Described as the reinterpretation of the carefree lifestyle in Rome during the 50s and 60s, Ferrari has officially made its Roma debut in South Africa. This is the first time that Ferrari has ever launched a car on a digital platform. Its minimalist design and the local price has gotten us all talking about it, so let’s get right into it.
Sleek, elegant Italian design that makes the Ferrari Roma so unique.
Made with loads of lightweight material, the Ferrari Roma has a rather modest design. This doesn’t take anything away from it, instead, it feels as though it emphasises the powerful presence of the brand. The front features a slim perforated grille that can come in three colours – chrome, body colour or gloss dark grey. Flaking the grille are streamlined headlights with daytime running LEDs slicing through them.
The Ferrari Roma rides on twenty-inch alloy wheels and the taillights are said to be made to look like precious stones. They do have a rather red Tiger’s Eye look to them, but we enjoy the low tail and mobile rear spoiler. It lifts up when moving over 100 km/h and has three settings.
The door handles have been made flush with the door and you don’t even need to pull them. You open the Ferrari Roma by touching the button next to the handle.
Opening the door reveals a stunning dual cockpit.
When looking in, the Ferrari Roma has two separate cells for the driver and passenger split by the centre console and infotainment. It’s just as elegant as the exterior design, keeping a minimal approach to design elements. Behind the steering wheel is a sixteen-inch virtual instrument cluster that can be changed to the driver’s preference. An 8.4-inch portrait infotainment touchscreen comes standard too, however, buyers can choose to get an 8.8-inch touchscreen for the passenger too.
The materials used all around look fantastic and we have no doubt that there will be anything that feels cheap. Ferrari has made use of Poltrana Frau leather and Alcantara together with chrome and carbon-fibre details. There was no mention of a non-leather option.
Ferrari has made space for passenger seats, but they are probably more for the ISOfix child-seat anchors than people. With the seats up, there are 272 litres of boot space that can become 345 when the seats are down.
An award-winning engine powers the Ferrari Roma.
Ferrari has used the same engine that won the International Engine of the Year four times in a row. It’s a turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 mated to an 8-speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox. At its peak, this Ferrari Roma will produce 456 kW and 760 Nm. From a standstill, Ferrari says the Roma will get to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 320 km/h.
The Roma will feature Variable Boost Management for instantaneous throttle response and Gasoline Particulate Filters. Ferrari also replaced the silencers in the exhaust system with bypass valves.
South African price.
The starting price for the Ferrari Roma is R4,972,000, however, if you happen to be someone who has that kind of money and want this amazing car, that might not be the price you will get it at. With loads of options and additional features, it’s best to speak with your local dealer about the pricing.
Ferrari is offering a 360° virtual tour that you can take right now.