Truly an "F1 car dressed in an evening gown"

Ferrari Roma | The Ferrari Roma

The Roma, Ferrari's all-new four-seater GT model, made its world premiere in November 2019 and arrived in Japan in April 2020. We took this model, named after Italy's ancient capital, for a test drive in Kyoto, Japan's own ancient capital.

Text by YAMAGUCHI Koichi | Photographs by Ferrari Japan

Reviving the heritage of classic Ferrari GT models for the modern era

The Ferrari Roma, true to its name, made its world premiere in Italy's ancient capital in November 2019. What struck me most about the event was the presentation. The venue, complete with a bar counter, chandeliers, and antique chairs and sofas, felt like a luxurious hotel lounge. A giant screen displayed sequences from "La Dolce Vita" (1960), the masterpiece by Italian film maestro Federico Fellini, which depicted the hedonistic lifestyle of 1950s Roman celebrities.

Test Drive: The Ferrari Roma – Truly an "F1 car dressed in an evening gown" | Ferrari — The special venue for the world premiere, built on the grounds of the "Stadio Olimpico di Roma," which hosted the 1960 Rome Olympics.

Enrico Galliera, Ferrari's Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, emerged from behind the bar counter, cappuccino in hand, and explained to the assembled global press that the car was born from a concept to revive the glamorous Roman lifestyle of yesteryear for the modern age.

As the anecdote of Enzo Ferrari, a former Alfa Romeo works driver, founding Ferrari to win races suggests, Ferrari's true home ground is the racetrack. However, when it comes to production cars, Ferrari has, since its inception, crafted beautiful GTs with elegant bodies and luxurious interiors, captivating celebrities worldwide. Take, for instance, the "250 GT Berlinetta Lusso," famously gifted by Neile Adams, Steve McQueen's former wife, to McQueen himself.

The Ferrari Roma is precisely a model that revives the heritage of those classic GTs with modern sensibility and cutting-edge technology. Indeed, Ferrari states that its exterior, featuring a classical long-nose, fastback silhouette, draws inspiration from its 1950s and 60s GT models such as the "250 GT Berlinetta Lusso" and "250 GT 2+2."

Driving a Ferrari always stirs the soul, but having fallen in love with the Roma's styling at its unveiling, I was even more captivated upon reuniting with it in Japan. It sounds cliché, but its beauty is truly breathtaking.

The flowing body, composed of undulating curves, is particularly striking with its masculine front and rear wheel arches. Absent are the characteristic lines and air vents familiar on contemporary Ferraris, asserting a distinct identity from other current Ferrari models. It seems to rely on its sculptural beauty, as if carved from a solid block of metal by a master sculptor, rather than resorting to such design cues.

In fact, to achieve its minimalist form, Ferrari employed an active rear spoiler integrated with the rear screen. This deployable spoiler offers three positions – Low Drag (LD), Medium Downforce (MD), and High Downforce (HD) – reaching a 135-degree angle to the rear screen in the HD position, generating approximately 95 kg of downforce at 250 km/h.

Ferrari's aerodynamics department and styling center worked in close collaboration to develop the Roma, balancing its minimalist styling with exceptional aerodynamics. "An F1 car wearing an evening gown – that was the design theme for the Roma," says Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari's Chief Design Officer. It's a perfectly fitting description.

Enjoying the exterior design from inside the cabin

Turning our attention to the powertrain, the heart of the Roma is a 3.8-liter V8 turbo engine, which has won the International Engine of the Year award for four consecutive years. For the Roma, Ferrari has implemented new cam profiles and increased the turbo's maximum rotational speed by 5,000 rpm.

The newly developed 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox is a derivative of the one used in the SF90 Stradale. It is more compact than the previous 7-speed unit and weighs 6 kg less. Additionally, the body shell and chassis incorporate the latest lightweight technologies, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 2.37 kg/cv.

For vehicle dynamics, the Roma features the Side Slip Control 6.0, now in its sixth generation, for the first time in a Ferrari GT model. It also incorporates the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer, which controls yaw by adjusting brake force, showcasing Ferrari's latest technological advancements.

