Roma Spider

The Maker

Background & Provenance

Ferrari's design house, Pininfarina, has been responsible for the aesthetic of virtually every significant Ferrari since the 1950s. The Roma is notable as a return to the coachbuilt Italian tradition after years of increasingly aerodynamically driven design: smooth surfaces, flush handles, a fastback roofline, and an absence of wings or splitters that marks it as belonging to the tradition of the 250 GT and 275 GTB rather than the F40 or Enzo. The name refers to the Dolce Vita era of Rome in the 1950s and 1960s — and the reference is not arbitrary. The Roma is the first Ferrari since that era that you might reasonably park outside a restaurant without inducing a crowd.

Powertrain

The Engine

The 3.9-litre V8 is Ferrari's turbocharged engine — the unit that has won International Engine of the Year multiple times in its various states of tune. In the Roma Spider it produces 612bhp and 760Nm of torque. The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is the most refined version Ferrari has produced; gear changes in Comfort mode are essentially imperceptible. The rear-wheel drive configuration in a 612bhp car requires the driver to be thoughtful, though the electronic stability systems have become progressively more sophisticated — the Roma's Side Slip Control system is the most advanced in the current range. The exhaust note, on full throttle with the roof open, is the closest thing to a religious experience that combustion engineering currently produces.

Interior

The Experience

The Roma Spider interior is, compared to other Ferraris in the current range, designed for two people who intend to spend time in the car rather than extract maximum performance from it. The HMI system — Ferrari's interface for climate, audio, and driving modes — is well-organised by sports car standards. The retractable hardtop opens and closes in 13.5 seconds at speeds up to 60km/h; the mechanism is entirely invisible when closed and entirely invisible when open, folding into a compartment behind the rear seats that reduces luggage space marginally but not practically. The seats are fixed-back buckets in standard specification — a specification that should be changed for the optional touring seats for any buyer intending more than forty-five minutes at a time.

Acquisition

How to Obtain It

Ferrari manages its dealer allocation through a system that rewards purchase history at specific dealerships. The Roma Spider, as a relatively new model in the range, does not yet carry the allocation difficulty of the SF90 or the F8 Tributo; most dealers will be able to accommodate a registered client with a reasonable lead time of 6 to 12 months for standard specifications. The Tailor Made programme — Ferrari's bespoke offering — extends lead times by 3 to 4 months and is worth engaging for colour and interior specification. Pre-owned examples of the coupé are widely available; the Spider is newer and pre-owned supply is limited, with prices holding close to new.

• 1.Specify the touring seats — the standard buckets are appropriate for track days, not for the grand touring purpose this car serves best.
• 2.The Grigio Ingrid (grey) exterior is the definitive specification for the Roma — it was used in the design presentation and reveals the proportions most clearly.
• 3.Establish a purchase history at your local dealer before approaching for a Roma Spider — the allocation system is relationship-dependent.

Specifications