Ferrari Amalfi 2026 review

You wouldn’t want your first Ferrari to be a disappointment, and that’s why the entry-level Prancing Horse needs to feel almost as special as an 849 Testarossa yet also be accessible to the first-time buyer.

The latest iteration of Ferrari’s front-engined V8 coupe is the Amalfi. It’s the most exotically named yet (following California and Roma) and, to this writer’s eyes, the sleekest looking. It sits on the Roma’s basic chassis but Ferrari says all panels bar the glass-house are new.

With long-nose proportions and a more tasteful grille treatment reminiscent of the Purosangue and 12Cilindri, the Flavio Manzoni-styled Amalfi cuts the right shapes.

There’s also a slightly old-school edge to the un-hybridised Amalfi. Sure there’s a twin-turbo V8 and three screens, but it still seems to rally against the electric Luce at the other end of the Ferrari spectrum with classic performance tactics and packaging.

When we’re talking Ferraris, at least, the Amalfi’s pricing isn’t outrageous. At $503,261 for the Coupe and now $569,400 for the Spider, it’s more achievable than a Porsche 911 Turbo S ($598,000) and Lamborghini Temerario ($613,885).

That said, all of those prices are before on-road costs and options. The main Amalfi Coupe pictured, which we drove on roads we know very well following the Australian reveal of the Amalfi Spider, was optioned up to $644,566, before on-road costs.

Options include Blu Vietri paint, Santorini Blu leather with Nera Alcantara carpets, Giallo Ravello stitching, leather headliner, powered seats, chrome wheels, yellow calipers, Scuderia Ferrari shield, matte aluminium exhaust tips, soft-close doors and a carbon-fibre steering wheel with LED lights.

How does the Amalfi drive?

We’re promised the Amalfi is one of the most drivable Ferrari’s ever. To the hairy-chested old school that may sound unexciting, but the truth is the Amalfi very much deserves its badge – it’s just a little more refined, approachable and soothing.

Trundling down a gravel driveway, the Amafli’s short front overhang means you needn’t worry about using the optional front-axle lift system. With the red anodised Manettino switch in Wet or Comfort mode the ride is amazingly absorbent on the Amalfi’s magnetorheological dampers, too.

Sport and Race are noticeably firmer but this can be back off by thumbing the ‘Bumpy Road’ mode – ideal for Australia’s rough tarmac.

Pulling onto the main road is a chance to exercise the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8, which has been extensively reengineered for its outing in the Amalfi.

Changes include a redesigned engine block that’s about a kilogram lighter, lower viscosity oil to improve efficiency and a new exhaust system that heats up the catalytic converter faster.

Not exactly the sexiest list of changes but the engine is tractable, supremely responsive and effective. It delivers 760Nm between 3000 and 5750rpm and peak power of 463kW at 7500rpm – 100rpm short of the red-line.

An eight-speed ‘wet’ dual-clutch transmission sends drive to the rear wheels with more powerful computers than the Roma for smoother, quicker shifts. It’s a wonderful transmission with just enough clunkiness built-in to feel a little bit motorsport, and therefore special. The huge, column-mounted carbon shift paddles help here.

The flat-plane crank V8’s note isn’t a piercing shriek or deep below, rather a slightly two-dimensional bark that’s closer to a McLaren V8 than a 12Cilindri. The engine is a very able supporting agent but not the Amalfi’s defining element.

That comes a little later, when the road heads downhill and Ferrari’s electrical chassis wizardry gets its time in the sun. Funnily enough, the Amalfi’s brake-by-wire left pedal is its most impressive feature.

It’s firm, confident and hooked up to ‘ABS Evo’ which is pretty much what it says on the tin, with smarter, faster computers that let the driver utilise every skerrick of grip from the tyres under braking.

No lock-up, no unpleasant pedal kickback, just more stopping power further into the bend than you imagined possible. This system has appeared in other Ferrari’s which you expect to have a level of supernatural turn-in but is a surprising positive in the more subdued Amalfi.

Being able to set the car up on the way in means that you carry rotation through the corner as the Amalfi rolls just-so onto its outside rear wheel, ready to fire out the other side of the corner. It’s here you experience Ferrari’s next concoction, Side Slip Control 6.1 with more sensors and faster computers to “assess tyre-to-tarmac grip levels”.

