Why the Amalfi Spider Falls Just Short of Its Coupe Sibling

Ferrari's most accessible convertible has landed: the Amalfi Spider, the soft-top evolution of the Amalfi coupe that replaced the Roma. A first drive in southern Greece found a car that handles, rides and brakes with conviction, yet one that has been muted into near silence by European noise regulations — and that single flaw is enough to push its reviewer back toward the fixed-roof version.

Mechanically the Spider mirrors the coupe. Its 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 produces 631 hp at 7,500 rpm and 561 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm, channeled through an eight-speed transaxle to the rear axle. The convertible trades 190 pounds for open-air freedom, compensated by an extensive stiffening package; the unchanged five-layer acoustic roof means the car feels virtually coupe-rigid with the top up. New for this generation are a repositioned infotainment screen, a redesigned interior with physical steering-wheel controls, and the ABS Evo braking system first seen in the 296 GTB.

The disappointment arrives when the roof drops. Engineered around Europe's noise limits, the exhaust is so quiet that little of the V-8's howl reaches the cabin at speed — frustratingly, the car sounds far better with the roof raised. With a starting price estimated at around $300,000, roughly 10 percent above the coupe, the Amalfi Spider lines up against the Bentley Continental GTC and Aston Martin DB12 Volante. Among those rivals, the Ferrari remains the driver's pick; the question buyers will face is whether a muted top-down experience justifies the premium.

Where the Amalfi Spider's Character Gets Muffled

The Amalfi Spider's silence is not an engineering failure but a regulatory one. Ferrari built the exhaust to satisfy tightening European drive-by noise limits, a constraint every performance brand now wrestles with. The result is a character dilemma: the open-air experience loses its signature sound.

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The Regulatory Squeeze on the Entry-Level Ferrari

Stricter noise standards have reshaped how European-market sports cars are packaged. The Amalfi Spider's subdued exhaust reflects that reality, and the reviewer notes Ferrari can hardly be blamed for compliance. Still, the practical consequence is that the convertible's core promise — wind and unrestricted soundtrack — is only half fulfilled. Enthusiasts chasing the raw experience may find themselves shopping for aftermarket exhausts, a market this model's launch benefits.

The Coupe Case Strengthens

Ferrari's stiffening package has effectively erased the traditional convertible penalty: the Spider handles nearly identically to the coupe despite the added weight. That removes the old rationale for choosing the fixed roof for driving purity. What remains is price and sound: the coupe costs about 10 percent less and, by the reviewer's account, sounds better even with the roof up. With the dynamic gap closed, those two factors tip the scale toward the coupe.

What to Check Before Ordering the Spider Over the Coupe

While most buyers will base the choice on taste, the review points to concrete checks:

  • Listen before you order: the standard exhaust is heavily muted under European noise rules and the car sounds better with the roof up, so a top-down test drive is essential.
  • Weigh the premium: the Spider costs roughly 10 percent more than the coupe — around $300,000 — for a soundtrack that may disappoint.
  • Consider space honestly: the trunk fits two small carry-ons and the rear seats are not suitable for adults, so treat it as a strict two-seat grand tourer.
  • If open-air driving is the priority, the handling penalty is minimal: the 190-pound weight difference is offset by a stiffening package that leaves behavior close to the coupe.