First Drive: Ferrari’s Amalfi brings more of a good thing
Ferrari has sharpened its Roma coupe and transformed it into the Amalfi – but is it any good? Jack Evans finds out.
What is it?
But never one to sit back and remain complacent, Ferrari has seen fit to update its Roma and, in transforming a number of areas of this stylish coupe, has changed its name, too. Enter the Amalfi – Ferrari’s new entry point to its line-up. We’ve been driving it in Portugal to see what has changed.
What’s new?
In many ways, user-friendliness has been thought about in the Amalfi, too. Gone are the haptic-style buttons on the steering wheel, replaced by much simpler physical controls. The glowing and touch-sensitive starter switch of the Roma has been ditched, with the fully physical red starter button of the Amalfi harking back to a feature fitted to leagues of iconic Ferrari models, dating back to the original 360 of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
What’s under the bonnet?
A new brake-by-wire system helps to bring improved stopping power and a more natural pedal feel, no matter the conditions outside. Called ABS Evo, it’s a system that we’ve already seen put to good use on the brand’s 296 GTS hybrid supercar and in the Amalfi, it aims to provide a more efficient and predictable braking experience.
What’s it like to drive?
But that’s not to say that this can’t still act like a ‘true’ Ferrari. Switch into a sportier driver setting and the whole car sharpens and tightens, with that V8 engine feeling stronger than ever. In fact, for what is effectively the ‘entry-level’ Ferrari, the Amalfi delivers near-absurd levels of performance and far more than what anyone would realistically need on a daily basis. One element where the Amalfi doesn’t feel quite as intuitive, however, is the steering; it is very, very quick and quite light, so on some occasions can lead the car to feeling a touch nervous. It’s a common feature among Ferraris, but once you’re used to it, you soon settle into this characteristic – it could just be a little disconcerting for new Ferrari owners.
How does it look?
There’s quite a big difference at the rear, however, as the Amalfi now gets an electronically adjustable wing. Fully automatic, it switches between low, medium and high downforce levels depending on the car’s speed or acceleration. Ferrari says it can generate up to 110kg of downforce at 155mph, in fact.
What’s it like inside?
The general fit-and-finish is good, too, with the front seats providing good support. It’s best to see the rear seats of the Amalfi as ‘occasional’ and only for children at that – a full-sized adult isn’t going to be able to sit there. A 273-litre boot provides enough space for some soft weekend bags or a decent amount of shopping, too.
What’s the spec like?
The Amalfi comes with a range of assistance systems as standard, too, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and blind spot detection. However, the good news is that all of these systems – which can be a little distracting at times – can be easily switched off via three presses of a dedicated button on the steering wheel.
Verdict
It’s a case of refinement with the Ferrari Amalfi. Both inside and out, this car feels more intuitive and easier to understand than its predecessor, which, as a gateway for the Ferrari brand, it should be. However, it hasn’t lost any Ferrari sparkle in the process and still feels special both inside and out.
The quick steering may take some getting used to, but in every other area, the Amalfi is a car which feels at the top of its game.
