Ferrari Roma: $409,888 plus on-road costs

Ferrari says the Roma is targeted squarely at Porsche 911 and Aston Martin buyers. The Italian manufacturer expects 70 per cent of buyers to be first-time Ferrari customers.

The Roma is, according to Ferrari, a “mid-front” engined, rear-wheel drive grand tourer. Powered by a version of Ferrari’s 3.9-litre (3855cc) turbo V8, the Roma makes 456kW (at 5750-75000rpm) and 760Nm (3000-5750rpm). It can cover the sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.4 seconds and the dash from 0-200km/h in 9.3 seconds. Top speed is rated at 320km/h.

Sending those outputs to the rear wheels is the same eight-speed dual-clutch transmission as found in the SF90 Stradale. Smaller and lighter than its seven-speed predecessor, Ferrari claims the new DCT offers sharper shifts as well as reducing fuel consumption.

The exterior design took inspiration from Ferrari’s stable of front-engined GTs from the 1960s, most notably the 250GT Lusso. With a long bonnet, low fastback tail and long overhang at rear, the Roma cuts an imposing figure in the metal.

At front, the curved guards and long, swooping bonnet work in tandem to create a sharknose effect, finished off by a perforated grille that can be optioned in chrome, body colour or gloss dark grey.

Noticeable by their absence are the Scuderia Ferrari logos on the front guards (although they are available as an extra-cost option), while the Prancing Horse emblem at the rear is smaller than found on other Ferrari models. The company says it’s part of the brand’s ‘understated elegance’ ethos for the Roma.

That ‘understated elegance’ transitions through to the rear wing which is integrated into the rear screen that only activates once a speed of 100km/h is reached. The wing can deploy in three different positions – Low Drag, Medium Downforce and High Downforce – depending on the speed the car is travelling. It’s claimed to offer 95kg of downforce at its highest setting when the Roma reaches 250km/h.

Inside, the Roma is what is called a ‘2+’, rather than ‘2+2’ seating layout. The front seat occupants are greeted by what the Italian brand calls a ‘Dual Cockpit’ set-up, with each seat located in a separate cell. The back seats are tight, but do feature ISOFIX child seat anchors. Fixed in place as standard, they can be optioned to fold down to create more cargo space. Ferrari claims a 272-litre boot capacity, expanding to 345 litres with those optional fold down seats.

Materials are as you would expect of $400,000+ supercar, with full-grain Frau leather and Alcantara complemented by carbon-fibre and chrome aluminium trims.

A 16-inch curved digital instrument display can be customised according to personal preferences. The default setting is a central tacho flanked by navigation and audio screens.

Augmenting the driver display is a horizontally-mounted 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen while an 8.8-inch touchscreen can be optioned for the passenger. As well as displaying driving data, the passenger screen can also be used to control the Roma’s infotainment system.

The steering wheel is not bereft of tech either, Ferrari eschewing the more conventional buttons and dials for a haptic touchscreen interface that can be used to control a variety of the car’s functions, including starting the car. Purists will rejoice that the traditional ‘Manettino’ switch remains in place. It toggles drive modes through Wet, Comfort, Sport, Race and ESC off.

And in a nod to tradition, the gear selector has been designed to resemble Ferrari gated-gear shifts of old, switches housed inside a chromed aluminium H-pattern.

Local deliveries are expected to start between March and June 2021.