- Ferrari reveals Amalfi Spider as successor to the Roma Spider.
- Fabric roof opens in 13.5 seconds at speeds up to about 37 mph.
- Twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 produces 631 hp in this model.
Ferrari is deep into the development of its first fully electric model, the Lucce. Even so, the company is not easing off its internal combustion lineup. Instead, Maranello has introduced a new entry-level convertible called the Amalfi Spider, which steps in for the recently retired Roma Spider.
The newcomer arrives about eight months after the Amalfi Coupe. Much of the car looks familiar, as the Spider carries over the coupe’s design, cabin updates, and mechanical improvements, adding a retractable fabric roof to complete the open-top formula.
More: Something New Is Brewing For Ferrari’s V12 Purosangue
Visually, the Spider is a topless Amalfi, plain and simple. The familiar shape remains, but the Amalfi’s details, like the slimmer lighting units, a smoother grille-less nose, revised bumpers, a more sculpted profile, and a set of sexier 20-inch alloy wheels, are all in place.
The roof itself comes in four colors of tailor-made fabric and two shades of technical fabric with a distinctive weave pattern. It takes 13.5 seconds to open at speeds of up to 37 mph (60 km/h), and its five-layer construction provides soundproofing and heat insulation comparable to a retractable hardtop, similar to the system used in the discontinued Portofino.
More: Ferrari Gifts Every Worker $18K After Making More Money Selling Fewer Cars
The 2+2 cabin features a redesigned center console, anchored by a 10.25-inch infotainment display and paired with a 15.6-inch digital instrument cluster, plus a slender 8.8-inch passenger display. The model also comes equipped with an ADAS suite and Ferrari’s signature Manettino, which allows drivers to select between Wet, Comfort, Sport, Race, and ESC-Off modes.
Practicality still takes a back seat, though Ferrari does provide a usable trunk. With the roof raised, luggage space measures 255 lt (9 cubic feet). Drop the roof and capacity shrinks to 172 lt (6.1 cubic feet). That is technically less room than a Fiat Panda offers, but buyers shopping for an Italian supercar with a V8 soundtrack are unlikely to worry about grocery runs.
Twin-Turbo V8 Power
The Amalfi Spider is powered by a twin-turbo 3.9-liter V6 producing 631 hp (471 kW / 640 PS) and 560 lb-ft (760 Nm) of torque. This matches the coupe and represents an increase of 20 hp (15 kW) over the Roma Spider. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox.
Convertible models are typically a little slower due to the extra weight of the roof mechanism, but the Amalfi Spider still accelerates from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in a coupe-matching 3.3 seconds. The difference becomes clear in the 0-124 mph (0-200 km/h) sprint, which takes 9.4 seconds instead of 9 seconds flat. Top speed remains unchanged at 199 mph (320 km/h).
Ferrari has yet to reveal official pricing for the Amalfi Spider, though the convertible will almost certainly sit a notch above the Amalfi Coupe on the price list. The hardtop currently starts at $283,000 in the States, which gives a reasonable hint at where the open-top version will land.
In that part of the market, the Amalfi Spider will find itself among some familiar rivals. Alternatives include the Aston Martin Vantage Roadster, Mercedes-AMG SL 63, Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, and Maserati MC20 Cielo.
