NEW AMALFI REVEALED AS 631BHP 'ACCESSIBLE' FERRARI

Entry-level Ferrari gets new name, fresh styling and updated V8

- WILLRIMELL

The new 631bhp Ferrari Amalfi has been unveiled as the firm's new entry-level model, with more power, overhauled styling and revamped aerodynamics compared with its Roma predecessor.

Its underpinnings are shared with the Roma, but Ferrari says it is an all-new model, with nearly every panel changed and the front-mounted 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 extensively reworked.

That reworking means the Amalfi is a more powerful proposition than the car it replaces, with an output of 631bhp - an increase of 19bhp. Torque remains at 561lb ft, and power is delivered via the same eight-speed dual-clutch transmission for a 0-62mph time of 3.3sec, 0.1sec quicker than the Roma.

While those increases in power and speed seem modest, Ferrari has instead concentrated on making the engine more responsive when operating in higher gears, especially third and fourth. This is most apparent in its 0-124mph time, which now takes 9.0sec - cut by 0.6sec.

Key to this increased responsiveness is a 1.3kg-lighter camshaft, which also allows for a higher engine revolution speed, the fitment of the 12Cillindri's Bosch-made ECU, which optimises engine performance, and new ducts in the headlights to send more air to the turbochargers while also reducing drag.

Yet while it possesses more power, one of the entry-level Ferrari's key focus areas was accessibility, according to product development chief Gianmaria Fulgenzi. As a result, the Amalfi is one of the most “drivable” Ferrari's ever made, which is important because 50% of Roma buyers had never driven a Ferrari before, according to Fulgenzi.