Ferrari reveals sublime Amalfi grand tourer to succeed the Roma coupe

The National

3 days ago

Ferrari has revealed a stunningly proportioned grand tourer – the Amalfi – conceived to succeed the Roma coupe that debuted in 2020.
Although it's an extensive revamp, rather than an all-new car, enough has changed to warrant the switch to the Amalfi moniker, which is inspired by the breathtaking 50km stretch of coastline in south-western Italy along the Sorrentine Peninsula.
The new entrant is due on sale in the UAE in the first half of 2026 and, although official pricing is yet to be announced, it is expect it to be about Dh1m. That represents a slight increase on the Dh955,000 start price for the superseded Roma coupe.
The key ingredients of the Amalfi are as per the Roma, but Ferrari has focused on honing all elements of its dynamics. The power-train, chassis control systems, steering and braking are all upgraded to yield a package that, according to the company, provides a significantly broader spread between relaxed touring capability and hard-edged performance.
However, more noteworthy is the fact that the main suboptimal elements of the Roma have been successfully remedied – namely that unappealing perforated grille, plus the hit-and-miss haptic controls on the steering wheel, now replaced by physical buttons, plus the return of an aluminium start button.
With not a single body panel carried over from the Roma, the Amalfi shares a marked family resemblance with the 12Cilindri, sporting slit-like headlights that peer out from within a dark recessed band positioned below a visor-mimicking panel at the front.
A similar stylistic treatment is used at the rear, with the taillights hidden within what Ferrari refers to as 'graphical cuts'. An active rear spoiler with three positions – Low Drag, Medium Downforce and High Downforce – is neatly integrated into the rump, and in its most aggressive setting it generates 110kg of downforce over the rear axle at 250kph.
The wing remains in Low Drag or Medium Downforce mode on straights, with the High Downforce setting only being triggered under hard braking or when cornering at speed.
Ferrari says it has worked extensively on the Amalfi's aero, and even the underfloor has been optimised for smooth airflow. There is also a hidden duct above each headlight that helps lower under-bonnet temperatures as well as reducing pressure build-up.
There's a great visual purity to the Amalfi and it's hard to find a bad angle on the car. The curvaceous coupe's surfacing is minimalistic, with little to distract from its smooth voluptuous contours.
The Amalfi retains the Roma's 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8, but it features lightweight new camshafts (they save 1.3kg) and even the engine block has been redesigned (saving another 1kg). Peak power has been bumped up to 640hp (620hp for the Roma), although torque remains unchanged at 760Nm.
The Amalfi sprints from 0-100kph in a claimed 3.3 sec (0.1 sec faster than the Roma), while 0-200kph is dispatched in 9.0 sec (0.3 sec quicker than the Roma).
Although the raw numbers aren't dramatically changed, Ferrari's chief product development officer, Gianmaria Fulgenzi, says the perception from behind the wheel is of a car with much sharper responses, thanks to the V8's lower reciprocating masses and revised turbocharger set-up with its low-inertia turbines.
In addition, enhancements to braking, steering and chassis-control systems has enabled a greater dynamic spread between the Wet and Comfort drive modes to the more aggressive Sport, Race and ESC Off settings.
Fulgenzi emphasises that the Amalfi still comes across as a thoroughly safe and non-intimidating car, as its target audience is generally not seeking the hardcore driving experience that the 296 and SF90 serve up.
The Amalfi also represents a notable step forward in cabin comfort and aesthetics vis-a-vis the Roma. There's again a pronounced dual-cockpit layout whereby the driver and passenger are each ensconced within their own domain, but a lower-set centre console creates the perception of more cabin space.
Facing the driver is a 'monolithic' instrument cluster that houses a 15.6-inch digital display panel with all key information able to be easily taken in at a glance. A horizontal 10.25-inch infotainment screen in the centre replaces the old portrait screen, while passengers get their own 8.8-inch screen that displays parameters such as g-forces and engine revs.