Ferrari Roma: La Nuova Dolce Vita

Ferrari chose Rome as launch city for their new car. This was appropriate because the new car was a welcome reminder to the world that cars can still look beautiful. Not just strong, or dominating, or “having presence.” Simply beautiful. The new Roma looks back on classic lines and a classic time in Italian history, the era of La Dolce Vita, to bring forth a Ferrari that may well become their modern best seller.

Ferrari always tries to make sure that there is “A Ferrari for every Ferraristi,” meaning that with the diverse types of clients they have, there is something to suit them or at least something they can make bespoke for them. This doesn’t mean that demand will be satisfied, no, as there is pretty much always more demand than there is number of cars. But some Ferraris are race bred track machines more than others, though honestly, all draw from the same heritage and engineering excellence. Some just draw more than others or go closer to the ragged edge.

The Ferrari Roma goes far more to the heart and soul of Italian life and beauty. Yet it is a vehicle designed and built for the modern and future world. It has to meet increasingly-demanding efficiency and environmental concerns, for example, yet it needs to make each new Ferrari better than the last. The Roma uses as a base the same turbocharged V8 gasoline engine that has won the International Engine Of The Year Awards four years in a row, but it has to make it even better. The engine now puts out 620CV at 7,500 rpm, and uses Variable Boost Management to allow instantaneous throttle response. All this and more while including what should be power-sapping things like a Gasoline Particulate Filter. The end result is meant to be cleaner yet more fun to drive. A new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission helps the fun as well. It is 6 kilos lighter than the gearbox it replaces, which was an excellent 7-speed.

Visually, the car is far more stunning in the metal than any photos have been able to capture. Long sleek lines carry from the front to the rear, creating a silhouette that is both clean and somehow multi-dimensional, as opposed to just flat. Much has actually been taken away from the car in an effort to have purity of line and design. A new radiator grill concept helps with that in the front, active aero integrates very smoothly on the rear. And you many notice the lack of a big Ferrari badge on the flanks. The designers decided that in certain car colors, the badge detracts from the elegance of the car. So you may well only see the badge on certain colors and sportier variants. Internally, there is a new dual-cockpit look that helps provide both passengers with a special experience but disallows the easy holding of hands.

Just to make sure no one thinks of this as a Ferrari a little too relaxed, the engineers have put yet something more special. For the first time on a Ferrari GT car, you have Side Slip Control 6.0. Basically this means you can get the car even more sideways if you want to, while still remaining (relatively) safe. Remember, Ferrari doesn’t call these safety features, it calls them sport systems that just happen to have the ability to make you safer.

So that’s the new Ferrari GT 2+2. You could fit two people in the back if you really tried, but that’s better for your jackets, there’s actually a fair amount of trunk space in the rear. Oh, and they also announced another new Ferrari in Rome, a made-to-measure leather jacket that is quite technically designed for stretch and comfort while driving. It is about the most comfortable leather jacket we have ever tried. We do not, however, have the Ferrari we need in order to buy it.