Ferrari Roma Spider: Bella Machina!
If Signore Enzo Ferrari saw the cars that bore his name today, would he be happy?
The beloved naturally-aspirated V12, the mechanical opera synonymous to Italy has its days numbered.
The 296 is the brand’s first V6 (the Dino never officially left the factory as with a Ferrari badge) is also a hybrid which would have (figuratively) shocked the old man.
But perhaps the biggest shock to Il Signore would be the Purosangue four-door crossover, perhaps the ultimate grand tourer but for all intents and purposes is an SUV. Never in his lifetime did old man Enzo dream that such a vehicle would bear his name.
Thankfully, one model carries on the hallowed tradition of grand touring motoring romance, capturing the explorative spirit of an era long past. Enter the Ferrari Roma.
Previous ‘entry-level’ Ferraris (namely the California and Portofino) have always left many feeling very cold and distant; almost an afterthought to please bean counters who want to open up the brand to more clients and the coffers to more profits. Indeed, a recent article says Ferrari makes roughly ~$93,000 per car they sell. And in 2023, the brand sold 13,663 cars according to Forbes Magazine. You do the math. No wonder Ferrari is one of the most valuable companies in the world and the most profitable car company per vehicle sold.
But the Roma is a proper Ferrari grand tourer. There is a good blend of futurism, retro, mystery and sex appeal all rolled together. You desire it the way you yearn for your lover. From the exotic front fascia framing the traditional egg-crate grill, to the slender sides highlighting the curvaceous hips and the intricately exquisite rump rich in detail, the Roma is full of Easter Eggs to discover, explore and feast your eyes on.
Get in, push your finger on the START button and the direct-injected twin-turbo V8 clears its baritone voice with a roar. The 3.9-liter V8 code named: “Type F154BH” idles intently, making 612hp and a very broad 761 Newton-Meters of torque. It is a perfect grand touring powerplant that has the long legs needed for proper intercontinental driving matched with the high-revving histrionics Ferraris are known for. The rear wheels are driven via an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission also used on the SF90 supercar.
The inside features a massive 16-inch LCD screen for an instrument cluster, a vertically mounted 8.4-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system and a separate panoramic screen for the front passenger. A flat bottom steering wheel houses almost all controls for the horns, lights, wipers and more plus of course the Manettino to change driving modes.
And as with any modern car, the Ferrari Roma is a conscientious steed: A rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring are a few of the advanced driver’s aids available.
The question that should be answered is: How does it drive? Brillante!!! Though the steering is a bit too light, the suspension is perfect! Despite riding low, the Roma has ample suspension stroke, a comfortable ride you can lean on all day and excellent refinement. With the roof down, a cruise at 60-70kph is a serene, enjoyable experience that delivers on all the spine tingling feel good vibes. This is the kind of stuff we all imagined we’d do if we won the lotto: a cruise down the Amalfi Coast, roof down and soaking up the sea, sun and the ambiance. We take a fast, flowing bend with a pronounced dip mid-corner and the Roma never bottomed out despite the extra steering lock and throttle input applied last minute which was meant to intentionally unsettle the Roma. The Roma proceeded to swallow the bump and held its purchase on the road, the 245/35R20 front 285/35R20 rear Pirelli P Zeros (Italian too, of course) staying true and tracking as intended. And just for laughs, we stood on the brakes to really see how great the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes performed, resulting in a rather painful belt mark to the neck and torso thereafter.
We’d like another, much longer stint behind the Roma, ideally a few days and drive it as far as possible to really test its grand touring credentials. It’s probably the sportiest in a field that includes the Aston Martin DB11 and the Bentley Continental GT. But the Roma is the sportiest, and by the looks of it the most comtpact and most well-proportioned, too. So, it’s a real looker. Finished in silver, there’s an air of sophistication otherwise missing if painted in the usual red. Silver brings it forward to the new era. Entry-level or not, the Roma is a proper gran turismo through and through. Il Signore would be proud indeed! Favolosa!!!
