Ferrari promises the Amalfi will be the perfect blend of comfort and driving pleasure.
• The Amalfi will replace the Roma to become Ferrari’s most user-friendly sports car • It comes with more power, a new look, updated infotainment and the return of the big red start button • With a 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds and 640 horsepower • It will be showcased this summer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed • Likely to cost around £200,000

Picking up from where the Roma left off, Ferrari is aiming for timeless elegance with the Amalfi’s flowing lines and long swooping bonnet. The styling is conventional – unlike the avant-garde look of the 12 Cilindri – and closely resembles Ferrari’s four-door Purosangue at the front with each element sculpted for maximum aerodynamic efficiency. At the back there’s a wide diffuser and the tail lights sit beneath the dynamic rear spoiler. Seen here with teal ‘Verde Costiera’ paintwork, the colour aims to emulate the reflections in the sea along the Amalfi coast.

It’s a strange world we live in where physical steering wheel buttons are a standout feature of a Ferrari, but here we are. Following feedback, Ferrari has swapped out the touch sensitive controls for traditional buttons and it has also reinstated its well-known red engine start button. The rest of the interior has also been updated, and the central 10.25-inch screen now floats above the centre console. Either side of this the driver and passenger have their own cocoon-like space. The drive gets a 15.6-inch digital display while the passenger has their own 8.8-inch screen to play with. There’s even the option to choose from three sizes of massaging comfort seats.

The Amalfi uses the same 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine from the Roma, but Ferrari has tweaked it to increase the power and to make it lighter. This gives the Amalfi up to 640 horsepower and reduces the 0-62mph time to 3.3 seconds. Ferrari says it has optimised the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox to provide smoother gear changes. Meanwhile, a new exhaust silencer should allow the Amalfi to comply with noise regulations without losing its tone. The introduction of brake-by-wire technology should make the Amalfi’s braking more efficient, while a combination of sensors and systems control the amount of braking force applied to each wheel. In theory this should make the Amalfi easy to drive in all conditions.

Ferrari hasn’t given us any prices but based on the Roma it replaces, don’t expect much change from £200,000. The Amalfi will be showcased at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and deliveries are expected from next year.

This year Ferrari will have the new lightweight 296 Speciale on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed while the F80 and 12 Cilindri will both take part in the iconic hill climb.

It’s hard to compete with a Ferrari but it doesn’t stop other brands trying. The Amalfi’s closest rivals include the Aston Martin DB12, Porsche 911 and Maserati GranTurismo.