Is it just me, or does Ferrari have a bit of a desirability problem right now? The cars are objectively astounding, yet there’s lots of controversy and depreciation to go around. The love/hate proposition of the 849 Testarossa, surprisingly low resale values for the SF90 Stradale, the bits of plastic trim on the 12Cilindri, the fact that the flagship F80 hypercar only features a V6 … for a second, it felt like Ferrari had lost its object-of-desire touch, but the Amalfi Spider shows that the Modenese company still knows how to do it.
If you aren’t familiar with the Ferrari Amalfi, that’s okay, it’s basically just a heavy update of the Roma grand tourer. Think less braceface and a little more … Prelude or Prius. That’s not to say electrification plays a role here, as you still get a thumping twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood, but instead a revised front end that looks more generic yet far cleaner. Indeed, a lot of effort seems to have gone into tidying things up, from cleaner taillights to removing the weird slab of black plastic on the Spider’s trunk lid. The end result is simply beautiful, almost carrying a whiff of 275 GTB4 NART Spider. You just know that this grand tourer had devilishly handsome ancestors.
Spacer
However, you know what makes grand touring even more special? The open air. That’s why the Amalfi Spider keeps a largely vestigial pair of rear seats but swaps a tin top for fabric. Ferrari claims this five-layer Z-fold top offers the best of both worlds, stowing below deck in 13.5 seconds while offering the same sort of top-up noise insulation as a folding metal roof. Best of all, it only measures 8.67 inches thick when fully folded, which keeps the silhouette low and allows for a modest amount of cargo space in full sunshine mode. Okay, 6.07 cu.-ft. isn’t a great deal of space, but it does beat out the top-down capacity of the Aston Martin DB12. Plus, if you don’t want to ruffle your coiff too much, a motorized wind deflector can extend from the rear seat backrest. Nice.
Inside the Amalfi Spider, the big news is that, like in the coupe, buttons are back. Ferrari rightfully caught some flak a few years back for going capacitive-touch with things like their start buttons and general steering wheel controls, so now we’re in the midst of a rightful course correction. Okay, the new center stack is still screen-heavy, but everything else you twiddle is a button, switch, or knob. It’s the sort of craftsmanship you’d really expect from an exotic grand tourer, really.
Of course, usability and the promise of a hushed cabin often aren’t the reasons people buy Ferraris. That would be power, and the Amalfi Spider is right on track. Its 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged flat-plane crank V8 gains 20 horsepower compared to the variant in the preceding Roma Spider, and Magna’s familiar eight-speed, dual-clutch transaxle helps balance weight distribution while clicking off blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shifts.
Ferrari claims zero-to-62 mph in 3.3 seconds, suitably rapid stuff. At the same time, a combination of adaptive dampers, an electronically variable limited-slip differential, Ferrari’s latest stability control system, and clever aerodynamics complete with an active wing, promises to keep things composed when blasting up a mountain range. After all, this is a grand tourer, and grand touring often comes with bumps, slick patches, and unexpected gravel.
So, what we have here is a grand touring cabriolet that’s potent, more user-friendly than before, and simply gorgeous. On paper, the Ferrari Amalfi Spider ticks all the boxes. It’s a Ferrari dripping with desire, and considering how controversial recent models like the 849 Testarossa have been, this infusion of want is exactly what the company needed. Expect the Amalfi Spider to go on sale early next year, although don’t expect a bargain. The Amalfi coupe already starts at $266,810, and dropping the roof will likely only raise the price.
Top graphic image: Ferrari
I’d rather live in Amalfi than drive one.
Wanted to see what it looks like with the top up and found ONE pic.
I think it’s a pretty clean design for a Ferrari.
I do wonder why they included unusable rear seats…
Spot on! As someone that has really grown to appreciate Ferrari’s front engined Grand Tourers, I covet one of these over the more dramatic ones these days There is something about it’s simple lines and elegance that really speaks to me. I guess I’ve also reached the age where my fantasies are of the Grace Kellyish lady in a headscarf riding shotgun with the top down on The Riviera, rather than the scantily-clad hot young malnourished model. I’ve already got the 6ft tall blond-haired blue-eyed French girl but lack the Prancing Horse Cabrio. Who knows what the future will bring(not likely). Yes, I know Monaco isn’t part of France and Grace was American but cut me some slack and give me a little poetic license.
Looks an awful lot like an F-type. Not that it’s a bad thing, but when you can get a big honkin’ supercharged V8 wrapped in a similar beautiful body for 20% of the cost, you’re just badge shopping. I know the badge exclusivity is a huge appeal of owning a ferrari, but still. I’d throw in an Aston for middle ground between the two, also a stunning car.
The convertible prelude no one was missing
Front end looks like a Honda.
Toyota’s outsourced sports cars look better or are at least more interesting to look at in the case of the Supra. Too much visual mass in the rear, Toyota-signature front end, and too much height over the front wheel well that makes it look like it should be little more than a GR86/Miata competitor or a next gen Supra at best. Even the wheels look like they’re designed for a much lower end car. The F-Type was a hell of a lot better looking, even the facelift. The fat ass on this reminds me of the ugly California, the last Ferrari offered with a manual and none of Ferrari’s typical poser clientele ordered one (OK, 2 people bought them and my neighbor’s is not one of them).
No gated manual, no interest at all. Pretty on the outside, still dire on the inside. And it needs “eyes” not eye-slits. But the shape is great – and I love that color.