Ferrari Roma conservatively adds to the Italian carmaker’s lineup

As a part of expanding their lineup, Ferrari revealed a new model named after the capital of Italy. The Ferrari Roma, as it’s called, is a V8 two-seater coupe that flaunts styling which is a departure from the design of most modern Ferraris, yet ends up looking the most generic and derivative.

The swooping body of the Ferrari Roma is borderline Aston Martin-ish, not helped by the fact that it debuted in James Bond’s DB10 colours. On its own, of course it looks good, as the design seems to have taken some inspiration from the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso and the Ferrari 250 GT 2+2 from the 1950s and 60s.

The full matrix LED headlights allows you to keep the high beams on without blinding other drivers in front of you.

Powering the Roma is a version of Ferrari’s 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 from the Portofino and GTC4Lusso T. For the Roma, this mill produces 612 hp and 760 Nm which is enough to power the Ferrari Roma from 0 to 100 kph in 3.4 seconds. The 200 kph mark is breached after 9.3 seconds. The Roma will scream onwards till 320 kph, its top speed. An eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox handles the power, derived from the unit in the SF90 Stradale, but with longer gear ratios.

Ferrari designed a totally new exhaust system for the Roma to give it a unique soundtrack. The geometry is different from the Portofino, and the two real silencers were eliminated. New vortex generators on the front underbody and an active rear spoiler help it produce more downforce.

Inside the Roma, a high centre console separates the driver and passenger, an unusual thing to see in a Ferrari. The central console houses the automatic gearbox controls within a metal plate that is meant to remind you of the classic gated manual shifters of the past, ironically. The infotainment screen is stacked vertically. The passenger also gets a different screen on their side.

Essentially a hard-top sister model to the convertible Portofino (although Ferrari claims 70% of the components are unique), the Roma will be going after a more conservative clientele as it begins deliveries next summer, at a price-point starting at about Dhs 800,000 in the UAE.