A forgotten Ferrari typically refers to a dust-covered classic hiding in a rural barn, but if you asked most people – even those with a keen interest in cars – to describe an Amalfi, I’m willing to bet you’d be met by some blank looks.
To eliminate any confusion, it’s the successor to the Roma and the latest in a bloodline that stretches back to the introduction of the California in 2008. It’s a controversial car with its front-mounted V8, dual-clutch gearbox and folding metal roof.
As a result, it’s attracted a poser’s tag that subsequent iterations have struggled to shake. This is somewhat unfair, as even the original was quite capable, the turbocharged California T having taken a huge step up in performance.
The Portofino evolved into a seriously accomplished driver’s car. The Roma introduced a coupe variant, at which point the convertible became a soft-top, a choice that continues with the Amalfi. It’s the entry-level Ferrari sports car.
That said, when the coupe starts at $503,261 plus on-roads, these things are relative. It sits in a crowded marketplace, with the Aston Martin Vantage and DB12, Bentley Continental GT, Maserati Gran Turismo, McLaren Artura and Porsche 911 Turbo S all vying for attention.
It’s also intended as the everyday Ferrari sports car, being the only one with ISOFIX-equipped ‘+2’ rear seats, and don’t discount the attraction of that. It’s a lot easier to make the case for a coupe or convertible when it can still do the school run when necessary.
Practical considerations aside, it also sits apart from the rest of the Ferrari range in the way it looks. The angular 849 Testarossa and 12Cilindri are certainly striking, the 296 GTB has some more organic angles, but the curvaceous Amalfi is genuinely beautiful.
And it irons out some of the Roma’s less attractive – to these eyes, at least – features, such as the cheese grater grille. The inside would be equally restrained were it not for the eye-popping Santorini Blu/Giallo Ravello extended leather combination.
It certainly makes an impact, though whether that’s a positive or negative one will likely depend on the individual. It shows what’s possible in terms of personalization, even without dipping into the world of Tailor Made.
It’s also part of the reason this car lists at $644,566 (+ORCs) as-tested, though another is that Ferrari is fond of an options list. This might seem an extraordinary amount of money (and it is), but the 992.2 Turbo S we drove recently was $683,880 (+ORCs).
It’s by no means out of kilter with its competition. It’s a nice interior without having the craftmanship that the likes of Bentley boasts about. There’s plenty of leather with a dash of aluminium here and there too.
Modern conveniences like wireless smartphone mirroring and charging are present, along with toasty heated seats. Physical buttons have replaced the Roma’s haptic controls on the steering wheel, which is welcome, though the steering wheel is now very busy.
Adjusting the HVAC through the touchscreen is also a mild irritation and personally I wish Ferrari hadn’t abandoned the analogue tachometer, but it allows you to arrange a custom preset for the active safety systems.
That’s presumably “Off” for most people, and you activate it with the press of a button. An excellent solution. On the steering wheel is the familiar manettino, which at first glance appears to be the same as every other Ferrari.
Upon closer inspection, however, instead of the Wet, Sport, Race, CT Off and ESP Off settings you find in the 296, 12C and Testarossa, there is Wet, Comfort, Sport, Race and ESP Off.
That Comfort setting is evidence that Ferrari pitches this car as at least offering the possibility of being an everyday driver. The differences are slight, as the brand figured out ride quality quite some time ago and most of its cars are very comfortable for what they are.
The Amalfi just feels calmer and more relaxed. It’s quite refined, the gearbox is smooth, there’s plenty of torque and Comfort offers a fraction more compliance to make this an exceptionally pleasant touring car.
The brakes are a little grabby at low speeds and the seats are firm, but Purosangue aside this is the most habitable Ferrari I’ve driven. Which is all well and good – and certainly better than the alternative – but habitability is not why people buy a prancing horse.
If the price didn’t shatter any pretence that this is an entry level car, then the fact its 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 471kW/760Nm does. The Amalfi is a phenomenally fast car, capable of hitting 100km/h in 3.3 seconds and 200km/h in 9.0 seconds.
That’s on its way to a 320km/h+ top speed, but happily the numbers play second fiddle to the experience.
For all the massive strides that this family of cars has made in terms of power and performance – the original California produced 338kW/485Nm – it’s taken even bigger steps in terms of chassis sophistication.
The California and Portofino manettino offered just Comfort, Sport and ESC Off. Sport was hopelessly restrictive, drastically cutting power if you were anywhere close to the limit, yet ESC Off obviously brought its own issues.
When the Portofino M arrived, it scored the current five-position switch, Race mode unlocking the car’s potential and releasing the shackles without forcing you to operate without electronic assistance.
The Amalfi builds on this and while even Sport will now allow some slip, Race provides the freedom for the car to express itself and move around, while still retaining that safety net in case 471kW meets an unexpected damp or dirty patch on the road.
Effectively, you can drive the Amalfi as hard as you dare without apparent intervention, Ferrari’s electronics systems being some of the best in the business, safe in the knowledge the guardian angel is there if actually required. It’s a beautifully homogenous package.
It’s incredibly fast without the intimidation of the Testarossa and 12Cilindri, boost-by-gear torque mapping improves traction, yet the progressive, linear power delivery allows you to perfectly place the rear tyres on the threshold of slip.
The gearbox doesn’t require a second thought, the brakes are fantastic, there’s some actual communication through the steering – with recent offerings frequently being fast and accurate but a little mute.
The Amalfi’s best attribute is that it makes the limit feel like a gentle slope rather than a cliff edge. In its 12Cilindri big brother the transition from grip to slip is quite abrupt and the experience is dominated by trying to deploy the ridiculous reserves of its incredible engine.
This has its own appeal, but the Amalfi feels much more on your side. Perhaps its limits are lower, but they are more easily accessible. Saying the Ferrari Amalfi is forgotten is perhaps inaccurate, as that implies knowledge that has been lost.
But it is overlooked and underappreciated. It’s a car that speaks relatively softly, especially by Ferrari standards, yet offers one of the most enjoyable driving experiences you’ll come across in a practical, comfortable and beautiful package.
You can find out more on the Ferrari Australasia website, or by talking to your local dealership. To get a low rate finance quote, talk to Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker; Credit One. To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by Ferrari Australasia for independent review purposes. Exhaust Notes Australia has not been paid to review this vehicle.
