There was truly something special about the attitude of elegance of the pleasure-seeking era of the 1950’s – 60’s and the ease at which it was lived. For many Ferraristas, this was the golden age of the marque. Ferrari’s classic road cars from this period had a spirit that was so evocative of living the sweet life. Languid masterpieces from Pininfarina and Scaglietti like the 275, The 250 California, and the 365 Daytona just to name a few had the perfect blend of performance and luxury that were so desirable in a Grand Tourer of this era. Models like these with their movie-star good looks and the horsepower to back it up, in my mind at least, define Ferrari’s of this period. While it’s natural that the design language of modern Ferraris will lean towards more aggressive rear-engine shapes, the long proportions that lead with an extended nose required for a front-mid engine are timeless and one might even say, are back in fashion. Ferrari’s current offering in this genre is every bit La Dolce Vita …but in a new way: La Nuova Dolce Vita.
It’s been 54 years since the prancing horse had a front-mid engine convertible in its stables. The last was the well-loved 365 Daytona. It’s a tough act to follow but the Ferrari Roma Spider is more than up to the task.
Ferrari released the Roma in2019 to great success. As a modern take on classic lines, the model was a big hit but Ferrari takes it a step further by giving us the Roma as a Spider. Both cars share very similar lines, with the Roma Spider of course making a few adjustments, or one might even argue, improvements, to accommodate top-down cruising. For starters the chassis is a tad stiffer to make up for the extra rigidity that a solid roof adds to the overall structure of the car. The result is a more elegant shape that is admittedly slightly heavier. Additional electronics and mechanisms must be accommodated which adds some heft but the result, at least in our opinion is a lot more fun to drive. It’s hard to beat the wind-in-your-hair fun factor that a convertible brings. It’s also a bit truer to the spirit of an elegant tourer like this. It’s not about getting from A to B in the shortest time possible, I’s about getting there in style and savoring every moment of travel to get there. The 5-layer soft top blocks wind and noise and is engineered to reflect heat. For top-down drives you can retract it in a mere 13.5 seconds even while travelling up to 60 kph. And in our opinion, if weather permits, one should always drive a car like this with the top down.
It’s a Ferrari. It goes without saying it will be fast and have race-ready handling. But what the Roma Spider does best is evoke feelings of elegant travel. Every drive in it is a journey in style, even the most ordinary ones turn into romantic Mediterranean drives when you’re behind the wheel. And it doesn’t hurt that it has practicalities that you may not expect from a Ferrari. With it’s 2+2 seating arrangement and actual usable boot-space, this is one Ferrari that you can actually imagine driving everyday. But don’t get us wrong, elegant and practical as the Roma Spider is, this is every bit a Ferrari that will provide the thrills of sporty rapid-transit. Underneath the bonnet of this Maranello-missile (and you don’t get to say that about many Ferrari’s nowadays) is an award-winning twin-turbo V8 punching out 612 horsepower to the rear wheels. But power is nothing without control. Ferrari Driver Dynamics 6.0 with side-slip control systems and Ferrari dynamic enhancer among others makes for an even more spirited driving experience. This is a sportscar that welcomes newcomers to high-powered motoring with a package and controls that don’t make it overwhelming but there’s also race-ready performance for veterans who want to push their limits. Apart from the stunning lines and potent powerplant, technical highlights include the 3-position spoiler that dynamically adjusts trim depending on your speed and the innovative in-cabin wind deflector to calm air turbulence when driving with the top down. Caveat though: you lose the =2 seating if you deploy it.
The Roma Spyder is a striking combination of luxury and the passionate driving experience that only Ferrari can give you. It’s an elegant modern rendition of iconic road cars from the past. With a look and feel that whispers Ferrari rather than screams it. It welcomes newcomers to the brand with a package that is very easy to enjoy but it also tips it’s hat to afficionados who understand the spirit that Ferrari is referencing.
Ferrari is now officially distributed in the Philippines by Velocita Motors Inc. Drop by the official showroom for an authentic bespoke Ferrari experience and see how you can spec a Ferrari Roma Spider exactly the way you want it.