Ferrari’s front-engined V8 GTs haven’t always found easy footing. After a shaky start with the California and Portofino, the Roma restored the faith. Now the Amalfi aims to perfect the formula with increased power and the promise of better handling and even greater refinement.

The name change might suggest an entirely new car, but the reality is a heavily revised version of what came before. The design philosophy of the Amalfi appears to be restraint, reining in some of the Roma’s more divisive flourishes. The ‘cheesegrater’ grille is gone, replaced by a slimmer, more cohesive nose with tightly integrated headlamps set within a recessed black band – a treatment that mirrors the Purosangue. The cruise control radar – a visual blight on the Roma’s front valance – is better integrated on the Amalfi.

But while it looks more coherent, it also plays it safer. The Roma at least sparked debate; the Amalfi is more immediately handsome, but less memorable. The bonnet, for instance, is less sculpted than before, the front wings are sanded down, the central power dome is shorter and less pronounced.

Despite the shared wheelbase and glasshouse, there’s a stronger contrast in the side profile, with a prominent “wedge cut” waistline that evolves into the rear haunches. The rear again draws heavily on the Roma, but now features slim 296-style taillights, neatly inset into the body rather than the smoothed-in ‘pebbles’ of old.

Aerodynamics have also played a role in the work of Flavio Manzoni and his team, although once again, the emphasis is on discretion and elegance. A bypass duct above the headlights feeds air into the engine bay, reducing pressure build-up and aiding cooling. Downforce at the front is managed via a pair of vortex generators, plus twin diffusers integrated into the splitter – the latter also directing air to the brakes.

Hidden from view, the underbody has been shaped to maximise efficiency, reduce drag, and better manage airflow. Ferrari says the rear diffuser has been completely reworked, with a central channel designed to “energise the wake and improve high-speed control”.

The integrated active rear wing can assume three positions – Low Drag (LD), Medium Downforce (MD), and High Downforce (HD) – depending on speed, plus longitudinal and lateral forces. In its HD setting, the rear wing is said to generate an additional 110kg of downforce at 250km/h, with less than a 4% increase in drag.

Like the styling, the powertrain starts with the same basic architecture. The twin-turbocharged, 3,855cc ‘F154’ V8 now develops 631bhp at 7,500rpm, up 20bhp on the Roma. Torque, meanwhile, remains unchanged at 560lb-ft (760Nm), delivered between 3,000–5,750rpm.

While the power gain appears modest on paper, the means is anything but. A new ECU derived from the 296 GTB and 12Cilindri can independently control the rotational speed of the two turbochargers, alongside permitting an increase in the maximum turbine speed to 171,000rpm. Throttle response is also improved thanks to the introduction of dedicated pressure sensors for each cylinder bank.

Similar to the 296 Speciale, Ferrari has also fitted lightened camshafts (to the tune of 1.3kg) and redesigned the engine block by employing precision machining to eliminate non-structural material, saving around one kilogram.

Just as important as response is sonic character. Legislation has stifled the voice of even the mighty 12Cilindri, so Ferrari has worked hard on a new silencer and catalyst combination, while the bypass valve also gets dedicated tweaks depending upon the selected drive mode.

The 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox has also received a more powerful control unit allowing it to work more harmoniously with the engine management, improving shift smoothness and speed. As ever, the transmission employs variable torque delivery depending upon the selected ratio, increasing driveability.

The revisions to the powertrain have improved performance, with 0–62mph taking a claimed 3.3 seconds, and 0–124mph dispatched in an impressive 9.0s. Top speed remains the same at 198mph (320km/h). Ferrari claims a dry weight of 1470kg – naturally in the Amalfi’s lightest available configuration – and while Maranello isn’t offering a kerb weight with fluids, the Roma does (1570kg). Given it also quotes a near identical 1,472kg dry, it's safe to assume the Amalfi will be very close to that figure.

Reining in the additional performance is a suite of advanced chassis systems, led by Ferrari’s latest brake-by-wire setup, dubbed ABS Evo. First trialled on the SF90 and refined in the 296 GTB, it now filters down to Ferrari’s so-called entry-level model.

If the 296 is anything to go by, pedal response should be more immediate, dead travel reduced, and modulation under ABS intervention significantly improved.

It forms part of a broader electronic control network governed by Ferrari’s Side Slip Control 6.1. Working off a six-axis sensor, SSC continuously estimates grip and ideal slip angles at each wheel, synchronising steering, torque delivery, damping and braking force in real time. The benefits include sharper stops, smoother deceleration into corners, and more consistent behaviour across surface and temperature changes.

Grip levels are also assessed by an enhanced algorithm within the electric power steering. By monitoring steering load and yaw angle, it estimates how much traction is available – even when the driver isn’t leaning on the tyres. The result is a cleaner, more progressive threshold before the stability systems intervene.

Interestingly, Ferrari has made no mention of suspension or geometry changes for the Amalfi – even the Roma’s tyre size and sidewall dimensions carry over – but there are two bespoke tyre options: the Bridgestone Potenza Sport and Pirelli P Zero. The Manettino settings, however, are said to be revised, being more relaxed in the initial settings, but more aggressive when turned to the right.

Inside, the Amalfi continues the evolutionary design theme. Where the Purosangue and SF90 feel overwrought, and the Roma sometimes leaned too hard into minimalism, the Amalfi strikes a more confident middle ground. The dual-cockpit layout retains the theatrical flair Ferrari’s cabins are known for, but the surfacing looks cleaner, the screen integration more resolved and the material contrasts better considered.

The return to physical buttons on the steering wheel is a positive move, both aesthetically and ergonomically – though touch-sensitive pads still lurk elsewhere. Ferrari’s new 15.6-inch digital instrument cluster is flanked by a central 10.25-inch touchscreen and an optional 8.8-inch passenger display. The latter offers mirrored data such as G-force and revs, but remains more of a novelty rather than a necessity. Wireless phone charging is standard, as is smartphone mirroring via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Burmester continues to supply the flagship audio – this time a 14-speaker, 1,200-watt system with three listening modes. Optional comfort seats are available in three sizes, each with ventilation and massage functionality.

Overall, the cabin still won’t be to everyone’s taste – it’s not timeless in the manner of a Bentley Continental GT or Aston Martin V8 Vantage – but by modern Ferrari standards, the Amalfi’s interior is one of the more balanced executions.

Deliveries are scheduled for early 2026 in mainland Europe, with Italy naturally being the first market. There the Amalfi coupé will retail for €240,000 – around a ten per cent increase on current prices and, give or take, £206,000 at today's exchange rate. UK cars are anticipated to land by the summer. Like the Roma, a Spider variant will follow in due course.