You need to be deliberate with the long-travel accelerator on exit; Comfort keeps things neat, tidy and in-check, while Sport makes it clear the Amalfi is rear-wheel drive.

In Race mode things get more exciting as the e-diff and looser traction control deliver heroically controlled slip angles. It’s foolproof, fun, and there’s ESC Off for the real hard-core.

Signature sharp Ferrari steering guides the featherlight front axle, which is set a long way forward from the driver in the Amalfi. There isn’t much feel but plenty of accuracy which, teamed with expertly-tuned aids, make this coupe supremely agile despite the lack of rear-axle steer.

There are some aerodynamic changes though none of them spoil the Amalfi’s sleek lines. Ferrari has revised the underbody to work better with the deployable rear wing which now contributes up to 110kg of downforce at 250km/h in high downforce mode.

For all-important Top Trumps stats, the Amalfi performs well: Ferrari is claiming 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds, then 200km/h in 9.0 seconds on its way to a 320km/h top speed. Without a racetrack or Autobahn, though, we weren’t able to verify these claims.

How is the Amalfi’s interior?

Inside, the Amalfi adopts the hallmarks of the current era of Ferrari, with new screens, a jewel-like key that sits face-up in a bespoke spot and a return to mostly physical steering wheel switches.

The last change makes interacting with the many settings far more natural, even the thumb-level indicators work well in practice.

There’s more to the round(ish) command centre than on the face of it too — flash the headlights with the paddle on the back of the wheel, same for wiper wash, and the volume scroll is back there, too. It can be bewildering at first but the key controls all fall to hand just-so.

Thankfully, the Amalfi also signals the return of a low-set centre screen through which media, including wireless Apple CarPlay, runs. You’ll find some vehicle settings in here as well, though much of that (including disabling active safety systems) remains through the bright and easy-to-see digital driver’s display.

An optional passenger display, too, allows the co-driver to change music and view how frighteningly quickly the car might be travelling.

On the centre console is a simple, elegant shifter layout that nods to a gated manual selector. There’s no ‘Park’ per se, you simply engage the electronic parking brake and the Amalfi stays in place. Neutral is found by pulling both paddles towards you.

The firm seats are set low with plenty of bolstering. The Amalfi’s driving position remains typically Italian, ideal for those with shorter legs and longer arms. Taller drivers may struggle with headroom if wearing a helmet.

The sheer customisation on offer is typically astounding, with different materials, colours and finishes available for almost every trim piece in the cabin – and that’s without going into the higher-end Atelier options.

And everything is high quality. The scent and suppleness of the leathers used and precision stitching set the Amalfi apart even more in person. It even has a warm, rich sound system for long motorway slogs.

As a ‘plus-two’ the Amalfi has back seats, though even kids will want to keep their time back there to a minimum. Luggage space is best described as ‘adequate’ for those who’ll consider an Amalfi. You can also fold the second row flat to extend the cargo area.

What are the Amalfi’s ownership costs?

Ferrari’s digital driver display doesn’t show anything as vulgar as litres of fuel used per 100km in the Amalfi, instead it’s a range approximation that’s based on driving style.

From a generous 80-litre tank, our Amalfi was reading around 600km to empty during spirited driving. On a cruise, you’d be able to cover around 750km between fill-ups of 98 RON unleaded.

Though there’s no published prices, Ferrari offers a seven-year extended maintenance program for the Amalfi, and recommends a trip to the dealer annually, or every 20,000km, whichever comes first.

The honest verdict

Driving the Amalfi is a flattering experience. The expertly-calibrated driver aids are Ferrari’s call-sign these days and manage to smooth the sharp edges that might be off-putting to first-time owners.

And yet there’s still plenty of meat on the bone. In more hard-core drive modes, the Amalfi delivers smiles for the experienced driver – even if those looking for the most connected sports car may be better served by similarly-priced Porsche 911 GT3s and McLarens.

With its desirable looks, its brilliant all-round driving experience and the endless customisation, the Amalfi is a triumph as an accessible yet satisfying Ferrari.