Stunning Roma-replacing Ferrari Amalfi revealed

7NEWS

20 hours ago

Ferrari has unveiled its latest interpretation of the grand tourer theme, with the sublimely sculpted 2026 Ferrari Amalfi taking over the baton from the Roma coupe that launched in 2020.
Although it's a comprehensive evolution – rather than an all-new car – enough has changed to warrant the switch to the Amalfi moniker, which is inspired by the stunning 50km stretch of coastline in south-western Italy along the Sorrentine Peninsula.
First Australian customer deliveries of the Ferrari Amalfi are due to take place in the second half of 2026, and buyers won't be left with too much (if any) change out of $500,000 by the time they option the car to their liking.
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The core building blocks of the Amalfi are as per the Roma, but Ferrari has focused on sharpening all elements of its dynamics. The powertrain, chassis control systems, steering and braking are all revised to yield a package that, according to the Italian brand, provides a significantly broader spread between relaxed touring capability and hard-edged performance.
So much so that Ferrari's chief marketing and commercial officer, Enrico Galliera, says: 'Previously we referred to it as a GT, but now we call it 'sportscar driver'.'
That's obviously marketing-speak, but there may be a grain of truth in his words.
More significant still is the fact that the main polarising elements of the Roma have been successfully addressed – namely that awkward perforated grille and the hit-and-miss haptic controls on the steering wheel, which are now replaced by physical buttons, plus the return of an aluminium start button.
Visually, the Amalfi (which carries over no body panels from the Roma) shares a clear 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 theme is applied at the rear, where the tail-lights are 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's claimed to generate 110kg of downforce over the rear axle at 250km/h.
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 smoother airflow. There is also a hidden duct above each headlight that helps lower under-bonnet temperatures, as well as reduce pressure build-up.
There's an aggressive diffuser at the rear, and its elaborate high-tech structure provides an interesting contrast to the clean surfaces above it.
Overall, there's a great visual purity to the Amalfi and it's hard to find a bad angle on the car. Ferrari chief design officer Flavio Manzoni describes the styling theme as 'beauty through simplicity', and it's an apt description. There's a pleasing minimalism to the car's surfacing, with little to distract from its smooth voluptuous contours.
As alluded to earlier, the Amalfi isn't merely a cosmetic makeover, as all the oily bits underneath have also been reworked.
At the car's heart is again the F154 90-degree, flat-plane V8 that displaces 3855cc, 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 471kW (456kW for the Roma), although torque remains unchanged at 760Nm. The engine redlines at 7600rpm.
The power increase is the result of a new turbocharging management system, enabling independent control of the rotational speed of the two turbochargers and an increase in the maximum turbo speed up to 171,000rpm.
Ferrari says this approach improves throttle response and boosts pressure control precision, thanks also to the introduction of dedicated pressure sensors for each cylinder bank.
The Amalfi sprints from 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.3 seconds (0.1 seconds sooner than the Roma), while 200km/h flashes past in a claimed 9.0 seconds (0.3 seconds 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 setup including its low-inertia turbines.
A key technical change for the Amalfi is the introduction of a brake-by-wire system, bringing the car in line with the 296 GTB/GTS, Purosangue and 12Cilindri.
Rather than diluting pedal feel, Fulgenzi says the new ABS Evo setup enhances modulation, reduces pedal travel and significantly improves braking efficiency. The Amalfi is capable of coming to a standstill from 100km/h in just 30.8 metres, while 200km/h is wiped off in 119.5 metres, says Ferrari.
A further advancement is the evolved grip estimation system that works in tandem with the electrically power-assisted steering. In this new iteration, grip estimation is said to be 10 per cent faster and more accurate, even on surfaces with very low traction.
Mr Fulgenzi says the 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.
He 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-à-vis the Roma. There's again a pronounced dual-cockpit layout in which the driver and passenger are each ensconced within their own domain, but a lower-set centre console creates the perception of more cabin space.
The central tunnel is milled from a block of anodised aluminium and houses the gear selector gate, key slot, wireless phone charging pad, and secondary controls.
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 the passenger gets their own 8.8-inch screen that displays parameters such as G-force and engine revs.
As alluded to earlier, the biggest improvement is that the haptic switches on the steering wheel have been banished in favour of physical buttons.
The controls are functionally distributed: on the steering wheel's left spoke are the ADAS controls, adaptive cruise control, phone, and voice command burrons, while on the right are the selectors for display views, windscreen wipers, and indicators. On the back, two rotary dials manage volume and radio station selection.
Connectivity is provided by Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the car is also equipped with the MyFerrari Connect system, which allows remote monitoring of the vehicle's status via a dedicated app.
Optional features include comfort seats available in three sizes and equipped with 10 air chambers for the massage function – with five programs and three intensity levels – together with ventilation for both the seat base and backrest.
Also optional is a Burmester Premium Audio System that promises to belt out banging beats, thanks to 14 speakers and 1200 Watts of power.
Twenty-inch rims (shod with 245/35 R20 rubber at the front and 285/35 R20 boots at the rear) are standard issue, and Mr Fulgenzi says this delivers a good balance between ride quality and cornering grip. Ferrari says it worked with Bridgestone and Pirelli in developing optimal tyres for the Amalfi.
The Amalfi's launch colour is Verde Costiera, a striking shade of green that's meant to mimic the reflections off the sea adjacent to the Amalfi Coast. It's complemented by Verde Bellagio interior trim.
As with the Roma, Ferrari expects roughly half of all Amalfi buyers to be new to the prancing horse brand, with sales spread fairly evenly across the major global regions.