Ferrari Roma

The Ferrari Roma in all its glory… Image: Supplied

Prancing Horse: Roma, Ferrari’s new super stallion, makes SA debut

Described as ‘an F1 car in evening attire’, the latest GT coupé from the House of Enzo is one of the most eagerly anticipated new model launches in 2020.

Ferrari Roma

The Ferrari Roma in all its glory… Image: Supplied

Die-hard South African Ferrari fans are preparing to saddle up as the Italian supercar maker readies to unleash a new breed of silver steed onto the country’s roads.

Celebrating the debut of the new Ferrari Roma and the Italian powerhouse’s La Nuova Dolce Vita (Italian for “The New Sweet Life”) concept, Scuderia South Africa revealed the Prancing Horse’s new V8 2+ coupé for the first time in the company’s history on a digital platform.

The latest coupé from Maranello’s signature Italian styling is a contemporary reinterpretation of the carefree lifestyle of the 1950s and 1960s in Rome as depicted in director Frederico Fellini’s 1960 cinematic masterpiece, La Dolce Vita, starring Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg.

Ferrari Roma: Best in class

A member of the turbocharged V8 family that has won the International Engine of the Year four years in a row, the Ferrari Roma 3.8-litre engine punches out 456 kW and 760 Nm of torque at 3000 to 5750 rpm, making it the most powerful in its segment.

Ferrari claims the Roma is capable of a 0-100km/h time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 320km/h.

Exclusive private previews in South Africa

Pioneering the next generation of customer experience, the official Ferrari dealer broke new ground with its first virtual launch of the Ferrari Roma, which will be followed by exclusive private previews of the new model at their state-of-the-art showrooms in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Group COO Jan Ungerer said: “Considering local market conditions, we have opted to revolutionise the way in which we engage with our esteemed customers and prospects by embracing the ever-evolving digital space. 

“In addition, the recently launched MyFerrari App was created specifically to provide Ferrari clients with features and services that interface directly with Maranello. This will allow clients to access to the entire ‘Ferrari Universe’ at their fingertips.”

Going full throttle: Cutting-edge technologies

To guarantee best-in-class performance while still retaining the stylistic purity of its bloodline, Ferrari engineers developed several cutting-edge technologies, most notably a mobile rear spoiler integrated into the rear screen designed to retain the car’s formal elegance when retracted and guarantee the downforce essential for the grand tourer’s extraordinary performance by automatically deploying at high speeds.

The Ferrari Roma also features Variable Boost Management for instantaneous throttle response.

With the adoption of Gasoline Particulate Filters, meticulous attention was paid to the sound of the exhaust system which has been completely redesigned, removing the silencers and introducing new bypass valves.

‘New face’ – but design language retains sporty vocation

Stylistically, the Ferrari Roma is characterised by clean and symbiotic forms.

Its harmonious proportions and elegantly balanced volumes are very much in line with the Ferrari mid-front-engined grand touring tradition of which the 250 GT Berlinetta lusso and 250 GT 2+2 are the most iconic examples — and from which the Roma takes its inspiration.

It also inherits a new eight-speed automatic gearbox introduced on the SF90 Stradale.

It embodies an extremely modern design language which underlines its authentic, refined styling. At the same time, its sleek lines retain the sporty vocation shared by all Ferraris.

The Ferrari Roma’s chassis benefits from the modular technology developed by Ferrari for its new generation models.

Dual cockpit ‘evolution’

Both the body shell and chassis have been redesigned to achieve weight reduction and while incorporating the latest advanced production technologies. In fact, 70% of its components are entirely new.

The mid-fronted engined 2+ Ferrari Roma has the best weight/power ratio in its segment, which enhances handling dynamics and responsiveness.

For the Ferrari Roma’s cabin, the Ferrari Styling Centre designers developed a new formal approach that involved the creation of two separate cells, one for the driver and another for the passenger, in an evolution of the dual cockpit concept that embraces the entire cabin rather than just the dashboard.

The new Ferrari key with “Comfort Access” function allows the driver to open the car by touching a button in the door.

Lastly, the Roma sports Matrix LED headlights and optional Ferrari advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including adaptive Cruise Control.

Million-dollar question: What will a Ferrari Roma likely cost?

Ferrari has yet to release pricing and release details, but word has it that an MSRP of at least $225,000 (R4 972 000) is expected.