Afraid of driving a Ferrari? The Roma is for you
Bentley, Aston beware - Ferrari's latest model is aimed squarely at a different type of buyer
"La Nuova Dolce Vita." That's how Ferrari summarises the thinking behind its newly announced Roma '2+' coupe. Having revealed the car yesterday to prevent any embargo-busting customer pictures leaking out before the big event (which didn't work) the firm has now officially unveiled its latest model at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
What does Ferrari mean by the phrase? Well, unlike the more performance-focussed models that comprise the majority of its range, the Roma is designed to be a daily driver, offering "understated luxury" to owners looking to use their cars on a more regular basis. To that end it's supposedly more comfortable, approachable and effortless than its stablemates whilst remaining "reactive, light and fun to drive."
This, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, Enrico Galliera says, should not only appeal to existing customers - who've apparently been clamouring for a model such as this for years - but also to buyers new not just to Ferrari but to sports cars in general. "Our dream is that most of these new-to-Ferrari clients will come from a segment which doesn't exist. We know that in the market there are lots of people who'd like to drive a Ferrari but they are a bit afraid of driving a Ferrari or driving a sports car."
The presence of all of the marque's trademark driver assists - such as Side Slip Control 6.0 (a first on a Ferrari GT car) and Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer - should help with that, as will the less aggressive driving position. The Roma remains a highly potent machine though, power losses incurred thanks to the adoption of mandatory Gasoline Particulate Filters being offset by new cams, a redesigned exhaust with removed silencers and increased turbo efficiency.
The result is a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm and 560lb ft of torque between 3,000-5,750rpm. A dry weight of 1,472kg (1,570kg at the kerb) bestows it with the best power-to-weight ratio in its segment which, when paired with the SF Stradale's new eight-speed DCT gearbox, results in a 0-62 time of just 3.4 seconds and a top speed of nearly 200mph.
To keep that performance in check without compromising the Roma's "timeless and sublimely refined design", an active aero element also makes an appearance. Incorporated just beneath the wraparound rear windscreen, it can adjust to generate greater downforce at high speed while preserving the car's "purity of form" during less enthusiastic drives.
Far from being merely a Portofino coupe - the convertible format necessitating a rear-heavy volume at odds with the Roma's sleek shape - Ferrari is keen to stress that this is a completely separate model. Despite making use of the same modular chassis technology, Ferrari claims 70 per cent of the Roma's components will be entirely new. One look inside the cabin is all that's needed to suggest they're telling the truth.
Two distinct wrap-around cells separate the driver and passenger experiences, each occupant cocooned within their own leather-clad pod. The driver not only benefits from the 16-inch curved, fully-digital instrument cluster first seen on the SF90, but also from an 8.4-inch vertically-orientated infotainment screen mounted on the centre console. The passenger, meanwhile, retains the secondary display seen in previous models - a design feature which feels cohesive for the first time in this new layout. At first glance, the Roma certainly seems to live up to its billing, offering what looks to be the finest Ferrari cabin for years.
If not the most spacious. Ferrari's reluctance to dub the Roma a 2+2, choosing instead to stop short with a slightly dubious '2+' moniker, is explained by the restricted nature of the rear seats. As in the Portofino, they're likely suitable only for small children or excess luggage - unless the driver is particularly diminutive in stature - but can be folded down to provide a useful 345 litres of boot capacity.
Set to cost "slightly above €200,000 including tax", the first examples of Ferrari's new GT are expected to arrive with customers next spring. Following the fifth and final launch of what's been an unprecedentedly busy period for the Maranello brand, Galliera predicts that 2020 will be a year of consolidation, making sure that the dealer network, clients and market understand the positioning of the models introduced this year.
With a total of 15 launches promised by 2022, however, and a continuing corporate strategy of 'unpredictability', there are sure to be one or two twists to that plot. First drives of Ferrari's latest offering are set to take place early next year, so we won't have long to wait to discover whether the Roma can live up to its star billing.
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