Settling into the driver's seat, the rich contours of the front fenders are visible through the windshield, and the muscular bulges of the rear fenders are reflected in the rearview mirror, reaffirming the car's stunning form. In this regard, it shares a similarity with the Porsche 911, allowing the driver to appreciate the exterior design from within the cabin.

The interior, appointed with exquisite full-grain leather in black and cream, accented with red stitching, and lavishly incorporating "real" materials like chrome-finished aluminum and carbon fiber, masterfully evokes the ambiance of a luxurious GT, as captivating as the exterior. The infotainment system is equally state-of-the-art, featuring a 16-inch HD screen for navigation and audio information on the instrument cluster and an 8.4-inch HD center display.

At 26.82 million yen, the price might be considered reasonable

Pressing the starter button on the steering wheel ignites the front V8 twin-turbo engine. As we begin driving through Kyoto's narrow streets in AT mode, the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission shifts smoothly, connecting the drive at around 1,000-2,000 rpm with a seamlessness comparable to an automatic transmission. It feels like driving a refined coupe.

Even at low revs, the engine emits a deep, resonant sound, yet it's remarkably easy to handle, belying its over 600 hp output. In city traffic with frequent stops and starts, it accelerates and decelerates smoothly, faithfully responding to the slightest movement of the driver's right foot. The exceptional control over the accelerator and brakes makes the steering feel perfectly natural from the moment you grip it.

As long as the Manettino (driving mode selector) – featuring five modes for the first time in a Ferrari GT model – is set to "Wet" or "Comfort," the ride quality is excellent, even at town speeds. True to its styling, the drive is impressively refined and elegant. While the suspension is somewhat firm, leading to distinct jolts on certain road surfaces, the Ferrari's inherent body rigidity and the high mounting rigidity of its components prevent harshness or vibrations from being amplified, ensuring a comfortable experience.

We drove east out of Kyoto's busy city center and navigated the mountain pass known as Yamanaka-goe. This led us to the Mt. Hiei Driveway and Okuhiei Driveway, winding up the slopes of Mt. Hiei, which straddles the border between Kyoto and Shiga prefectures. On these undulating, winding roads, the Roma, despite its elegant exterior that perfectly suits the description "evening gown," offered the driving experience of a true supersport.

Its agility is remarkable. As I gently turned the moderately weighted steering wheel towards the apex of a corner, the car, while maintaining excellent body control with minimal roll, gracefully directed its long nose into the turn. Perhaps due to the front-midship layout, it felt as though the car was turning around the driver, even with its long nose, which was a delightful sensation.

The familiar V8 unit, boasting an output of 620 hp and 760 Nm of torque, impressively hides any drawbacks of a turbo engine. It revs sharply to the 7,500 rpm redline, much like a naturally aspirated engine, with the rise in RPM, torque, and sound perfectly synchronized. When accelerating out of a corner, the rear tires immediately grip the road, propelling the car forward with ferocious acceleration even from low revs. It is, in a word, an exquisite engine.

With its sharp handling and powerful, race-bred engine, it would undoubtedly be immensely enjoyable even on a racetrack. The more you drive it, the more the phrase "an F1 car dressed in an evening gown" resonates with truth.

Although the distance was short, I also experienced cruising on the Meishin Expressway. At around 100 km/h in eighth gear, the engine speed is approximately 1,500 rpm, making the cabin exceptionally quiet and comfortable. Beyond mere comfort, the driving pleasure is enhanced by the reassuring steering feel and the powertrain's ability to precisely control speed with the accelerator pedal – hallmarks of a superior GT. The masterful fusion of GT qualities and performance rivals, if not surpasses, the Porsche 911 Turbo. Aside from its slightly low ride height and considerable width, it possesses the same high degree of everyday usability as the 911 Turbo. Moreover, the Roma boasts the unique advantage of its unparalleled, beautiful styling. At 26.82 million yen, the price might indeed be considered reasonable.

Spec

Ferrari Roma