The new Ferrari Roma is the fifth new model from the house of Maranello. After making an impressive run with the SF90 Stradale, 812 GTS, and F8 Tributo and Tributo Spider, Ferrari is aiming for the new Aston Martin Vantage, Porsche 911, and Mercedes-AMG GT with the Roma.
And in order to do that, it needs to deliver the goods in both styling and performance.
Ferrari Roma has a front-mounted V8 motor
The V8 motor is utilized extensively in Ferrari’s lineup. Where the F8 Tributo and SF90 Stradale both have glorious V8 engines mounted in the rear, the Ferrari Roma has a front-mounted V8 similar to the Portofino.
But unlike the Portofino, the Roma is a proper hardtop coupe. It also happens to be faster, more powerful, and more focused than the open-top Portofino, and that’s a good thing.
And just in case you haven’t noticed, the Roma is quite a looker.
It looks like a million bucks
Truth be told, Roma is perhaps the most gorgeous supercar to wear the prancing horse badge. Of course, we mean no disrespect to the F8 Tributo and SF90 Stradale or even the Portofino for this matter, but the Roma is on a different league.
You can think of it as the Alfa Romeo 8C and Disco Volante. Both vehicles are essentially the same, but the latter is more desirable with its blend of old school styling and Jetson’s inspired fascia. In Ferrari Roma, the Italian carmaker drew inspiration from the 250 GT Lusso from the early 1960s. But with sharper twin taillights, quad exhaust tips, and a voluptuous rear end, the Roma is practically screaming with modern elegance.
Viewed from the side, the car inherited the gorgeous hips of the 812 Superfast. In the front, there’s a forward-leaning grille and meaner-looking headlights. What really stands out is the lack of drama and exaggeration on the body surfacing. The clean-sheet design with a long hood, flush door handles, and bulbous wheel arches are semplicemente deliziosa.
Ferrari Roma is based on the Portofino
After releasing the Portofino, the next best thing is to create a sporting coupe version. The new Roma is based on the Portofino, which is unusual for Ferrari who likes using different platforms in its portfolio. Both vehicles have the same wheelbase, but the Roma sits lower and is wider and longer than the Portofino.
In fact, it’s also longer than the Vantage, which gives the Roma an undeniable presence on the road.
And without a folding roof, Roma is also 161 pounds (73 kg) lighter than Portofino.
This means blazing-fast performance in an elegant-looking package
True, the new Ferrari Roma has the same 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 motor as the Portofino. But Ferrari massaged the engine to give it more oomph. The output is now rated at 611-horsepower at 7500 rpm, which is 19 more than in the Portofino.
The engine is now bolted to a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic derived from the SF90 Stradale. And since Roma is lighter and more aerodynamic, it rushes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4-seconds and reaches 124 mph in 9.3 seconds. Also, the top speed is rated at 200 mph.
In case you’re wondering, those numbers mean Ferrari Roma is faster than both the Portofino and Aston Martin Vantage.
It also gets a new interior
Ferrari’s Manettino steering wheel is still there, but the biggest change in the cabin is the taller center console, which divides the cockpit between the driver and passenger similar to the interior design in the new Chevy Corvette C8.
The new Roma also receives a digital instrument cluster, a large central touchscreen, a smaller information screen for the passenger, and a retro-inspired gated gear selector.
Pricing for the new Ferrari Roma is yet to be revealed, but we’re willing to fork over more dollars for a $211,000 Portofino with a more powerful engine, a fixed roof, and a doubly sensuous body style.