In 2019, Ferrari did something unusual for the company: They released an "entry-level" model in the Roma. It wasn't a track-smoker like their 488 or Superfast, but a GT car (Gran Turismo or Grand Touring, i.e. designed for cruising).

The $219,000 base price isn't what most of us think of as entry-level, but the vehicle was designed to be more accessible and less aggressive than the rest of their line-up, in a bid to woo first-time buyers. (The bulk of Ferrari customers are repeat buyers for whom the aggressive designs and challenging driving experience of their other models is the point.)

The strategy worked, boosting sales, scooping up first-time buyers and increasing Ferrari's profit. Now the brand is retiring the Roma, and replacing it with the Amalfi, whose design language veers even further away from the company's hypercar aesthetics.

The Amalfi is stunningly soft where their other models are hard, is more monolithic than angular, and favors wonderfully restrained (for Ferrari) surfacing rather than statement-making slashes.

And unusually for a Ferrari, the car's "face" is practically friendly.

"The exterior design of the Ferrari Amalfi is inspired by a sleek, monolithic speedform that gives it a strong and dynamic identity. A minimalist approach that defines a sculpted and refined body," the company says.

The car's long nose is to accommodate the "front mid" engine position. This is where it's placed in front of the driver but aft of the front axle, in order to improve weight distribution, without taking the extreme step of making it a true mid-engine and obviating the 2+2 seating layout.

The Amalfi's rear end is likely to miff Aston Martin's designers, bearing more than a strong resemblance to the DB12 and Vantage.

Inside, the designers have made a wise, user-based decision. Following customer feedback on the Roma—in which much of the interior controls were digitized—the designers have relented and re-introduced physical buttons and controls. I wish automotive designers of all brands would absorb this simple lesson.

The color, too, is a striking departure for the brand. Rather than red, white or black, the Amalfi features a new Verde Costiera (translation: "Coastal Green") hue, inspired by the model's namesake Amalfi Coast.

Entry-level though the Amalfi may be, it's still faster than every car you've ever been in. The twin-turbo V8 catapults it from 0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds.

The car starts at $283,000.

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