Roman Holiday
The Ferrari name conjures up two thoughts: speedy and good-looking cars. Over the years, that theme has continued, with a luxury spin added. The Roma Spider adds another element — a convertible version. The Roma look carries the Ferrari theme of a smooth and sculptured low design. The front line and fenders have a rounded forward flow with a traditional Ferrari grille look. Likewise, this convertible version has a classic, curved, and rounded rear end. Overall, it is a good-looking car.
Part two of the Ferrari legend is performance, and nothing is missing from that agenda. Six-hundred-and-twelve horsepower is developed from the 3.9-liter V8 twin-turbocharged front-mounted engine. Unlike the old days, the stick shift/clutch transmission is gone, and this Ferrari has an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic shifter. Interestingly, the transmission is rear-mounted. The transmission can be manually shifted with a touch of the large levers behind the steering wheel or put into a completely automatic shift mode with the push of a button. But the bottom line is serious performance, with a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 199 miles per hour.
Much like the rest of the automotive world, the interior is filled with video screens rather than mechanical instruments. A 12-inch touchscreen is in the center of the dash to control various actions. The dash pod has the usual speed information, local speed limits, etc., plus a video map of the area the vehicle is in. Also, a video comes on at low speeds and in reverse, showing 360 degrees around the car and in front of it.
The front seats have high side bolsters to keep you in place when taking corners. An automatic climate system handles the air conditioning requirements. There are two rear seats, but they are small and tight, and the front occupants must move their seats forward to provide sufficient room for the rear passengers. The convertible top can be
instantly put down or raised back in place with some lever pushes. When the top goes down, the trunk opens, the windows roll down, and the top disappears into the trunk. Push the lever in the other direction, and the canvas top reappears and seals itself. With the convertible top down in the trunk, there is less storage room. But the real fun starts with lighting up the engine, which provides a deep, throaty exhaust sound from the four large rear exhaust pipes.
As indicated above, acceleration is instant and of the throw-you-back-into-the-seat variety. The ride and handling can be changed with various controls, with settings for Comfort, Sport, Race and Wet. The ride is quite accommodating in Comfort mode. Steering is direct and to the point. But with the top down and cruising with the great exhaust sound, this Ferrari preserves its reputation.
FERRARI ROMA SPIDER
MODEL // 4-seat sports car
DRIVETRAIN // Front-engine, twin-turbocharged V8, 612 horsepower, 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
FUEL MILEAGE // City: 17 mpg, Highway: 22 mpg; Combined: 19 mpg.
PERFORMANCE // 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds, top speed of 199 mph.
PRICE // $275,970; as tested $413,593